In Nashville Mike Rimmer met up with Canadian rock band DOWNHERE and discovered mystical, spiritual romantics.

Wow! I suggest that Downhere have metamorphosed into mystical spiritual romantics! If their past attempts at expressing the prophetic hadn't worked, isn't there an opportunity to revisit that area now? What about writing the songs that express God's romantic heart to us so that as they sing their audience feel God talking directly to them?

Jason responds, "It's interesting you say that because I really feel.and here's the mystic coming out!.but I really feel like he does do that in a concert setting. I can't really put my finger on it, but when we play 'A Better Way' and sing 'I love you could not be said a better way.,' I feel like I'm being sung to, you know? And I hope other people are being sung to. But there's a truth in that. We've come up with this idea of 'success and surrender' and how closely linked those two things are. In our live presentation we really try to make it not this formulaic thing. We're not afraid to speak out and share God's heart with people and speak truth into different situations."

In modern Christian music, this element of prophetic songwriting, where the artist tries to sing what's on the heart of God, is largely missing. "I think people are afraid to have that prophetic presence," Jason observes. "In some ways I feel as though songs like 'Little Is Much', 'Unbelievable' and '1000 Miles Apart' are moments when we speak to cultural and spiritual issues without necessarily pointing out the problem but showing where we need to go. I think the motivation needs to be love and the way we lead prophetically is." Marc chips in, "I think we're trying to spotlight truth instead of spotlight the negative things." There are murmurs of agreement from the rest of the band and Jason continues, "We want to point to Christ and point to the bright path instead of, 'Hey you're on the wrong path!' This is maybe where we need to go."

It is clear from the enthusiasm of the band that with a new label and a new impetus this is an exciting new chapter for Downhere. Jeremy agrees, "It is. This whole new label has been awesome. We talked to four or five different labels I think. We really did some soul-searching and when we finally landed with Centricity, it's been really great. They feel like an extension of Downhere, whereas we didn't quite feel that way when we were with Word. It was something that we tried to make happen but it was very difficult with such a large label. Centricity is a small indie label who likes to try crazy things. They're real family-orientated and they feel like they're an extension of our ministry and of what we do. So yeah, it's really exciting!"

The band are buoyant and deservedly proud of 'Wide Eyed And Mystified'. What is it that is exciting them most at the moment? Glenn responds, "We have good songs. These are songs we all love and I think we've finally got there with our songwriting. Jason and Marc really stepped it up for this newest album. We're all really excited to be playing these new songs for everybody."

Marc jumps in to share, "I think the other thing too is that we do get to re-introduce ourselves. It's almost like we get to start with a clean slate; new team, new people who are really excited about this, new songs which are just fantastic. And we do have some experience and some time in history we've been able to develop some relationships. So I think just this new season, there's a real exciting freshness and wide-eyed approach to it."

Jeremy adds, "And also a real peace in the experiences that we've had. Coming from the experiences that we've had, just maturing and being in a different spot in life with a new label, it's like we're starting over but we know more. We know what to expect now and we can just rest in the fact that God knows what he's doing. I know I used to say that five years ago but I believe it more now."

And so the conversation ends and the band have to leave. As they gather their belongings I notice for the first time that I am being recorded. Have the band got so precious that they worry I'll misquote them? Not at all; instead as I write this and check out their website I discover that parts of the interview appear on a podcast! I also discover that the band will be doing a short tour of the UK at the end of February so we'll be meeting up again soon. If you get a chance to see them live, don't miss the opportunity!