I must admit to a certain intense curiosity as I waited for the new album from The Choir, Free Flying Soul, to arrive. First, it's been a few years since Speckled Bird, the band's last CD, which was really just a compilation of the band's indie release Kissers And Killers, plus a few new songs. In that time, drummer and lyricist Steve Hindalong has produced several alternative CCM albums, including the intensely atmospheric Mercury by the Prayer Chain.
Second, the band has never been one to sit still-each of their albums contains a unique flavor, whether it's the power pop of Shades Of Gray, the echo-drenched Chase The Kangaroo or the wall-of-noise guitar crunch of Speckled Bird. So it was almost a given that Free Flying Soul would reflect yet another evolution of sorts. And it does.
Derri Daugherty's voice still floats above layers of chiming, distorted guitars while Hindalong pulls surprises from his bag of percussion tools to propel the songs. But the proceedings, as a whole, are a bit subdued. Even when The Choir cranks up the volume and breaks loose, on the churning "Salamander" and the riff-happy "The Chicken," for example, they hardly seem to break a sweat.
This time around, The Choir seems content to pursue a mellower groove-and they do it to spectacular effect. "Polar Boy" is the best of these: a tale of a man wallowing in lust, framed by gorgeous harmonies and weaving guitar lines. "Butterfly" and "If You're Listening" offer similar highlights.
One of the biggest changes this time around is in the directness of Hindalong's lyrics. He still draws on a bevy of metaphors to frame his points. This time, though, his words seem more honest and probing, such as in "The Ocean:"
Disregard the wreckage under healing tide All the shame in Jesus' name was covered when He died.
Adding to the lyrical power is Hindalong's choice of a barnyard theme of sorts to serve as a backdrop. More than half the album's songs are named after animals, and it's fun to discover in what sense Hindalong is using their traits to make a point.
Daugherty and Hindalong round up their usual cast of characters for musical support. Long-time bassist Tim Chandler adds a solid bottom, and Prayer Chain drummer Wayne Everett adds percussion. CCM luminary Phil Madeira and Jenny Gullen (of Hoi Polloi) make guest appearances, too. Conspicuously absent, though, is long-time Choir saxophonist Dan Michaels, whose sole contribution is a few brief lines to one song.
Free Flying Soul, ultimately, continues the evolution of one of CCM's finest bands-one that made alternative music before that label became fashionable. For those who've never tried The Choir, it's a good introduction. For fans, it's a must.
Other coverage for this album
7ball #6Reviewed by Chris WellLike a welcome letter from an old friend, The Choir returns in strong form with Free Flying Soul, a record that at once remembers the enduring charm of records like Circle Slide and Wide-Eyed Wonder, but also remembers the lessons of the angrier Speckled Bird, where the band struggled to reinvent themselves. Amidst the sonic dreamscape they've carved out--ambient waves of energy passing over…Similar sounding releases
1994Sunday BlueBreathe
1995Chris LizotteHuman Kind
1996PFRThem
2002Tanya DonellyBeautysleep
1999Blinker the StarAugust Everywhere
2002DolourSuburbiacMore from The Choir
2000Voices in Shadows/Shades of Grey
1993Kissers and Killers
2005O How the Mighty Have Fallen
1997Let It Fly
1994Speckled Bird
1990Circle Slide
