Seeds

Item: Parables, Prayers, and Songs
Author: Josh Spencer

Parables, Prayers, and Songs

(2000)

Reviewed by Josh Spencer

Discogs Bandcamp Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Grrr RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth2000

acoustic ccm folk rock

Seeds' first album was a low-key acoustic exercise with mostly female vocals, and moved between light versions of classical, Latin, folk, Celtic, friendly midwestern, and adult contemporary styles. They projected a bit of a '70s CCM vibe, but not too strongly. They also had slight touches of flute, percussion, mandolin, and so forth, but not enough to make it very interesting.

Their sophomore album is more acoustic guitar based tunes, but with more upbeat, confident songs than the last one. They've consciously gone for a more '70s CCM rock (but still acoustic) sound, along with other noticeable influences like The Eagles. Add a pinch of blues and even a world beat instrumental, and you've got pleasant, worshipful background music for the over-30 set. Production is very clean and well-done. I have no idea if Seeds capture the flavor of what was around then, as I was just a baby, but much of it sounds like an extra talented group of singers and musicians at any youthful modern church service or college group these days. Which makes sense, since our typical worship songs these days were written in the '70s or by songwriters who grew up in that era of CCM pioneering.

Seeds' songs are plagued by some generic Christian phrasing, but that should work in favor of their intended audience. They've got a sincerity and innocence not often found in music these days, which is perhaps the greatest testimony they could give to the decade they wish they lived in.

3 tocks