A batch of Cross Rhythms reviewers consider the merits of 25 mainstream albums

2007
Roots
Rickie
Lee Jones
The Sermon On Exposition Boulevard
New
West
I've been a fan of Jones since her 1979 debut
single "Chuck Ee's In Love". As far as I'm aware she's not a Christian
so it's always fascinating when songwriters tackle spiritual themes in
their songs. This was never intended to be a Rickie Lee Jones album.
It evolved when Lee Cantelon wrote a book, The Words, which had taken
the words of Jesus, updated them in modern language and then freed
them from the constraints of the New Testament. It was meant to be a
spoken word album but within a makeshift recording studio set up in a
friend's art studio, the album took a completely different direction
when Jones showed up to read extracts from the book on a couple of
tracks. Instead, in a moment of inspiration, she chose to sing
Cantelon's words, improvising the version of "Nobody Knows My Name" on
the spot. Suddenly everything changed. As the album progressed, Jones
began to write songs inspired by the book, The Bible and her own
insights. The resulting album still holds together in an intriguing
way. Some of these tracks are starkly stunning. "Where I Like It Best"
is a delicate meditation on The Lord's Prayer and what it might mean
today. This is not a Christian music album and yet it will appeal to
some open minded Cross Rhythms readers. The way in which Jones
improvises lyrics on some of these pieces gives the album a rambling
quality which I find endearing rather than irritating. Musically,
there's a drifting quality reminiscent of some Van Morrison and
"Circle In the Sand" brought to mind early '70s Lou Reed. Another
highlight for me was "Elvis Cadillac" where Elvis and Janis Joplin
cruise round Heaven in a Caddy! Interesting and at times difficult,
this is a thought provoking artistic release that rewards
investigation.
Mike Rimmer

2006
Pop
Arctic
Monkeys
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Domino
From Mercury, to Q and now Brit, the Arctic
Monkeys have been adorned with so much honour by the music industry
that they probably wish they'd just gone into those Sheffield night
clubs, had a few drinks and accepted their simple lot in life. But
instead they went to the trouble of observing all the little details
and then trying to make some sense of it all at home, with paper and
guitar. There is nothing particularly original about their sound -
guitar based pop with a few good punk riffs and a laconic singer.
However, their writing hits home because it talks plainly yet with wit
and compassion of the things that ordinary young people like to do. If
you're 23 and you like a good Saturday night out with the boys and
girls, you know all about the "anticipation" in the "View From The
Afternoon" and the "totalitarian" bouncer in "From The Ritz . . .".
Then there's the outstanding "When The Sun Goes Down" powerfully
depicting the sex worker as victim. The Arctics really know how to put
a song together - catch the clever, winding intro to "A Certain
Romance", and the breathy space in "Riot Van". It's not the all time
classic that some of the more hyperbole-prone critics are claiming for
it. But 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not' clearly
articulates the joys and frustrations of many with all the sharpness
of a freshly ground Sheffield blade.
John Hebden

2004
The Streets
A
Grand Don't Come For Free
Locked On
Seldom has an
album depressed me like this one. Or maybe it's just the swooning guff
from the critics which has got under my skin. The garage geezer and
hip-hop head known as The Streets (and to his mum as Mike Skinner) is,
according to Mojo, "one of the most compelling voices in British pop
culture" while an absurd piece by a University College London teacher
in the Media Guardian reckoned that "one does not need to be a Bible
student to realise the album is based on Christ's parable of the lost
piece of silver". In fact, ' A Grand Don't Come For Free' is a bleak
and stupefying celebration of inner city nihilism. Its trivial tales
of everyday life frustration - failing to get your DVD refund,
"insufficient funds" flagging at the cash machine, scuzzy flats, one
night stands, guzzling Tennants - and being "such a twat, such a twat"
may be regarded as marvellously insightful by lefty lecturers or
seriously funny (in the spirit of a Ray Davies or an Ian Drury) by
those looking for a working class hero, but for me this banal concept
album utterly lacks both insight and wit. Add to that the off-key
choruses, the expressionless raps and the minimalist backing tracks
that sound like they were programmed in half an hour and you have an
album of woeful quality. No doubt there will be Christians prepared to
insist that this is funny, or different (from anything else in the
charts) or an accurate portrayal of the meaningless lives of a large
swathe of today's youth. I'll just have to disagree. Regardless of
what the critics might tell you, one track of The Tribe is worth more
than 10 albums of this tosh.
Tony Cummings
(Originally
published in Cross Rhythms 82, September/October/November 2004.)

