Track Listings
1 God You Are My God (3:44) 
2 Glo in the Dark, Pt. 1 (2:46) 
3 God's Romance (6:58) 
4 Investigate (4:09) 
5 Glo in the Dark, Pt. 2 (3:42) 
6 What Would I Have Done? (6:06) 
7 My Glorious (6:10) 
8 Everything (3:41) 
9 Hang on to You (4:21) 
10 Intimate Stranger (7:25) 
11 Awaken the Dawn (4:13) 
12 Glo in the Dark, Pt. 3 (3:38) 
13 Years Go By (3:50) 
14 Jesus' Blood (5:53) 
15 Glo in the Dark, Pt. 4 (4:59) 

Discography
World Service (2004)
Access: D (2003)
Libertad (2003)
Touch (2002)
Deeper: The D:Finitive Worship Experience (2001)
Glo (2000)
Mezzamorphis (1999)
King Of Fools (1998)
The Cutting Edge   (1997)


Album Review

The much awaited new album from Delirious? sees them combining the strongest elements of their previous releases into a stunning album that once more sees the band pushing back the barriers of contemporary praise. 'Glo' has the worshipful lyrical content of their early Cutting Edge songs that have stirred the church worldwide but the album also has the spontaneous elements that were captured in 'Live & In The Can'. Add into the equation the production quality of 'Mezzamorphis' and you can see why this album is so special.

The band were already in the studio recording demos for the follow up to 'Mezzamorphis' with their eyes firmly fixed on the singles chart when God opened the band's eyes to the worldwide impact of their anthemic worship songs. Clearly it was the right time to write some more and their plans were altered. 'Glo' (the title is taken from the song 'My Glorious' -'Glo for Glory'!) is packed with spiritual and musical intensity and as the sampled voice at the end of 'God You Are My God' suggests, it's a 'soundtrack for life'.

Listening to this, you'll soon agree with critics elsewhere who are suggesting that 'Glo' is the band's greatest achievement so far. If you want intensity, listen to 'Investigate' as Martin Smith invites God to shine the brightest light into the darkest recesses of his soul. 'My Glorious' builds to an incredible climax with the voices of a crowd of worshippers joining with the band to declare God's Glory.

There's plenty of creativity happening so whether it's the three bagpipers who add their own spontaneous sound to the remake of Stu G's 'Awaken the Dawn' or the Ampleforth monks who open the album with a Gregorian chant, the band are stretching the boundaries yet again. There are mellower moments on 'What Would I have Done?' and 'Intimate Stranger' but then the band explode into life on 'God's Romance'.

'Glo' sees Delirious? keeping the fire burning and here's another set of songs to inspire a generation of worshippers from Seattle to New York, London to Cape Town to Sidney to Auckland - all around the world. There's a fresh sound and 'Glo' raises the stakes for contemporary worship everywhere. Listen and be inspired.

Touch

Track Listings
1 Touch (4:58) 
2 Love Is the Compass (3:29) 
3 Fire (3:34) 
4 Alien (4:19) 
5 Angel in Disguise (4:29) 
6 Rollercoaster (3:46) 
7 Show Me Heaven (3:24) 
8 Take Me Away (3:22) 
9 Waiting for the Summer (3:24) 
10 Stealing Time (7:52) 
11 Deeper (5:03) 
12 My Glorious (6:17) 
13 Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble (8:38) 
14 What a Friend I've Found (5:01) 
15 I Could Sing of Your Love Forever (5:11) 
16 There Is a Light (7:12) 
17 Take Me Away (CD-Rom Track) (Enhanced) (24:21) 
18 Sanctify (CD-Rom Track) (Enhanced) 
19 I Could Sing Your Love Forever (CD-Rom Track) (Enhanced) 


Discography
World Service (2004)
Access: D (2003)
Libertad (2003)
Touch (2002)
Deeper: The D:Finitive Worship Experience (2001)
Glo (2000)
Mezzamorphis (1999)
King Of Fools (1998)
The Cutting Edge   (1997)

 

Album Review

Delirious? can sound like any number of alternative rock icon bands (U2, Coldplay, Radiohead) at any given moment, but the words they sing are right in line with many other contemporary Christian praise and worship outfits. The content on Touch is no different than what is found on the rest of this English band’s prior releases, as this outfit once again provides more of its happier brand of alternative rock for Christian kids, who may not yet be ready for the harder stuff.

While U2 has been the most obvious influence on Delirious? in the past, Thom Yorke and Radiohead have now assumed the head of this band’s influential class. “Love Is The Compass” has a whiny, Radiohead-like vocal track, and “Alien,” a plodding dirge, is far too Radiohead-ish overall. On it, vocalist Martin Smith even does that familiar Yorke yodel thing in places. Then it ends with the kind of big climactic finish we’ve come to expect from that fine band. (Delirious?: Who do you really think they’re Kid A’ing, anyhow?)

Positive Delirious? songs, such as “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever,” have become church service favorites within the evangelistic community, but this is also a band unafraid to admit its doubts and show pain. Here, “Angel In Disguise” is a quietly painful cry for healing, and “Rollercoaster” rides along to a funky and clanking percussion bed, just as woozy-sounding as is its lyrical subject matter.

