Review:

on 2009-11-25 kennyscheldt Said:

What if popular indie rock bands Spoon and The Shins got together with some British band like Coldplay and made an inspirational record? Filled with scattered horn sections, banjos, mandolins, juxtaposed with acoustic guitars, drums, and soothing, sometimes soaring vocals. If such an inspiring, completely implausible pairing was possible, the album would most likely sound a lot like Awake My Soul by Will of Titus.

Awake My Soul: Volume 1, The Singles, is the special edition of the first full length album by CCM artist Will of Titus, available only on iTunes at the moment, and also on the band's website. Their sound is best described as indie folk rock that can expand at the drop of a hat to include distorted electric guitars and bursting trombones. With a horn section on a couple of songs that could make even Neil Diamond or The Turtles proud, Will of Titus shines on their big production tunes like Say I Love You More and The Dark Spots. These are songs that illustrate Christian-crossover at its best. Songs about God that could easily double as really good, catchy, alternative pop. Songs like- His Armor, a tune based on the scripture from the book of Ephesians chapter 6, but playing in the background at a party would most likely sound like a missing Shins track. While Christians will find Will's adaptation of scriptures excellent, the secular listener will be pleased by the variety of indie-folk sounds. Will proves to be an exciting indie voice that seems to have emerged at just the right moment, given the history of CCM.

After reviewing Leeland's inspirational album earlier this year, I began exploring the growing genre of Christian-crossover bands that blur the line between pop and modern Christian worship music (the stuff they play at Church on Sunday mornings). At the time I was thinking to myself, Why does every Christian song seem to have the same chord progression with that same guy singing? Wouldn't it be nice if there was a bit more indie-Christian music to go around? I suppose my prayers, in many ways, have been answered with the release of Awake My Soul.

If you are not familiar with CCM, more commonly called Christian Contemporary, it is a genre that first emerged on the popular music scene during the hippie revival of the late 60s and early 70s. Pioneers of the movement included Andrae Crouch, Barry McGuire, and Petra. Back then audiences were small, CCM records had poor quality (when compared with pop records at the time), and radio play was pretty much nonexistent. But today, according to the Gospel Music Association, Christian artists moved 56 million units in 2008 alone. While mainstream album sales were down 8.5%, CCM was up 38% from the year before. And today in the US, it would be hard for you to find a city that does not have a Christian radio station.

And CCM typically used to refer to a certain Nashville, Tennessee-based sound with the likes of Steven Curtis Chapman and bands like Casting Crowns who were heavily influenced by Americana. A random selection of these tunes would probably sound most like country to an unknowing listener. But all this has changed in recent years. Emerging Christian artists like Leeland and Phil Wickham have drawn comparisons with mainstream artists like Coldplay and Keane. Played at low volumes one might believe tracks off of Leeland's Opposite Way were actual Keane songs! The scene has changed but where was the indie in all this? Is there any at all? Enter Will of Titus.

From the catchy soaring chorus on title track Awake My Soul, to the gentle acoustic Solace and Sea, Will of Titus has crafted a record that is both indie and Christian, without going too far in either direction. After just one listening these melodies will stick with you, and have you hoping for more. The horns on songs Say I Love You More, and The Dark Spots, are fun and sound like a big party in your iPod ear buds. While Sleep Well features soothing guitar hooks that seem to just float through the air. Lines played on banjo, trombone, saxophone, and mandolin, are sparse but add just the right zest to many tracks. Their message is uplifting, hopeful, and inspiring. Definitely a great addition to the CCM scene, at just the right time. If you are a fan of Spoon, The Shins, Death Cab for Cutie, or any of the bands mentioned above, give this album a listen.

Rating: 10/10