2003
Madonna
American Life
Maverick
A well known artist in the
mainstream told me about a recent experience he had when listening to
this album on his headphones. He was stretched out in the California
sun taking in the pop icon's latest studio set when suddenly Madonna
sang the phrase "I'm not religious, but I feel such love, makes me
wanna pray." As this memorable line was echoed over and over again and
London Community Gospel Choir kicked in to add their gospel
righteousness to the proceedings my friend had a deep experience of
the Holy Spirit. Whatever Madonna's beliefs, and on the songs here she
is keen to tell us that she is "bored with right and wrong" and is
sure "there is no resurrection", much of this album, sparsely produced
by French electronica king Mirwais, is permeated with a deep spiritual
search. The diva's turning away from pointy bras and mucky-mouthed
excess may not gain her too many fans (the reviewer in Time Out
calculated that the word "I" is featured on 'American Life' every nine
seconds and suggests it is a work of the truly self-obsessed) but for
me, and my friend, many of these songs have a transcendent beauty. Pop
music is seldom as honest as this.
Tony Cummings
(Originally published in Cross Rhythms 76, September/October
2003.)

2002
Rock
Coldplay
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Parlophone
It wouldn't have taken much of a prophetic
gift to predict the huge success this album has achieved. 'Parachutes'
was one of the biggest selling debuts for many a year and this follow
up is another neatly crafted exercise in rock music melancholia. With
its eery echoes of everyone from Echo And The Bunnymen to Radiohead
there is now a new confidence in the songwriting of Chris Martin which
takes the album beyond the cries of the lovelorn while the guitars and
keyboards often blur in a sinuous slide of aural depth. The search for
one's place in life dominates many of the lyrics here. On "Clocks"
life's grand opportunities are pondered over repetitive piano spirals
while the brooding title track alludes darkly to human fragility. At
times the music surges to towering climaxes like on "Politik" while on
other occasions the accompaniments drop away to a simple acoustic
strum. On the closer, "Amsterdam", Chris Martin reflects on a time
when jumping off a bridge tied to a noose seemed his best solution
then, as the song says, "You came along and cut me loose." One is left
to ponder who precisely this someone was. Chris grew up in a Christian
home and in a recent interview he said, "I'm as confused as the next
man, I used to be a Christian but I can't understand why people are
interested in it." Maybe he needs to reflect more on who precisely it
was who cut the noose.
Tony Cummings
(Originally
published in Cross Rhythms 71, November/December 2002.)

2002
Rock
Bruce
Springsteen
The Rising
Columbia
The Rising'
was Bruce Springsteen's first studio album since the introspective,
acoustic 'The Ghost Of Tom Joad' in 1995. It was his first number one
album in the United States since his 'Greatest Hits' compilation in
the same year. It marked a full return to recording with long-time
collaborators the E Street Band for the first time since 'Born In The
USA' in 1984. Most importantly of all, it was Springsteen's first
release after September 11, 2001. Whilst a few of the songs had in
fact been written earlier, the catalyst for, and central theme of,
'The Rising' was the series of terrorist attacks that occurred in the
USA on that tragic day and their repercussions in the lives of
ordinary people. Songs were written both from an intimate,
'first-person' perspective (a grieving partner on "Empty Sky" and
"You're Missing," the firefighter selflessly climbing up into the
smoke on the title track) and a broader 'bird's-eye view' (the final
anthem "My City Of Ruins" which, incredibly, pre-dates 9/11 and was
written about Springsteen's New Jersey). What they do not do, however,
is resort to any misplaced flag-waving patriotism; his audience needed
to grieve and reflect rather than be encouraged to 'kick terrorist
ass,' regardless of what would happen on the international stage
during the following years. Listeners who, back in the 1980's,
mistakenly identified a jingoistic anthem of Americanism in "Born In
The USA" would have no such targets this time around. Indeed,
Springsteen here recognises the desperate importance of building
bridges across cultural divides and between individuals on tracks like
"Worlds Apart" and "Let's Be Friends (Skin To Skin)." The reception
for the album from fans and critics was overwhelmingly positive.
Raised a Catholic, Springsteen's music has often featured an element
of the spiritual, keying into a common 'folk religion' understanding
of Christianity as a bedrock of what it is to be American. This
understanding is woven throughout the individual and communal
exhortations on 'The Rising:' "May your strength give us strength/May
your faith give us faith/May your hope give us hope/May your love
bring us love" ("Into The Fire"); "We've got no fairytale ending/In
God's hands our fate is complete" ("Countin' On A Miracle"); "There's
spirits above and behind me/Faces gone black, eyes burnin' bright/May
their precious blood bind me/Lord, as I stand before your fiery light"
("The Rising"); "With these hands I pray for the strength, Lord/.With
these hands I pray for the faith, Lord/.With these hands I pray for
your love, Lord/.Come on, rise up!" ("My City Of Ruins"). With such
sentiments, these songs can (and did) become touchstones for many the
world over, regardless of the extent to which the tragedies of one
awful day impacted their lives. This recording is a testament to
heroism, goodwill and reconciliation in the face of terrible darkness.
Thank God for that.
Paddy Hudspith