With “Touch,” Delirious? has also made a few inroads into creating songs of a more romantic nature. “Take Me Away” begins with an electric piano part, which then leads into a breathy and Bono-like vocal. It’s also a straight-ahead love song, with a deeply layered group vocal track. However, on the downside, it also sports the album’s dumbest lyric: “I’m seeing it all with a happy face.” Speaking of Bono, “Waiting For The Summer,” a propulsive rocker with chime-y guitars, swipes the line: “It’s a beautiful day,” from U2. U2 is one Irish influence Delirious? may never fully outgrow.

“Touch” closes with its absolute best song, “Stealing Time.” The track opens with an eerie keyboard sound that may in fact be a real theremin. It’s a piano ballad, which acts as a lazily sung wish for a little more quiet time. It also features a warm jazz trumpet thing in the outro. Most importantly, it is a nice break from Delirious?’s usual slew of spiritual anthems. At over seven minutes long, it’s allowed to stretch and breathe nicely, instead of ending prematurely.

The album also includes a bonus disc of familiar Delirious? tracks. The best of these is a redo of “I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever,” where Smith switches to singing in Spanish at the end. This extra disc also contains three video tracks.

Delirious? sounds inspired throughout “Touch,” but ultimately it’s the group’s hackneyed and predictable lyrics that keep it from rising up to the level of its more respected influences. If this group would only tell a detailed story, or at least look at life from at a slightly different lyrical angle, it might one day become an act to be taken seriously. But for now, Delirious? is merely a safe Christian alternative for skittish kids. 

~Dan MacIntosh

Mezzamorphis

Track Listings
1 Mezzanine Floor (3:44) 
2 Deeper 99 (4:19) 
3 Heaven (3:59) 
4 Follow (4:41) 
5 It's Ok (4:08) 
6 Metamorphis (4:19) 
7 See the Star (3:30) 
8 Gravity (3:19) 
9 Bliss (3:16) 
10 Beautiful Sun (4:35) 
11 Love Falls Down (4:00) 
12 Blindfold (5:57) 

Discography
World Service (2004)
Access: D (2003)
Libertad (2003)
Touch (2002)
Deeper: The D:Finitive Worship Experience (2001)
Glo (2000)
Mezzamorphis (1999)
King Of Fools (1998)
The Cutting Edge   (1997)

 

Album Review

Forget what you know about Deliriou5?; drop any preconceived notions you may have about their new album, entitled Mezzamorphosis. Martin Smith, lead singer, says in the press release accompanying the album, "A lot of you have been asking, 'Well, is it like Cutting Edge, is it like King of Fools?' Well, I don't think it's like any of them really. It's a big step for us as a band. It still definitely carries the same spirit and heart after wanting to please God in all that we do."

He goes on to explain that the first track, "The Mezzanine Floor," kind of captures the theme for the album. The song is about how "we're not where we were, but we're not where we want to be yet, either. Y'know, we're not on the second floor yet. And that's to have music that's heard by people inside and outside the church." He points out that the song is about heaven, too.

Heaven is a predominant topic on this album; in fact, one of the most catchy and inspirational songs is entitled "Heaven." "Follow" is a song more in the vein of King of Fools, complete with a chorus (the words "I will follow" sung repeatedly) that I'm sure will be sung in youth groups across the country. The song, like most of the album, however, has a rather experimental sound to it. "Bliss" is a song described by Smith as "a statement song for us," a song that is all about not backing down, but boldly living as a Christian.

The band returns to their somewhat more simplistic musical roots with "Beautiful Sun" and "Metamorphosis," two songs that showcase Martin's vocal range and the ability of Deliriou5? to create songs that are simple, yet extraordinarily beautiful. "See the Star" is another song that fits into the simple "power pop" category, and Deliriou5? delivers another great chorus sure to be a hit by this summer.

Stu G describes "Gravity" as "a really up number on the album. It's a great, hooky tune; the melody and the sounds are fantastic. What the lyric is saying that heaven is calling us but gravity's pulling us...sometimes kinda you don't know which way to look, but obviously we know where we're looking and what way we're going." "Gravity" is another song with a diverse, experimental sound, and the chorus is sure to get crowds jumping at concerts.

Martin says that the next song, "Love Falls Down" is going to be a great song live, as well. He describes it as reflecting "back to some of the Cutting Edge songs, some of the songs on King of Fools. It's talking about getting a whole generation fired up for God." "Blindfold" is a song inspired by the feelings experienced by one of the members and his wife, who had a miscarriage. This song is probably the slowest on the album, yet very powerful. Another slow, personal song for the band is "Kiss Your Feet," which is definitely an all-out praise song.

Quite possibly the most satisfying moment on the record comes with "Jesus Blood," which features a choir, a DJ from New York, and some musical flavor bordering on ambient. This song is definitely one that deserves several intense, "listen closely to get to the deeper levels" listens. The album is ended with a remix of "Deeper," probably the biggest hit off King of Fools.

Lyrically, this album continues Deliriou5?'s tradition of strong, heartfelt, passionate lyrics, mostly centered around God. Musically, this album shows several sides of Deliriou5?. At times, they stick to a simple, yet beautiful, guitar-driven sound. Other times, however, they have an intricate, complicated sound, which they pull off fairly well, too. The key to this album is balance; while some of the more musically ambitious songs toe the line between free-spirited creativity and annoying overproduction, the simple songs round out the album, making it neither boring nor overbearing. 

~Joel Thomas

     Delirious (homepage)

Lyrics