Grace Hotel
  Overall rating: ++++

Album Reviews

I became a fan of The Echoing Green (EG) with their 1998 CD The Echoing Green. Ever since then, I was on the lookout for the latest EG disc in Christian bookstores, but it was hard to come by (this was before I was aware of their website). This CD is well worth the wait. But before I get to the music review itself, let me tell you a few things about Echoing Green's founder, Joey Belville ('Joey B'), as I was curious about Joey B, the person, and his motto "Defend Your Joy".

EG began in the spring of 1991 by Joey Belville ('Joey B') with Aaron Bowman. Aaron departed the following year, and Joey B has been the creative force of the band ever since. Current members include Chrissy Franklin (vocals), Jesse Dworak (programming) and David Adams (drums, programming).

Joey B describes his music as "aggressive smile-pop." A relentlessly cheerful individual, he's been cranking out his unique brand of electronic music close to a decade, gaining EG an extremely large and devout following.

Joey's cheerful demeanor did not always come easy. His mother passed away when Joey was seven years old, and his father moved around a lot to find work. Joey spent weeks at a time with family friends, and wound up living on a boys' ranch for his junior high and high school years. "This was hard for me," Joey recalls, "because I thought the things that I was going through weren't supposed to happen to 'normal' people. I resented God for taking my mother away. But, the angrier I was, the more He revealed Himself to me."

Joey says he had to hit rock bottom before he could recognize that God wanted to help and not hurt him. "I realized that only Christ could quench my insatiable thirst for purpose in life, as well as provide a reprieve from the aches of my past. I had some incredible people praying everyday for me to get right with God. One night I went to a Foursquare Church in Albuquerque and laid it all down. It was rad."

The title track is called "Supernova" and it delivers in its attempt to bring a space age intro to the CD, perhaps what the movie sound track to "2001 Space Odyssey" should have sounded. True to it's title, the song later kind of "explodes" and really kicks in. The visual theme of the CD is also in line with the title cut. It's a giant radar dish, a hugh listening post pointed to the stars (like a giant ear), waiting expectatantly for the answers. "There's a piece of my mind that tries to fathom the stars; or to contemplate the divine; don't need to look very far; when You bring me the reasons just to believe; You bring me answers I can't conceive; how can I bring You doubt when; You bring me the sky?" The music on this CD can be characterized as techno-synth-pop rock, a cornocopia of sampling and programming, sometimes with echos of childhood innocence, othertimes mature hard edge rhythms.

The space age theme continues in the CD in the form of space anntena menu selections, radar 'beeping sounds', etc. This CD is further "enhanced" with: a music video, poster art, lyrics sheet to all the songs, an interview, and many others. This is a necessary trend. We now have better computers, DVD's, PM3 players, minidisc players, and so on. Artists have to give incentives to get people to BUY their CDs -- as opposed to one individual buying one CD and then burning them for "ministry purposes" for distribution to small group members.... I guess you can tell where I stand on this issue....Die Napster! Die!

The video on the CD reveals Joey B, the man: slightly over-weight, kind-of-plain-looking (sorry, Joey B). This is not the image of a hip Contemporaty Christian Artist. Not really a marketable face/body-type. Could this be the reason why EG is not signed to a major Christian label? Hmmm.... Let me know what you think on the message board.

Back to the music.

I'm probably revealing my sapping side, but one of my favs' on this CD is "Waterfall", featuring melodramatic sounding (re: 80's sounding) keyboards. Sappy, yes. But it's also simple and clean. It's refreshing. It's the gospel. It's about how the good news offers forgivness and hope. "You replace my sorrow; with a hope of tomorrow; and the coming of light...Your whispering grace; the tears on Your face; filling this sea of forgiveness."

Finally, there IS a relationship between EG and 'Anything Box'. "Jubilation" , written by Claude S (a member of Anything Box), proves it. Re-mixed, but still very recognizable, it's been given a harder edge by some heavy guitars.

Over all, a good electronic rock CD. Musically not as daring as their 1998 release, The Echoing Green, but very satisfying. I give it a 4/5.

On a side note: EC's website, EchoCentral.com, (as well as the CD cover) is pure eye candy, and allows fans to listen to their new releases before they hit the stores. If you're an artist without a major record company distributing your music, this is the way to go. May your website "live long and prosper, and enjoy many hits." Also check out EG's MP3 site for free downloads and streaming.

~ Mark Kim

With yet another record label deal secured and an expanded lineup, one of the Christian synth-pop scene's most prolific bands has returned to the limelight with their first full-length studio album in two years, entitled Supernova.

With Jerome Fontamillas of Mortal/Fold Zandura helping out with production, Supernova finds the band returning to the edgy, industrial-flavored sound of the Hope Springs Eternal album. As on that album, many of the tracks on Supernova feature crunchy guitar riffs played over beds of synths and programmed beats. This sound works best on the title track, "Liberation" and "Jubilation (This Thing Called Life," all of which are upbeat, club-friendly numbers that rival the Hope Springs Eternal era hits "Atmosphere" and "Like A Child." "December" and "Yesterday's Taking Over" feature more subdued guitar effects and more prominent synth effects and are closer to true synth-pop. Older hits "Defender" (first featured on Electronica), "She's Gone Tragic" (from the maxi-single of the same title) and "Thief" (originally recorded as a bonus track on the If I Could... maxi-single)also get a reworking and feature a cleaer, more professional sound quality.

While most of the songs on Supernova are upbeat, danceable pieces, there are two slower numbers as well. Although "Waterfall" is the album's only dud and sounds like it was made strictly for Adult Contemporary radio, the band's cover of the Mortal hit "Nightfall & Splendor" is much stronger and sounds much closer to previous slower hits done by the band such as "Pray," "Ambler" and "Oxygen." Like the original version, which found Jerome and Jyro handing over vocal duties to a female guest musician, Joey does likewise by giving the honors to band member Chrissy Franklin, who usually sings back-up. The result is a very faithful cover that differs only slightly from the original and could easily become the band's next big hit. Lyrically, the band continues their tradition of direct, praiseworthy vocals. This can most readily be heard on the title track, which is about feeling the rush of the holy spirit, "Liberation" and Waterfall," songs about giving ones life to Jesus and how He frees us from the bondage of sin and on the ambient praise of "Nightfall & Splendor." "She's Gone Tragic," on the other hand, is one of the band's darkest songs yet and could be interpreted as lamenting a girl who is about to commit suicide and "December" is a song where Joey sings about missing a lost love.

Although Supernova lacks the sonic diversity of the band's self-titled album, this is compensated by the return of the industrial flavor that made Hope Springs Eternal so memorable. The addition of the Mortal cover is a nice touch and, as always, Joey's vocals are stellar. As an added bonus, the band continues their tradition of putting music videos and "mockumentaries" on their CD's and this one is no different, as you will see when you put it in your computer. All in all, Supernova is yet another welcome addition to the band's lengthy discography.

 ~ James McGinnis