Truth2tell - Like It Is

Published Wednesday 11th July 2007
Truth2tell - Like It Is
Truth2tell - Like It Is

STYLE: Rock
RATING 5 5 5 5 5
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 22705-12443
LABEL: Independent T2TCD001
FORMAT: CD EP
ITEMS: 1
RRP: £5.99

Reviewed by Ian Hayter

Readers blessed with good (and fairly localised) memories may remember 1970s Christian rock band Transformer which included in its line-up bassist Dave Edwards. Well, Mr Edwards has teamed up with guitarist Jakey Graupner (of 1980s bands Charisma and Bluehorses) and drummer Dave Perry (also of Charisma) and friends Ewan Hackett and Steve Nuttall to form Truth2Tell, a band based in Bristol and performing locally in a variety of venues. They sound like a fairly average pub rock band with undoubtedly skilful musicians, in particular Graupner on the guitar. No doubt they're all pretty good, really, but somehow they don't seem to amount to the sum of their parts and the resulting five tracks on this mini-album leave the listener expecting more than they get. And the lyrics, which never quite match the standard of the music, occasionally descend to the most banal level of the language of Zion (check out "Sing Now"), with forced rhymes and some rather dodgy metres. The closing "Sonshyne" is especially gruesome ("I got Sonshyne/I got Sonshyne/I got Sonshyne/In my heart.") It's not badly produced - although the mix is a bit unbalanced in places.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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Reader Comments

Posted by Heather in Bristol @ 17:48 on Jul 30 2007

I have to say I don't agree with Mr Hayter's review. I love this CD as much as I love seeing Truth2tell performing live (I haven't missed a single gig as yet).I feel really uplifted when I listen to their album, in a way that I've never before experienced with Christian music. Both music and my faith are very important to me, and to have the two brought together by this band is truly amazing. I listen to their album so much, and I never get tired of hearing it. Thank you Truth2tell for a great CD!!



Posted by Eddie in Hounslow @ 19:24 on Jul 18 2007

Actually, the "banal level of the language of Zion" appears to be word for word taken from the book of Zephaniah (King James version)!!!
If a band is lifting lyrics verbatim from our Book of Life, then how can a Christian presume to slate what is, in effect, the Word of God? Shame that the purported negative aspects are glorified, because Truth2tell played their socks off for us last year, and are much better live, as the other letter says.



Posted by James in Didcot @ 21:48 on Jul 16 2007

I'm guessing that Mr Hayter hasn't had the good fortune of seeing Truth2tell live. It's true that this mini-album doesn't show them at their best, but it was recorded some time ago and is more an accompaniment to their live set. I'd be hesitant to write off any new band when they're in the development stage - even the Beatles dropped some tremendous clangers on that first record. This is to all intents and purposes worship music, either for participation (Sing Now) or not (Eternity) - and this is reinforced when you see them perform. To therefore describe the lyrics as "the most banal level of the language of Zion" is not only unrelentingly harsh, it's also fundamentally misguided. A bit like saying that Give Me Joy In My Heart is a bit repetitive: technically accurate, but entirely missing the point.



Posted by Tim B in Bristol @ 19:40 on Feb 26 2007

I got this CD!!! it ROCKS!!!
looks like u got da cover the wrong way round tho



The opinions expressed in the Reader Comments are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms.

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