2002
Doves
The
Last Broadcast
Heavenly
Alienation and melancholic
gloom dominate a lot of rock music and the Doves' platinum selling,
Mercury-nominated debut 'Lost Souls' album was dark indeed. But here
the Manchester trio discovered optimism. Three of yesteryear's key
moments dominate the Doves' sound - The Edge's rippling guitar of
'Joshua Tree' era U2; the LA's wistful use of melancholy; and the
Bunnymen's baroque stylings on 'Ocean Rain'. But there's originality
too here and 'The Last Broadcast' is visceral, pulsing and uplifting.
Only when the lyrics are studied in depth do the first doubts emerge.
The problem with music-as-therapy albums like this one is that they
hint at finding answers that, humanly speaking, can't be found. It's
all very well to boldly declare that "Words they mean nothing, so you
can't hurt me" but the gospel truth is that words have a profound
ability to tear and savage the human psyche. And the transcendent mood
of "There Goes The Fear" finally doesn't compensate for its lyrics'
failure to explain how precisely the girl lying down beside the song's
writer will in the long term alleviate the gnawing fear that grips the
human soul.
Tony Cummings
(Originally published in Cross
Rhythms 69, July/August 2002.)

2002
Pop
Chris
Rea
Dancing Down The Stony Road
Jazzee Blue
If
Chris Rea had been born an American, 'Dancing Down The Stony Road'
would have seen him hailed as one of the greatest guitarists and
singers the world has ever known. It would have won Grammys and seen
him quoted by music journalists in the same breadth as Ry Cooder and
Bonnie Raitt. Sadly, Chris Rea comes from Middlesbrough and he will
forever be known as the bloke who sang "On The Beach". This double CD
came out in 2002, after Rea had spent several years in the musical
wilderness and at the same time, fighting a life threatening illness.
Like most double CDs, it is at least five songs too long, but Chris
Rea never sounded better. "Easy Rider", "When The Good Lord Spoke To
Jesus", "The Hustler" and "Sun Is Rising" are great songs. This is not
just a man who is looking for his next Top 20 hit, this is a man on
the edge, who knows he has been given a second chance. His personal
demons and struggles are there, for all to hear. His slide guitar work
remains as peerless as ever. Make no mistake - he really was that
good. If you want to hear the blues played with a deftness of touch or
want a secular spiritual song, listen to Rea on "Sun Is Rising". There
is a fine line between gospel and blues. Sadly, subsequent releases
didn't have quite the same fire and passion and Chris Rea has now
retired from solo performances. This is how he should be
remembered.
Jamie Hailstone

2001
Roots
The
Proclaimers
Persevere
Persevere
After a long
wait since 1994's 'Hit The Highway', the boys returned with this
bypassing all music trends with their never changing country and folk
flavoured rock, featuring those heavily rolled R's! Having played
Greenbelt, expressed an interest in the Christian origins of socialism
and with some intriguing songs on the previous album like "I Want To
Be A Christian", "The Light" and "The More I Believe", this new
release is of interest in more ways than one. Musically they can't be
faulted, every song is a sing-along blast, there's plenty of fiddle,
accordion, banjo, dobro and pedal steel, it's an experience that puts
a smile on your face. But the songs don't show the thoughtful depth of
previous offerings and deal mainly with love, infidelity, Scotland and
the hardships of life. The humour is still strong on songs like "Sweet
Little Girls" - "Sweet little girls, might like ribbons and curls, but
they most like to torture their brothers", and "How Many Times" where
the line "ooh-aah" is pushed well beyond its normal limits. Only
occasionally do you feel that Craig & Charlie ever give away
anything personal: in "One Too Many" we feel something of the pain of
death, "To my disgrace all I recall is my daddy's face and how I wish
I could see him again." The slower, sadder moments are brief and you
are jolted back to happier thoughts by the next track. Great fun if
you like The Proclaimers but leaves you wanting a little more
spiritual depth and hope.
Robin Budgell
(Originally
published in Cross Rhythms 65, November/December 2001.)

