Mac Powell's voice has often been likened to a cross between Darius Rucker (Hootie & the Blowfish) and Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam). On Conspiracy No. 5, that comparison may have had some validity to it. On Come Together, Third Day seems to have come into their own, establishing their own sound, walking the line between bluesy, southern-flavored rock, and songs that are destined to become part of worship services across the country.
The album opens with the title track, with a Michael W. Smith-style piano intro, followed by an Audio Adrenaline type of sound, as sung by Russ Taff around the time of The Way Home. The song calls on Christians to unite in the face of hardships, the idea that there is, in fact, strength in numbers:
We've got to come together
'Cause in the end we can make it -- alright
We've got to brave the weather
Through all of the storms
We've got to come together
'Cause in the end we can make it -- alright
We've got to learn to love.
"40 Days" shows Powell with an intense desire to rely on God through the difficult times. "Show Me Your Glory" will be the adult contemporary hit, and probably will be an addition to many youth services very soon.
Several songs walk the old line of "is this song about God or my girlfriend?" ambiguity. "It's Alright" looks forward to the Second Coming, but never refers to God directly. "I Don't Know," "When the Rain Comes," and "Get On" are similar in this regard: if you are familiar with Third Day, you know they are referring to "Christian" ideas. If you are a first time listener, you may not see the entire message behind the song. This in no way detracts from the quality of the music.
"Get On" is a rant to and against Satan, or perhaps someone who is consistently negative:
Excuse me if I still question
Carefully all of your intentions
I've decided that I won't listen
Because your words only bring division.
Reliance on God and patience in troubled times are a recurring theme, popping up in "I Got You," "Come Together," "40 Days," and "It's Alright." "I Don't Know" is a plea for forgiveness, somewhat in the vein of Psalm 51.
Powell's vocals are a pleasant mix of Russ Taff, Joe Cocker, and Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots). Musically, the band is as strong as ever and shines on worshipful numbers "Show Me Your Glory" and "Sing Praises." At first, this album didn't catch my fancy, but after repeated listens, it has grown on me to the point where I can't decide if I like it more than Conspiracy No. 5--their best up to this point.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
ReAL Magazine 2002Reviewed by Neal T. RedmanThird Day is doing absolutely nothing new in this album. However, if you liked any of their previous albums, you're pretty much guaranteed to like this one. If you haven't liked their previous music, don't bother taking a look at this one.The Rebel Base 2002Reviewed by David MartinI'm starting to think that Third Day is this generation's Petra. Which is not to say that we need another Petra, thank you very much. I got into Christian music a bit late to truly enjoy Petra's heyday. The Christian rock super group is still around, mind you, but I suppose that's another review. I'm here to talk about CCM's favorite hard-working, Southern-style rocking outfit from the Peach…The Rebel Base 2001Reviewed by Josh HurstSometimes, when a band becomes very successful, they decide to completely change their sound. U2 did it. Dc Talk has done it more than once. Well, most Third Day fans will be pleased to hear that, despite the massive success of the band's Offerings album and subsequent tour, the Christian rock quintet from Atlanta has made no major departures from their signature sound on their latest album, Come…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Eric DaamsIt seems to be inevitable that whenever a band releases a really great album, it is followed by a mediocre one. That is certainly the case with Third Day's newest release. Last year's Offerings was the band's masterpiece, effectively capturing their passion for God and their outstanding musical abilities in what was one of the best albums of 2000. Following the trail of Offerings' tremendous…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Jessica HeikoopI confess I don't own Third Day's renowned album, Offerings, so I don't have the expertise to compare the two albums. But I can say that Come Together is filled with many awesome tunes, it's one to add to anyone's CD collection, a fan prior to this album or not. The album contains 12 songs, all of which have something in them to look forward to hearing--be it lead singer Mac Powell's edgy voice,…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Matthew WilliamsThere's something admirable when an artist finds his niche, explores it to the fullest, and still remains entertaining and creatively liberated in the process. That's exactly what you'll find on Third Day's fourth studio album, Come Together. Remaining true to their southern roots, the album contains a mixture of the sounds that propelled them to the forefront of the Christian music scene, while…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Megan LenzThird Day has a few problems. They can't seem to decide whether they are going to be a straightforward southern roots-rock band or an eclectic modern rock band. They also can't seem to decide if they're going to be a worship band or not. Then again, maybe these aren't problems. Come Together is undoubtedly Third Day's best effort yet. It falls more in the eclectic vein of Conspiracy No. 5, rather…Similar sounding releases
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