Every once in a while there is a CD that we just cannot stop talking about.
Not surprisingly, although we just love it, we also feel that the review has
to be written exceptionally to convey the greatness of the album. The
following review is one of those that we mulled over and listened to
countless times before we finally put pen to paper. And it is true: the
former frontman of Burlap to Cashmere has put together a masterpiece of folk
music like we have never heard. Also check out our interview with Andrew
Osenga about touring with Caedmon's Call as well as recording a new EP.

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ME DIED BLUE - STEVEN DELOPOULOS (2003)
by Jason Ewert

This is an album for those who love to kneel in the dirt and watch their
garden grow. As they pull out the weeds and plant flowers or vegetables,
they find a picture of salvation as clear as the moon. They, like God, have
taken over a section of dirt, cleansed it, rid it of its accursed thorns and
thistles, and filled it with useful and beautiful plants. Time proves that
weeds still lurk under the surface, but with faithful tending, they are
never able to overcome the new growth. Steven Delopoulos may not use this
exact analogy, but on Me Died Blue he does tell the story of those living
gardens that bear the mark of the Father and constantly battle against the
foul vegetation of the old man.

While each song offers a different story and a different tone, Me Died
Blue's underlying theme of redemption is reflected in every one of them.
Album opener "Another Day" captures the vibrant hope of our dreams as it
dances between childhood memories and cultural reflections. In the end, it
eloquently sums up why we, as Christians, can look forward to each new day:
"Here's two colors, mixed and swirled / With wood and blood together twirled
/ Goodbye my friends, today I'm dead / To resurrect and change the world." A
self-confessed nod to Paul Simon, "Jungle Trail" ponders the paradox of
having salvation without clear direction. "Here I Go Again," a simple
testament of Delopoulos's vocal abilities, longs for the rain of grace to
wash away the hopelessness of a broken world. Similarly, "Daisies and
Sandalwood" (Delopoulos's 9-11 reflection) longs for the world to look away
from temporary things to the One who was, is, and ever shall be.

Other songs turn away from personal musings to stories of people and
snapshots of other places. A neighborhood scene of families and friends is
found on "12 West Front Street," a flashback to younger days when dreams
were a dime a dozen. "Rocky Boat," appearing a few tracks later, shifts
gears to the present where dreams are replaced with the realization of God's
faithfulness to keep our footing steady as He works out His will in our
lives. Another water-themed song, "Mediterranean Waters" sounds like a sunny
afternoon on a Grecian beach, complete with the lazy observations of a
sunbather.

Two songs answer all of these questions and musings. The first is "Holy
Sunlight," a passionate cry for salvation in a world where our faith often
gets lost in the tide of humanity and humanism. "People Come and Go," the
album closer, surrenders any remaining doubt and confusion to our blessed
Father who both gives and takes away.

While Steven's colorful lyrics are the driving force behind these songs, the
instrumentation aptly aids his poetry, providing a rich background that
beautifies his redemptive pictures. Indeed, Steven's picturesque guitar
skills will grab you and keep you in your chair long enough to soak up all
that he has to say. Along the way, you'll also feel producer Monroe Jones's
presence as you hear his subtle addition of keyboards and percussion
intensify an already colorful scene.

Just as every day brings something new to your garden, so will every listen
open your eyes to something new in your heart. People, like gardens, come
and go, but the Father is always there, perfecting them until He puts out
their earthly fires and brings them home into the holy sunlight.

Find out more about Steven Delopoulos on his official site:
http://www.stevendelopoulos.com/

Read more about Steven's former band, Burlap to Cashmere, at cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/folk/burlaptocashmere


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Review: The Journey - Jacob's Road
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Review: Lifestyle: A Worship Experience - The Katinas
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