This album smells a lot like Nashville. The production is just too nice and too safe. I have to admit, though, that the lead-off track by Delirious, "Come Like You Promise," is just really cool. It's got a very infectious hook and groove. Once again, they sound like U2. This time it's more of the Achtung Baby era. Some of the stuff, like Jennifer Knapp and The Waiting are, of course, anything but hard. The Jennifer Knapp song, "A Little More," reminds me of a lot of the alterna-radio stuff you hear today on modern rock radio. Raze does a dance track, and Sarah Masen does . . . Let me just spell out the tracks that I think bear close listen for the hard music enthusiast: The Switchfoot track, "Spirit," with the hypno / falsetto vocals is really cool. Sonic Flood with Kevin Max, who do "There's Something About That Name," turn in a good performance. It's got a lot of cool textures and behind-the-scenes additives to it that make it cool on an esoteric level. "Humble Thyself In The Sight of the Lord" by Luna Halo is probably the standout track. It breaks into some trippy jam in the middle. It's a little acid rock, with some cool wah-wah guitar effects and bombastic drumming going on. I know I want to hear more from this outfit. Most of all, though, the CD succeeds in pointing our ears toward Heaven.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by James StewartBringing together some of the most highly regarded of the younger artists emerging into the CCM marketplace with a few more established names, Listen Louder is sure to attract many listeners to the pop songs it contains. Unfortunately the album isn't so compelling as its contributors' profiles might suggest. The new recording of Delirious?'s "Come Like You Promise," also found as a b-side on the…
