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Album Review
Many of the fans
of ForeFront Records' grunge-rockers Grammatrain were no
doubt disappointed to hear of the band's breakup about a
year ago. Maybe some of that disappointment can be
alleviated by this album, the solo debut of former
Grammatrain member Pete Stewart. Granted this CD isn't
exactly grunge, but it certainly fits the definition of
hard music (with a couple of exceptions), and just may
fill a bit of the void.
Pete's
fully-cranked musical style is blended perfectly with
quality, powerful lyrics, and has the star power of Eddie
DeGarmo and dc Talk's Michael Tait behind it on
production. That's a recipe that just can't help but be a
hit!
"Out Of My
Mind" puts a hard rock spin on the idea behind the
Newsboys "Out Of My Head" - the fact that God
has a way of getting into our minds and staying there.
When we let Him into our lives, He changes us from the
inside out - fills us with a love for fellow humans that
is beyond comprehension, and a zest for life that defies
our circumstances.
"Uphill
Battle" paints a Christian perspective on
disagreements between friends, backed by more guitar,
bass, and percussion than you can shake a stick at. It's
followed by the highly out of place, but equally
outstanding "Worship Song." Pete does a
marvelous job of painting a worshipful spirit through
beautifully skillful acoustic guitar and simple lyrics in
a self-penned song. A soft string section backs the song
in perfect harmony. Absolutely beautiful!
A rhythmic,
Credence Clearwater Revival-esque atmosphere shines in
"Little Country Song," a song that I can see
Pete and his band perform under a tent in an old town
revival, perhaps along side Big Tent Revival and Three
Crosses. The story tells of a little country church
(imagine that!) that's been transformed by a spiritual
revival that reached from the pulpit to the entire town.
People come from miles around to hear a preacher that
isn't preaching religion anymore - he's sold out to
Christ, preaching because he just wants to praise the
Lord and can't help himself, and the church has simply
come alive. That is one inspiring song, and one inspiring
message!
One of the most
simply profound songs on the CD is "The Reason Is
You." The song starts out by asking for a reason for
the things God does - why does He love us so, why did He
create us. The it asks questions about ourselves - why
should we give our all to God, why should we live for
Him? The answer to both questions is simple: in Stewart's
words, "The reason is You." God Himself is both
the reason for His love for us, and the reason we should
worship Him.
If you're
looking for something with enough juice to knock you off
your feet, but with substance to the lyrics - something
more than just noise - I highly recommend Pete Stewart.
This CD rocks!
~David
Longenecker
Pete Stewart(Homepage)
Interview
jesusfreakhideout
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