This week it's all about the rock 'n' roll. First we have the new band
Duvall, whose first full length album we review here. They play the club
circuit pretty hard, and this summer they will be showing up at some
Christian festivals. Secondly, we have an interview with Paul McCoy, the
lead singer of 12 Stones. He talks about their upcoming disc, Potter's
Field, the See Spot Rock tour, and lots more. Finally, we also have some
new worship reviews on cMusicWeb.com as well as some news for you.

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VOLUME AND DENSITY - DUVALL
by Becca Tuttle

It's always big news when Christian artists "cross over" into the mainstream
world, but the opposite case is a rare and welcome find. Meet Josh Caterer,
the lead vocalist and guitarist for Duvall. Formerly of Chicago band the
Smoking Popes, Caterer battled drug and alcohol addiction until a 1998
conversion to Christianity gave new direction to his life. He soon left the
band to pursue his new faith in the music program at a local church.
However, as any musician or fan can testify, music is more than a hobby—it's
a passion. And so, in 2001 Caterer triumphantly returned to the Chicago
music scene with Duvall, boasting a familiar garage rock sound with a whole
new message.

Volume and Density centers on Josh Caterer's voice, which has the same
slurred, almost lazy quality of Radiohead's Thom Yorke. If Duvall were to
make a music video, it'd feature Caterer slouched on the sofa, crooning
lyrics with a bored expression. But in spite of its mellow vocals, Duvall
knows how to rock. The first track, "All in Your Hands" offers a lively
intro to the CD. A wailing guitar solo bridges the lyrics, which speak of
humility and accepting God's guidance in our lives. Caterer draws on past
struggles for the song's honesty, saying "I don't know where to start / You
pulled apart my life and breathed new life / Into my heart when I met you."

The rest of the album is decent. "Standing at the Door" addresses the
everyday distractions that often take priority over more important things in
life, delivering its message with a sense of humor. ("What did you say? / I
can't hear anything with these headphones on. / I like to play my music just
as loud as it goes. / It empties my mind and helps me with my time. / It
distracts me from the sound in my heart.") "Racine" continues Duvall's
catchy, punk rock sound, while the easygoing electric guitar in songs like
"Where I Belong," bears a slight resemblance to an unpolished Matchbox 20.
But a few truly skip-worthy specimens dwell among these satisfactory tracks.
"Taking Me Home" plods along at a dreary pace, and although the remake of
the 1983 Spandau Ballet hit "True" is an interesting change from the sappy
original, it almost feels wrong to strip the song of its corny harmonies.
"Jesus Never Leaves Me" has a tired melody and clichéd lyrics, but at least
its gentler sound provides a nice bit of variety from the album's overworked
rock textures.

It's this trite sound that serves as the CD's pitfall. Although the first
few songs are enjoyable, it doesn't take long to realize that they're more
or less synonymous with the rest of the album. Almost every track is
composed of the same formulaic mix, combining pounding bass, electric guitar
and drums in an all-too-predictable fashion. The guitar solo that seemed
great in the first track gets a little haggard by the end, having been
recycled in some form several times throughout the CD. The quality isn't
poor, but it's unoriginal, and the similarity of the songs leaves the
project lacking and altogether mediocre.

That said, Duvall has potential. They've generated a batch of local fans and
could probably expand their audience…if they put in the effort. They've
toured, but not widely, and although their CD can be found on Grassroots,
they don't have the Christian marketing they need to achieve success. Volume
and Density could also stand for some better cover art, as the CD's jacket
is as dull as its title and unlikely to inspire many sales. All in all,
unless you're a big fan of punk rock, you might want to give this CD a pass.
But don't push Duvall from memory, because with a cover artist, some
variation, and a publicist, Duvall could very well reappear to steal the
show with their next CD.

Find out more about Duvall at their official site:
http://www.duvallmusic.com/


MORE NEW STUFF ON cMUSICWEB.COM

Interview: 12 Stones
http://cMusicWeb.com/hardrock/12stones/interview.shtml

Review: Everyone - Everyone
http://cMusicWeb.com/worship/everyone/everyone.shtml

Review: Worship Through The Valley - Matt McGee
http://cMusicWeb.com/worship/mattmcgee/worshipthroughthevalley.shtml


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View all the latest stories on cMusicWeb.com:
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