2001
Rock
Limp
Bizkit
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavoured Water
Interscope
Anyone who may have assumed that Eminem was
a one-off aberration of a violence and obscenity-obsessed rock scene
had better catch up on this recent UK chart topper which sold a
stunning million copies Stateside in its first week of release. On the
upside, Bizkit are an endurably classy rock and rapcore team with alt
the gutsy punch and adrenaline-pumping fire you'd expect. Plus the
song "Take A Look Around" decries hate and even ponders man's
existence. But such a message is contradicted by the other fare
gloatingly presented here. With its mind-boggling 122 uses of the f
word frontman Fred Durst eulogises fast living (drugs, alcohol, women,
vandalism, etc) on "Livin' It Up"; berates an authority figure while
asserting independence on "My Way"; lets loose with full blown
homophobia and "knockin' faggots unconscious" on "Getcha Groove On";
contemplates suicide on "It'll Be OK" and fantasises full scale
anarchy on "Full Nelson" ("We've got the torch now/We've got the fire
to burn this muthaf*** down"). On one cut Durst describes himself as
"an idiot, a loser, a microphone abuser." This particular idiot,
helped by cynical corporate America, is laughing all the way to the
bank. A particularly inept "review" of a Travail album appeared in a
recent Premier which began, "If you're a hard music fan and you love
Limp Bizkit. . ." Quite honestly, the chances of Limp Bizkit lovers
reading Premier are a billion to one.
Tony Cummings
(Originally published in Cross Rhythms 62, May/June 2001.)

1995
Country
The
Jayhawks
Tomorrow The Green Grass
American
There's a bit of a Christian connection in that one of the band
members is married to believer Victoria Williams, whose albums are
always worth a listen. The track "Miss Williams' Guitar" here is, not
too surprisingly, a tribute to the deal lady. Produced by George
(Black Crowes) Drakoulias, this album is firmly in a retro vein, this
time country/rock (or, if you like, alt country). And I do mean rock.
Whilst the album has a fairly laid back vibe to the whole affair, the
amps get turned up to 11 fairly frequently, which keeps their sound
firmly in the 90s. Neil Young has been used as a reference point
elsewhere and I guess that's a good starting point, but their style
also relies on some cracking melancholic country harmonising. In the
words of the sleeve notes their songs apparently touch on "suicide,
ghosts, child abuse, guitar love, faith, despair, flashing reds (?)
and hope." That said, you won't be able to tick off a list of the
above whilst listening to the album. The most promising title on the
album, "Pray For Me", in fact appears to be about a struggle to
maintain fidelity. By the way the album title is taken not from a
track on the album but a b-side from the excellent first single from
the album, "Blue". Go figure!
James Lewis
(Originally
published in Cross Rhythms 27, June/July 1995.)

1995
Roots
Mike
Scott
Bring 'Em All In
Chrysalis
A while back
in Cross Rhythms James Lewis wrote about mainstream artists who
weren't Christians yet God was using as instruments of spiritual
truth. One of them was Mike Scott of the Waterboys. The ex-Waterboy's
invocation to Pan might freak some conservative Christians but two
songs here, "Learning To Love Him" and "What Do You Want Me To Do",
are amongst the finest non-Christian "spiritual" songs ever penned and
testament to the powerful gift of this passionate and eloquent
songwriter. The latter song declares "I've tried to do things my own
way/And I've tried to do what people say/But I'm going nowhere
fast/And I'm turning to you at last/What do you want me to do/What do
you want me to do Lord?" Elsewhere there are numerous allusions to
faith and spirituality. Mike's husky voice, accompanied sparingly by
his acoustic and a variety of unexpected and at times startling
instrumental backdrops, has never sounded more intense. Current
favourites are the autobiographical "Long Way To The Light", the paean
to his newly acquired wife "She Is So Beautiful" and the haunting
title track. Keep praying for this consummate musical communicator,
that the Lord will indeed show Mike what he wants him to do.
Tony Cummings
(Originally published, in a slightly
different form, in Cross Rhythms 30, December 1995/January 1996.)

