Longtime All Star United fans shouldn't be surprised that the latest disc from Ian Eskelin and Co. is titled Revolution; after all, much of the band's previous material focused on cleaning up hypocrisy within the church and greed within the music industry. A concept album bent on igniting changes within the Christian community, then, is the natural next step for All Star United.
With a few exceptions (Steve Taylor comes to mind), not many contemporary Christian songwriters are suited to call for reform as well as Eskelin, so it's no surprise that, despite its Lennon-esque connotations, half of Revolution serves as a tactful, firm yet gentle call for Christians to wake up and offer hope to our lost, broken world. Opening track "We Are the Future" reminds the listener of his or her potential to shape the future of the world, while "Weirdo" finds Eskelin's infamous knack for sarcasm in fine form, asserting that believing in Christ is not nearly as farfetched as some make it out to be. Despite an oversimplified chorus, the title cut serves up witty commentary, lamenting that the Christians of the world have "been shot by phasers set to stun." With songs as memorable and relevant as these, one has to wonder why it took Eskelin so long to record them.
If only he'd stuck to his strengths.
Criminally, Revolution is marred by a few songs that are egregiously, unforgivably shallow. "Let it Rain," for example, despite expressing some worthwhile points, finds Eskelin embracing the pie-in-the-sky, now-that-I've-found-Jesus-I-have-no-problems view of Christianity that is so common in a lot of Christian pop songs. That's a real shame; it's hard to take the singer seriously when he presents such an unbalanced view of life. Of course, not all music has to be as gloomy and tenebrous as Radiohead, but half of this Revolution, including "Let it Rain," and the cliche-ridden "You Can Count on Me," are simply too happy for their own good, and don't hold a candle to such All Star United classics as "La La Land," "Popular Americans," and "If We Were Lovers."
Though the lyrics of Revolution are a painfully mixed bag, All Star United's sound is still as peppy, energetic, and fun as ever before; in fact, the band has never sounded better. Eskelin's latest set of cohorts lean more toward the Britpop feel of the group's debut than the American-flavored International Anthems of the Human Race. Relying more on acoustic instruments than ever before and employing some guitar distortion and trickery that would make The Edge proud, All Star United's sound is a refreshing break from the typical prepackaged Nashville fluff that many Christian artists turn to these days. In other words, you won't find canned drum loops or trendy techno beeps and bloops here - Revolution is good, old-fashioned rock 'n' roll.
Though longtime All Star United fans may be disappointed to hear that only one of the group's signature sarcastic songs made it on to Revolution, and many listeners will likely be insulted by the banality of some of Eskelin's cheesy lyrics, the album is still well worth looking into. Almost worth the price of admission alone is "Sweet Jesus," which, along with Sixpence None the Richer's "Melody of You," stands as one of the best contemporary worship songs of the year. Sure, these All Stars have a long way to go, but Revolution is far from revolting.
Review Summary
1. What does the album sound like?
The energetic, passionate pop/rock we've come to expect from All Star United, but more stripped down. Forgoing the synthesizers and horns, Ian Eskelin's latest collection of musicians shine as a talented guitar band.
2. Is the album well made?
Musically, yes. The band tries out new textures and sounds that they've never experimented with before. The lyrics, though, are a mixed bag, straddling the fence between wit and stupidity.
3. Will you like the album?
If you're a Christian rock junkie, you probably will. If you're offended by cliche lyrics, though, I'd suggest looking into some of the year's better pop/rock offerings - Sixpence None the Richer, Jars of Clay, Dave Matthews Band, and Coldplay are all much better options.
4. Final score: 3 out of 5
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2003Reviewed by Matthew D. WilliamsAfter a switch in labels, multiple cast changes, and a three-year hiatus All Star United returns with Revolution--a ten-song album displaying the same Brit-pop stylings of Ian Eskelin and Co., but with a more subdued, gentler spirit. Making a mark in 1997 with their brand of "in-your-face," Brit-pop music and spontaneous live shows, ASU, led by the charismatic Ian Eskelin, became well known for…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Josh McConnellAll Star United is back with Revolution after two and a half years of writing. While it is a mixed bag of content, it is fairly enjoyable overall. The album takes an upbeat start with "We Are The Future" and then moves on to a number of ballads. Once you hit track 6, "Kings And Queens," the rock music starts up again for some good old ASU fun. It then fades in and out shortly after until you hit…Similar sounding releases
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