The Channelsurfers

Item: Where I Wanna Be
Author: Steven S. Baldwin

Where I Wanna Be

(1999)

Reviewed by Steven S. Baldwin

Discogs YouTube

Label Organic RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth1999

alternative rock funk rock rap rap rock

Do you remember those old sacred and secular music comparison charts? They usually offered pretty dubious comparisons, but not entirely inaccurate ones, like "If you like Journey try Petra..." Truthfully, you can't always find a neat parallel between Christian musicians and their mainstream counterparts, and that's a good thing. Hopefully, the end of time won't come before the majority of Christian artists offer such works of originality and magnitude that mainstream artists are running to catch up and "join the bandwagon." With the few exceptions of truly original bands like Adam Again, Daniel Amos and the Danielson Familie, however, most "Christian bands" still take much of their inspiration from the larger musical spectrum. You can file Channelsurfers on the chart as the Christianized version of funky modern rock bands like Limp Bizkit and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Now, given the popularity of these big West Coast bands, the Channelsurfers might be perceived as being on the forefront of the cutting-edge. Regrettably, that is not yet the case. Whereas, the musicianship and production are remarkably topnotch, the lyrical content and integrity of their songs is still lacking. The Channelsurfers appear to be a band with all the right stuff that keep funneling their energies into less creative forms. They clearly have the chops to cut loose and funk-out with the best of them, but the squeaky-clean sheen they've adopted keeps holding them back. Like a jack-in-the-box that never quite gets to pop and surprise.

Nevertheless, Where I Wanna Be is a spirited, inviting album of poppified funky rock numbers that is good for toe-tapping and singing along. As their sophomore effort, they haven't slumped so much as they haven't forged ahead enough. Their sound has changed a bit, being less wildly diverse and more focused than before, but bowing down at the altar of pop music has come at a price.

Of note is the song, "More Lonely Guys," which is basically a reprise of their first album's stand-out cut. Whereas, the funky James Brown homage, "Lonely Guy," deserved repeating, the sequel offers only a few clever lines and fails to live up to the original's energy. The song is still a reminder that the band doesn't take themselves too seriously, and a whimsical spirit pervades their entire album. This is most clear in the extra, uncredited tracks where the band really lets their hair down for a bit of fun. The addition of these songs makes me think that the band could create an energetic, entertaining, and playful concert experience. Even better, before the heavy hands of production and pop carved these songs too much into accessibility, what were the band's inspired jam sessions like? Maybe the proverbial flies on the wall had the best view, after all.

3 tocks