1994
Rock
Marillion
Brave
EMI
Following UK chart
success in the 1980's with hit singles such as "Kayleigh" and
"Incommunicado" as well as a string of top ten albums, Marillion
embarked upon a different phase of the band's career at the end of the
decade with the arrival of ex-Europeans/How We Live vocalist Steve
Hogarth. Hailed as just about the finest album Marillion made, 'Brave'
weaves an abstract tale inspired in part by a radio news item,
recollected by Hogarth from some years earlier, involving a young
woman who had been found wandering alone on the Severn Bridge between
Wales and England. The landmark being a notorious spot for suicides,
the police were called and they subsequently appealed via local radio
to the public for help in identifying the girl, who was unwilling (or
unable) to say a word. Hogarth noted at the time that the scenario
would make for an excellent 'first chapter' of a mystery, and
revisited the idea early on in the writing of the record. Marillion
(and lyrical collaborator John Helmer) surmised that in their story,
the girl was a runaway from an abusive family background who had, in
the course of her sad young life, become hardened to the cruel world
around her, finding little or no comfort from any source. 'Brave'
shuns a clear narrative, unlike some concept albums, preferring
instead to present snapshots that suggest events and encounters -
homelessness and exploitation ("Living With The Big Lie"), therapy or
even hospitalisation ("Mad"), experimentation with drugs ("The Opium
Den"), loveless sexual relationships ("Hard As Love"), an unwelcome
return to the family home ("Alone Again In The Lap Of Luxury") -
whilst a recurring piano theme (on opener "Bridge," "Goodbye To All
That" and finally "The Great Escape") provides aural continuity.
Resisting a simplistic 'beginning, middle and end' approach, the
original vinyl release went so far as to offer two alternative endings
to the story: the first (which appears on all other formats) is
positive, with the central character resisting suicide to achieve
personal peace and a newfound clarity, a rebirth, in "Made Again;" the
second, on "The Great Escape (Spiral Remake)," implies that the girl
jumps from the bridge, embracing the release afforded her by death,
however tragic and violent. Unsurprisingly, 'Brave' produced no hit
singles but did showcase Marillion at their most eloquent and
expressive; they have joked in the past about being 'Pink Floyd on a
budget' but the comparison is useful and apt, much more so than the
outdated 'Genesis clones' tag they were burdened with early in their
career. At times, 'Brave' recalls moments from 'Dark Side Of The
Moon,' and guitarist Steve Rothery is the undoubted equal of Floyd
main man David Gilmour. Many even hear the album's influence in the
likes of Radiohead's 'OK Computer.' Writing in 1998, Steve Hogarth
stated that "'Brave' is all about the spiritual aspect of life
dominated by the non-spiritual." This is a telling description of why
the album is so affecting and memorable. Every human being deserves
dignity and respect simply because the gift of life is designed to
amount to more than the sum of one's worst experiences. The hand of
grace must be offered to all those who cannot conceive of Heaven while
they are trapped in a living hell.
Paddy Hudspith

1992
Rock
Arc
Angels
Arc Angels
Geffen
For those who aren't
in the know about this band, it comprises two ex-members of the late
Stevie Ray Vaughn's band plus two of his friends - guitar prodigy
Charlie Sexton and Doyle Bramhall - who share lead vocal and guitar
duties. As might be expected, Stevie's shadow hangs over the group and
the album is a similar funked-up mix of blues and rock. I don't know
about the beliefs of the band (Doyle Bramhall attended a detox clinic
in 1992) but half of the 12 songs here are co-written by avant-garde
gospel rocker, Tonio K, and several of these, plus "Carry Me On" by
guitarist Doyle Bramhall, contain spiritual overtones. "Always
Believed In You" is an almost swaggering song explicitly about faith
in God and see what you make of these lyrics from "Too Many Ways To
Fall" - "Mama said there's just one way that you can stand/There's too
many ways to fall." Leaving the rather strange album cover aside it
does seem quite likely that there might be some believers in Arc
Angels and there were even rumours that Stevie Ray Vaughn got off
drugs thanks to a Christian conversion. Whether this is Balaam's Ass
with a guitar or not, this album is definitely worth hearing.
James Lewis
(Originally published in Cross Rhythms 13,
February/March 1993.)
Really, a great read! I love CCM best but i also listen and buy secular music too.I would like to see this artical more often,the range of musical era's is a "fAB" idea (hee,hee).Please keep it going
Chippie