Two albums of pure salve for the thirsty soul. I Am A Stranger In This Place, complete with its space motif, is a look back at the band's past, with revamped versions of heart tugs like "Undone," "There Is Nowhere Else," "As I Am" and "Song of the Harlot." These songs are a wonderful date with a girl you've loved for years, but somehow she manages to dress up in such a way that you see her in a whole new light, creating another memory to add to the ones already cherished.
Faith And Devotions Of A Satellite Heart finds the band disappearing behind the veil of tranced out atmospheric guitars (a la the self-titled third album sound) in worship to King Jesus. This musical unit has a distinct advantage in the worship category, as they've been to the mountain many times, and they've sweated it out in the valleys, too. The sweet juice that's been crushed out of their hearts is that of a vertical lover. You'll easily find yourself lost in worship, accompanied by Melissa Barnett's beautiful voice and swept along by triple guitars. You'll be repeating phrases like, "I wait for You . . . All I have, I give to You, I lay it at Your feet . . . Lord, take all these things that separate us . . . You are all I want . . . I can't live without Your love . . . I am so in love with You . . . Lord, shine Your light..." and then you'll feel compelled to sing to others, "Come to the rock, come to the fountain..."
If only your CD player and speakers could feel what your heart feels right now. This human flesh is being moved by human music. It's a good thing. It's a violet burning.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Michial FarmerAfter the high, dizzying plastics and low, heart-rending elastics of their last record, The Violet Burning has decided to settle down in "an experiment in vibe" for I Am a Stranger in This Place, a combination greatest hits, live, and praise and worship. The album's cover makes obvious reference to Spacemen 3, and that, along with Spiritualized and Mercury-era Prayer Chain, is a good place to…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by James StewartIt's been quite a while since the last installment of our ongoing coverage of worship music releases, so without any ado here's an overview of a dozen or so releases from the latter half of 2000. The album that most clearly breaks the mold is the latest from The Violet Burning, I Am A Stranger In This Place. A best-of of sorts, this album sees the band re-recording a selection of their worship…Similar sounding releases
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