Maybe we've been unfair to DeGarmo & Key in the past. It's impossible to review any "new" DeGarmo & Key album without holding it to the standards of their own work: However, the weight of their catalog proves DeGarmo & Key like to keep things simple.
And, while in the past they've actually proven "simple" doesn't necessarily mean "mindless," it's time to wonder if we've been using the wrong standards. DeGarmo & Key write rock songs for high school kids. While This Time Thru all the way through the double live No Turning Back hold flashes of lyrical brilliance, the simple fact is most of those were released while I was still in the public school system. Maybe I've outgrown D&K's target audience, which makes most of my complaints irrelevant.
And, as you hear the strains of their basic meat and potatoes rock 'n' roll seasoned a bit with Memphis and swamp rock, it suddenly occurs to one that their competition—Lynyrd Skynyrd, .38 Special, ZZ Top—aren't deep thinkers, either.
All of which is to say Eddie DeGarmo and Dana Key have a new record, To Extremes, and it's not bad. In fact, sonically they haven't sounded this good or modern in years. The opening notes of "Stressed" imply a functional credibility, with a dry, in your face quality that isn't overbearing, and there are moments on this album that are very easy to sing along with. "Judgment Day," while a retread of the chord changes in "Rebel For God," is still a treat built around the drum machine. And the crisp vocal harmonies showcased in the remake "People Gotta Be Free" sound great throughout the album, especially in "To Extremes."
And while none of the songs approach the sparkle of "Addey," "Preacher (I'll Need A Friend)," "Matter Of Time," or even the recent "Divine Embrace," none of the songs are mind-numbingly trite.
If I were still in high school, struggling with peer pressure, and looking for a wholesome alternative to the southern flavored pop rock of ZZ Top, then maybe the new DeGarmo & Key would be just the ticket.
3.5/5
Other coverage for this album
Heaven's Metal #48Reviewed by Doug Van PeltThe guys in DeGarmo and Key are back a long ways (they're not grandparents yet, though!). They know a lot of rockin' players, like the guys in King's X, REZ, etc.; so they're familiar with real edgy music. So, how come they don't ever kick it out? Comfortable with their audience, maybe? Well, anyways, Ed DeGarmo and Dana Key got a little gnarly 'n' nasty on this release. I guess they decided to…The Lighthouse June 1994Reviewed by Roger AppelinskiLast year's Heat it Up ended more than a year of hiatus for Eddie DeGarmo & Dana Key, two men who have been powering Christian music since 1978. The time proved valuable, as they generated one of their most powerful rock albums. Now, less than a year later, they complete a one-two punch with To Extremes, in many ways a continuation of last year's album. Both were produced by John Hampton and…Similar sounding releases
1997King's XBest of King's X
2004Liberty n' JusticeWelcome to the Revolution
1997Holy SoldierEncore
1995Sign of the TimesDisengage
1992RansomSoul Asylum
2001Craig EricksonShine
