Marc Byrd gained notice with Common Children, releasing two LPs on the Tattoo label before independently releasing The In-Between Time in 2001. Christine Glass also released her alt-pop debut Human on Tattoo, followed by Rustproof's Love and Poverty, co-produced by Byrd. Now married, the pair have found success writing/producing/performing with the gospel market's City on a Hill series.
Open Wide targets the same audience. As such, it's somewhat tame for fans of either artist's previous work. Still, the sounds and production are more adventurous than what generally drifts through the stained glass windows, and the lyrics demonstrate craft and care. Common Children's Nirvana-styled rage (i.e. Skywire's "Hate") is entirely absent, but echoes of their Spiritualized-meets-Verve atmospherics found in Delicate Fade's "Blue Raft" ring through "This Window." Byrd's affection for Paul Westerberg surfaces in "Wake Up" and the romantic "Tonight." With "Mercy," he remembers the days when Common Children were touring, flat broke and sleeping in the Southwestern desert, but recognized the good in a tenuous situation. "Your hope is fading faster than mine tonight, so let me take your burden for a while," soothes Glass on "Wounded Healer." This isn't the pre-fab pious, glassy-eyed fodder clogging your local CCM station.
Other coverage for this album
The Rebel Base 2003Reviewed by David MartinSo who remembers Christine Glass? Nobody? Okay, how about Common Children? Still nobody? Okay, how about the song "God of Wonders"? Yeah, that's what I thought. Sometimes an artist can toil in relative obscurity for years despite garnering a lot of critical acclaim. And sometimes, all it takes is one really good song to jettison that artist out of the dark corners of the music industry and into…The Phantom Tollbooth 2003Reviewed by Tony LaFianzaMarc Byrd is an accomplished songwriter, producer, singer, and musician. He's married to Christine Glass, another accomplished songwriter, singer, and performer. With all that talent and gifting in one house, something pretty special comes out of the front door, or in this case, out of the window. Byrd was the leader of alternative rock band Common Children and Glass comes from her own…The Phantom Tollbooth 2003Reviewed by Noel LloydOpen Wide This Window, the Word Records debut of Glassbyrd, (the husband/wife team of Christine Glass and Mark Byrd) sure does not sound like a typical praise album. Hence, its appeal. Separating itself from the majority of worship music doled out to the churched faithful, Open Wide This Window offers thirteen tracks of well-crafted praise pop that avoids the trite and accentuates the profound.…Similar sounding releases
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