Fans of Third Day's self-titled debut on Reunion Records should prepare themselves for the growth that is displayed on the band's sophomore release, Conspiracy No. 5. The Atlanta-based band upped the aggression ante somewhat, while still retaining their penchant for melodic hooks. Of course, three years have passed since much of the material on the first album was recorded for the band's independent project. So you would expect the band to mature during that period, especially given the amount of time they have spent on the road. The songs on Conspiracy No. 5 have a dynamic, energetic feel, which is enhanced by singer Mac Powell's richly textured voice. The driving rock of "Have Mercy," "More To This" and "You Make Me Mad" show some serious musical muscle. The twin guitar attack of Brad Avery and Mark Lee plays off the percussion section of drummer David Carr and bassist Tai Anderson well, creating a wall of sound that has texture and depth. The ballads also have some punch. "More Than I Deserve" starts out with a simple acoustic guitar, building to a full band production by the end of the chorus. A similar approach is used on "Gomer's Theme." Based on the story of the prophet Hosea's wife, the music accentuates the bittersweet tale. Powell, the primary lyricist, tends to write in a fairly straightforward fashion. He looks both inward and outward, mixing introspection (as in "Give Me A Reason" and "More Than I Deserve") with songs about relationships ("How's Your Head?" and "Mad"). As he demonstrated on Third Day, Powell can write a pretty decent praise song. He repeats that feat on Conspiracy No. 5 with the cuts "My Hope Is You" and "Peace." With 13 cuts clocking in at more than 57 minutes, those not familiar with Third Day will find this a good introduction to the band. Fans of their previous work should welcome their maturing with open arms. The band has improved on its strengths while diminishing its weaknesses--and that's always a good thing.
Other coverage for this album
Exit Zine 1999Reviewed by James M. BranumWhile I am still somewhat new at reviewing albums, I feel that an album worthy of five stars has to be very special. The album must be musically and lyrically strong. It must flow well and have no songs that slip below the standard of excellence. Furthermore, the album must be creative, convey powerful emotions, and truly express the faith and beliefs of the artist. Conspiracy No. 5 earned this…The Lighthouse December 1997Reviewed by Bert GanglThe self-titled debut release by Atlanta's Third Day sold more than 200,000 copies, produced four number one singles, earned a Billboard Video Award, and even garnered a fair amount of airplay in the general market. With the success of the first album, the release of the follow-up project has been the source of both anticipation and curiosity among critics and fans alike. And, as almost always…The Phantom Tollbooth 1997Reviewed by Mark J. AylorWell, well, well, what do we have here? Third Day is back with the follow-up to their self-titled debut, and this one smokes! Gone is most of the Little Feat flavor that kept me from raving about their first release. The band's musical sound is definitely alternative now, with the Black Crowes' southern rock leanings barely noticeable. These guys have really grown up. Their music has a much…The Phantom Tollbooth 1997Reviewed by Josh SpencerI remember being a young teenager and hearing my first Christian rock album. I thought it was so cool that it sounded exactly like one of my favorite non-Christian bands but with Christian lyrics! Then as I grew older I learned that Christian bands imitating "secular" ones more often than not simply reinforced my unsaved friends' opinion that there is nothing genuine or original about…The Phantom Tollbooth 1997Reviewed by Steven S. BaldwinPower pop Pearl Jam-esque praise music. To be fair, Pearl Jam isn't the only influence. Other sonic snippets arouse the reminiscence of many other bands, including such diverse inspirations as The Cure and Alabama. Despite the lack of uniqueness and anything spectacular by way of music or lyrics, they've created a captivating mesh of encouraging lyrics and mostly upbeat sounds. The underlying…Similar sounding releases
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