Sure Conviction gets a B+ for effort with their latest release Blind, but stumbles in the dark when it comes to delivering to any one particular audience. I was initially drawn to acoustic elements in this portfolio, but this is not folk. Old time rock and roll fans will hear instrumental and vocal patterns reminiscent of John Lennon and the Beatles, but this is not a classic rock collection. You will also hear components of jagged edged melodic rock, but Sure Conviction isn't an arena group. There is even a Spanish fandango flavor in at least one tune (I kid you not), but this is not ethnic music.
If eclectic is your bag, you might find Blind as refreshing as iced tea on the hottest day of summer. Still, the music is so full of spirit and earnest effort, it's hard to dislike. It's a little like observing a college graduate in his first professional position. He's talented and full of potential but kind of clumsy and naïve. Since he is functioning in the dark, he pulls off things others are afraid to try. In that sense, choosing Blind as the title for this work is the most congruent decision in it.
There is much to appreciate in Blind. Kurt Heinzman's lead vocals are infused with vigor and energy even though he mumbles sometimes. The harmony is sweet and full but often extinguishes too quickly. The lyrics are at times poignant, but not profound, no forum for pursuing deep theological themes.
One particularly moving song, however, deserves special mention. The tune is called "Don't Cry" and is written by a grieving parent responding to an apparent miscarriage: "Would you have been my little man or Daddy's little girl? I never got to hear the words, 'Daddy take my hand'. I'll never get to watch you write your name, it's just so hard to understand. As I wipe away my tears, I can faintly hear a gentle voice saying, "Don't Cry." That topic is plenty sad enough to write a song about. I love sparse, acoustic arrangements and that's just the ticket for this tune. It is very well done.
You will probably like something on this album too. With so many choices, there is something for everyone. What we have here is a solid, but incongruent endeavor. If an established artist self-indulges with a wild departure from his bread and butter niche or assembles a hodgepodge, it's likely to sell a lot of copies. Sadly, for a band seeking an expansive audience, eclectic is probably not a good career strategy. I'm not suggesting that Sure Conviction is whimsical or unrestrained. Rather, here is a group of talented guys playing their hearts out with ostensibly little thought to marketing or career strategy. They are fun to listen to, but for $12 plus S&H, most of us will opt for something closer to our core preference.
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Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Brian A. SmithThe fourth album from Sure Conviction, Blind, is a rock album that shows the band exploring themes of dealing with past failures, struggles against sin and conforming to the world, and lip service. Sonically, the band ranges from Jars of Clay to The Waiting to Live. "Who Do I" revisits the message of Romans 7: the problem we all face in doing what is wrong while desiring to do what is right. It…
