Hailing from the boundless vistas of Boise, Idaho, the clean-cut boys of Grand Prize are the latest in a seemingly endless parade of musicians to enter into the ever burgeoning "worship band" category of Christian music. Following in the footsteps of Delirious and Third Day, Grand Prize seeks to create inspirational music that in the words of their website biography "[will] warm listeners with upbeat, soulful, and inspired lyrics with ambient acoustics in a hearth of original music." Their debut album Reveal Your Love is both a step forward--and alas, backward--in that direction.
Reveal Your Love is unabashedly a rock/pop worship album. The band offers a no-frills, straight-ahead approach in their music. Superbly produced by worship music veteran Scott Pergande, this album is a pleasant mixture of radio rock and introspective ballads. In essence, it is a prototypical worship album set. Surrounded by Tony Caruso's bass, Steven Harder's electric guitar, and Doug McFerrin's drums, Luke Caldwell's sincere, earnest vocals convey the proper worship tone. Thrown in are the occasional strings and piano, the essential violin solo, and a "We Are the World" choir crescendo ending in the final track ("Words of Life"). Reveal Your Love is an album that is embraceable because, although it is not daring, it is accessible. Particularly enjoyable in the sonic department are the wonderfully fervent "Restore" and Harder's guitar work in "Simplicity."
Unfortunately, the downside appears in the lyrics. Though worship lyrics in themselves are generally not meant to be of a highly sophisticated nature, Grand Prize nevertheless falls victim to the pitfalls of "Christianspeak." With lines such as "Who am I and what have I done /That You would love me through Your Son" and
I think about why You died
The pain You felt the hurt inside
You did it all so I could see
Just how much You love me
So why do I struggle today
To live for You in every way.
This album offers a message that is certainly sincere and doubtless even passionate, but not distinct from the bevy of other worship offerings on the market. It is obvious chief songwriter Caldwell writes from his heart. I believe as he develops in his songwriting, he will also grow into a master of that art.
Reveal Your Love is a good, ardent debut that is hampered only by subpar songwriting. Grand Prize has the tools to grow into something special, and this album is a good start.
3 tocks
