Album Reviews
Looking
for something with some oomph? Something with an adrenaline surge to
knock you flat on your back, and a Biblical message to recharge your
soul? Tragedy Ann's release, Lesser, may be just the ticket!
This
band has a musical akin to the Gin Blossoms, but with a decided
Christian twist. From the get-go, Lesser is filled to the brim
with Christ-centered lyrics. "Him" kicks off the CD with the
straightforward message that "if you don't know Him, well you don't know
me." Maybe it sounds a bit blunt, but it's right on the mark. We can try
to explain our strength, our peace, our joy, and our beliefs, but unless
someone has met Christ themselves, they can never fully understand where
we are coming from. As Tragedy Ann puts it, "There is something that
stands between me and you - my soul belongs to the Creator of this
world."
Christ
said that we are to come to Him as a child, with childlike faith and a
child's open mind. "Little One" expresses this in beautiful fashion.
"She's only three, but she knows You so different than me; God deliver
me. I want to live like this child, Lord . . . She is dancing with her
Maker, she is holding hands with Him. There is nothing she can do to
keep Him from her heart." Oh to have a relationship this intimate with
the Lord.
Musical strains of PFR back the slowed-down "How Long," with its story
of straying from the Lord. "I Know" again slows things down with a very
simple message: "I know you want to feel Him. I know you want to touch
Him. I know you want to hear Him. Freedom complete waits for you. Down
in your soul. Don't close your eyes - receive Him." How easy it is to
forget just how easy it is to find freedom - freedom from stress,
freedom from pressure, freedom from burdens, and freedom from sin. Jesus
already
paid the cost of
complete, ultimate freedom. All we have to do is accept it.
Tragedy
Ann is the latest of the many top-quality hard rock bands to come out of
the Portland area. It looks like Portland is nowhere near exhausting its
supply of excellent musicians. Fortunately, they're not all wasted on
the secular market! If you're looking for some hard-hitting, loud, and
spiritually sound music, check out Tragedy Ann - I think they'll hit the
spot.
Reviewed March 04, 1998
by David Longenecker
Grace Hotel
Overall rating:
Viva La Revolution
1 Alone (2:55)
2 Last Time (3:55)
3 Break Me (2:41)
4 Down (2:39)
5 Your Escape (2:36)
6 Nothing But the Blood (2:17)
7 Don't Give Up (3:38)
8 Why Can't the World Love (2:45)
9 His Face (I Know) (3:36)
10 Revolución (42:57)
Album Review
In a world where outer
appearances are the utmost importance to acceptance to society, Tragedy
Ann is trying to break that barrier with Christ leading the way. Tragedy
Ann's goal is to change young peoples lives through their music and
obvious love for Christ. They desire to be real in the Christian music
industry, walking the very fine line between becoming conceited with
their image and glorifying God in all that they do.
In the simplest sense
Tragedy Ann's album Viva La Revolucion is good rock music. The
band is also very simple with Lucky Seven on the guitar, Shorty
Valentine on the bass, Chaps McGuire on the drums, and Michael Bridges
as the vocalist. You can detect small nuances in their basic rock like
the influence of country in the song "His Face (I Know)." They
also do a rocking remake the famous hymn "Nothing but the Blood of
Jesus" in a way that's sure to make you look at hymn singing in a
new light.
My favorite song,
"Break Me," has only three lines, but the lyrics are very
powerful. In this melody, the vocalist simply asks God to
"break" him so that Jesus can move into his life when he needs
it the most. This one song is so good that it's worth the price of the
entire CD.
But "Break Me"
isn’t the only reason to listen to Tragedy Ann. For instance,
"Down" challenges Christians around the world to be accepting
in a way we never had to before, pointing out that dyed hair, tattoos,
body piercing, and the color of one's skin are all things we need to
look past in order to reach the dying souls. "Your Escape"
also takes a bold stand, with its lyrical questions on how someone can
destroy the awesome creation of life through the tragedy of abortion.
With meaningful lyrics
and solid rock music, Tragedy Ann is a band I encourage you to give a
try. Also, the non-traditional flavor of Viva La Revolucion might
make it a good gift for non-Christians in your life, so feel free to
share the music with those around you!
~
Nappaland
|
Grace Hotel
Overall rating:
One
Nation Under God
1 Preachin' Lies (3:10)
2 Tank (2:43)
3 Do You (2:16)
4 Always (3:57)
5 45 (3:14)
6 Eugene (2:09)
7 I'll Get Through (3:17)
8 Hey Hey (4:25)
9 Over and Over (3:51)
10 Seek (6:05)
11 Merciful God (4:14)
Album Review
I was very
curious to see how Tragedy Ann would settle in to their new sound. Having made
the drastic jump from its muscle heavy grungified Sometime Sunday music, Mikee
Bridges and company practically made Tragedy Ann a bonafide Southern Rock band
(minus the slide guitars and references to whiskey). Mikee’s voice really fit
the music, and the songs were done well. Now that they’ve established
something, how well will they swim in it? Album number two tells the story.
Mixing the passionate vocal delivery in true postpunk fashion, the riffs pay
homage to legends like Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws, Blackfoot and Skynyrd, but
the muddy guitar tones brand too much Northwestern smoke on these boys not to be
identified with their region as well. I’m a little surprised at the song,
“You Are Mighty,” though, due to the use of the cliche echoes of “Hey!”
in each chorus, along with a junior high Kiss plodding rhythm. The lyrics are
pure worship, though, and it’s fairly catchy. Watch this be a hit.
Having been constantly involved with music and ministry for several years,
Mikee’s lyrics are loud proclamations of what God’s grace has done and can
do. In the same way that many “revolutionary” grunge acts have now found a
home in classic rock radio, Tragedy Ann’s music can successfully bridge two or
three generations together. It’s accessible, the songs are hook-driven, but
they’re also dirty enough and real enough to be played in the street. These
boys have done well. Tip your hat to ‘em, son.
~
Hm Magazine
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