Sometimes, Lanny Cordola is too prolific for his own good. He's been one of the guiding forces behind such varied projects as a reggae praise record, a blues Christmas record and Magdallan. His own solo records have meshed together disparate and exotic instruments and sounds to create a collage that is as eclectic as it is mesmerizing. Which, of course, makes him impossible to market. With Chaos Is the Poetry--essentially a new version of Magdallan--Cordola, Philip Bardowell and Chuck Wright have concocted a an unthinkably good record, a hard rock album with jazz panache and pop hooks galore. The lyrics, often thick with literary impact, require repeated readings to fully fathom: from the dark, angular narrative of "Dead Walking Cupie Doll" (like something out of Raymond Chandler) to the gentle longing of "God's Empty Chair" to the tale of interracial violence in "The Longest Day In Mrs. Evers' Life" (a successful cross-pollination of hard rock and rap), Chaos Is the Poetry is a project that deals with the wholeness of the Gospel, in how it intersects with the needs of society and the individual. Musically, the record covers broad territory as well, reinforcing the message with class. If you like to crank up your music, but you want it to have intelligence and wit, Chaos Is the Poetry could be the most accomplished and intellectual hard rock album since Extreme's III Sides To Every Story. And then some.
