Grace Hotel
  Overall rating: +++

Album Review

I had the opportunity to meet the guys of Between Thieves (then called "Judah") about 4 years ago while I worked at Glorieta Conference Center in New Mexico. I was blown away by the raw energy they had, and by the flexibility they displayed during Mother Nature's lack of cooperation. The concert was intended to be an evening gig outdoors at the end of summer, but the weather had other plans. About an hour or so into the show, one of New Mexico's regular thunder-bumpers hammered the set with a downpour and way too much lightning to be safe. The band improvised quite impressively, though, moving the necessary gear into an auditorium and making due with the bare essentials. Unfortunately, I understand that much of their electronic equipment was damaged, but apparently that didn't slow the band down any. Four years later, they are releasing their second major album for Benson's Tattoo Records division, and are demonstrating their flexibility in another form. After a tour following their major label debut last year, three of the five original band members left, deciding life on the road was not for them. Singer Jason Wesson and drummer Jason "J.D." Davis maintained the core of Between Thieves while auditioning and eventually bringing aboard two new members, and moving from the electronic techno-rock I loved in their independent record towards a much more guitar-rock format, which I must say I find quite excellent. I compared the band to the Newsboys in my review of that album, and I must say the comparison still holds after 4 years. Like the Newsboys, they have grown and moved from techno-rock to modern rock, and like the Newsboys they are dealing with a major change in their membership. In retrospect, though, I might now compare them to Smalltown Poets, a band I also discovered at Glorieta in 1995 (and, coincidentally, which also changed names and a good portion of the band members not too long ago) - both were quite exceptional then, and both have grown immensely in the years since. But be sure that Between Thieves is far from a clone. "Carried Away" begins with overtones reminiscent of Carolyn Arends before adding in a heavy dose of base and guitar. I hear the Altar Boys (a band that represented the alternative underground in 80's Christian music) through the song as well. The song is very similar in its goal to "Consuming Fire," one of the biggest hits from their indie record - both focus on getting carried away by the overwhelming love, the consuming fire of God's love. The following song brings with it a hint of the bands roots in techno-rock, with some impressive guitar work, even if it does need the keyboards the band left behind in changing membership. "Let Me See" is a fun song to listen to, but is also backed by a quite relevant message of the confusions life brings. You've got to slow down and take a look at things from God's perspective constantly. I am impressed. I lost track of Between Thieves after seeing them at Glorieta, and didn't have the opportunity to listen to their first record with Benson, but I won't make that mistake again! I hope I have a chance to see them in concert, and I hope that if I do, the concert isn't plagued by the troubles of my first experience with them! But even if it is, I know that they know how to improvise. Water isn't for the fait of heart - it's 100% bonafide rock, but I guarantee you're in for a treat if your ears like it loud!

~ John Longenecker