Something More is Rain on the Land's third release, following the band's previous EPs The Big Red Barn Recordings and 1999's Good To See. This four-man band truly focuses on its message, which is clearly apparent throughout all of Something More.
The first track, "Tide," is a perfect opener. It grabs the listener's attention and keeps it throughout the song. With heavy guitars and powerful vocals, it is a very catchy tune. The second song, "Futile Notion," sports interesting vocals in the chorus. It reminds me of Cher when she sang "Do you believe in life after love." In my opinion, it's not really the best sound for Rain On the Land.
"Void" features more of a pop sound, with its bouncy guitar tune and fast drum beat. The chorus is heavier and fits perfectly with the rest of the song, giving it variety. "The Finish on the Road" brings the listener back to the rock sound from "Tide." The sound is not too heavy, and the vocals are clear enough to really stand out, which is vital for this style of music. The next track, "A Song," is a marked contrast. The vocals are very distorted, sounding more like talking than actually carrying a specific tune.
"Compelled" is a slow song, which is really quite beautiful. It includes acoustic guitar, soft vocals and touching lyrics -- a very nice change from the rest of the album. "Minute More" continues this style, on the quiet side through the verses, but it hits hard with a heavy chorus. The style of "Caveman" brings the listener back to more distortion and rocking guitars.
"Anchored" is another strong track, beginning with fast picking of a guitar and leading into a heavy riff as an introduction to the vocals. The main bit of the song is slower, with a loud chorus. It is a song about how sins are like anchors to us, and says, "Let go of your anchor and know God, he forgives you." It's definitely one of the most inspirational tracks lyrically. The last track of Something More is an instrumental, "Local Forecast," a beautiful way to end the album.
Overall, Something More pulls together many sounds from distortion to ballads, to rock and pop. With this variety it allows any listener to easily plug into it, no matter the age, music taste or mood. And it will most definitely inspire anyone with its powerful lyrics. "He knows the promise of a better place, a better land, a better day" is the pace-setting lyric from "Tide." If you like this lyric, check out Something More.
3 tocks
