As our reviewer Rick Foux says, "Rock is the new pop." It seems that many
people have been noticing this recently, with pop artists incorporating more
guitars and more rock artists making it on the radio. Today cMusicMail
features the band that has always rocked: The Rock 'n' Roll Worship Circus.
They have gone indie and this disc is their best yet. Plus, we have word on
new rock CDs out this week, from Lovedrug, Building 429, and The Swift.

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THE LISTENING - THE ROCK 'N' ROLL WORSHIP CIRCUS (2004)
by Hollie Stewart

The art of listening has diminished in our ADD-society of channel-flippers
and MP3-player addicts. But the ability to listen—-to pause and
reflect-—needs to be embraced once again. The artwork of The Rock 'n' Roll
Worship Circus' newest project shows a blurred white image underneath the
CD, with the question, "did you hear that?" Not only must the listening
take place, but also the question and evaluation of what one hears must be
digested and discussed. This is especially true when it comes to listening
for God's voice. It's not a natural listening for car horns and beeping
cell phones, but a deeper soul-search, as another piece of the CD artwork
reveals: "May these things which are hidden from our eyes be revealed to our
souls." The Rock 'n' Roll Worship Circus seeks this revelation, and The
Listening EP is one byproduct of such a search.

The band's search has taken them to embrace new musicians and new sounds.
Prodigy guitarist Solo Greely reins in lead lines with the ease of cutting
butter. With this forefather returning to the stage, Eric Lemiere leaves
guitar and replaces Zurn P. Praxair on drums with a low-key, mellow sense to
keeping the beat. And perhaps the greatest addition to the new sound of the
Worship Circus is Josiah Sherman. He delivers techno keys in a Pink Floyd
style that's hard to miss and completely delightful. Track 1, "Are We
Listening," displays Sherman's unique sense of synthesizer programming,
establishing the moody emotion that hangs over the entire project.

Once the journey is laid out, we're lead into the song "(Untitled)," a
documentation of the listening journey, of seeking Christ and not being able
to name your search or your salvation: "Have you climbed to the top of the
mountain yet / You walk through the valley of the shadow of death / It's the
sound of the man taking a breath / The feeling of the devil beating on your
chest / …You look through the stars, look for His eyes / Find yourself
hidden in the Savior's side." It's a non-traditional sense of worship—very
distinct from the "Here I Am to Worship" flair. "Dead Man" follows this
fresh worship phenomenon and the same moody atmosphere. With
other-world/space noise shrouding the movement, lead-singer Gabriel Wilson
sings, "He who calls upon His name shall be saved / […] / He's calling out
to save us all / Let the light of Jesus shine on us." "(Untitled)" and
"Dead Man" stand as stylistic and thematic bookends to the project.

The Listening EP contains moments where God sings to His creation, and where
the band sings to the audience on a horizontal level, urging them to worship
the Creator. "Like I Do" is a song from God's point of view. Wilson croons
along with a Beatle-ish guitar melody, singing, "I was sittin' on the corner
watching you go by / You had your sunshine on, a tear in your eye / If you
were close enough you would hear Me / Nobody loves you like I do / So you
talk to the different people that you see / You talk to anyone and everyone
but Me / If you come over here I would let you know / Nobody loves you like
I do." After this rings "The Way That Love is Made," a call from band to
audience to walk in love toward one another. The Beatles influence drenches
this song almost to oblivion. The strength of this 6-song album lies in the
Pink Floyd sounds and all-around reflective and meditative environment.

A more familiar moment of worship culminates in track 3, "I Love the Rain."
It begins with light acoustic guitar and soft, filtered vocals in an
easy-to-digest tempo, very reminiscent of "We Sing Glory" from their project
Welcome to the Rock 'n' Roll Worship Circus. By the middle of the song, the
electric guitar, backing vocals and drums kick in to produce a mighty
crescendo: "I love the rain / it's like tears are falling from my Father's
face / I love the rain / tears from up above / that's my Father's love."
For those who look for a more traditional expression of praise, this will be
the favorite cut off the album. Yet for those listeners who seek a distinct
worship experience with fresh sounds currently uncultivated in the greater
CCM world, The Listening EP is a must-have. It is a musical experience that
will leave both your ears and soul hungry for more.

Find out more about the Rock 'n' Roll Worship Circus at cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/worship/worshipcircus


MORE NEW STUFF ON cMUSICWEB.COM

Interview: By The Tree's Chuck Dennie
http://cMusicWeb.com/pop/bythetree/interview.shtml

Review: Denver & The Mile High Orchestra - Stand
http://cMusicWeb.com/pop/denvermho/stand.shtml

Review: Various - Veggie Rocks!
http://cMusicWeb.com/modernrock/veggierocks/index.shtml

Review: The Insyderz - Soundtrack To A Revolution
http://cMusicWeb.com/hardrock/insyderz/soundtracktoarevolution.shtml


AVAILABLE TUESDAY, JULY 27 (at cMusicWeb.com or your local music store)

PURCHASE THIS MUSIC AND MORE AT GRASSROOTSMUSIC.COM:
http://www.grassrootsmusic.com/?associateid=249

RACHAEL LAMPA - RACHAEL LAMPA
Touted as the coming-of-age album for Rachel, we find Lampa more involved in
the pop music process. Also, expect a bit more of a rock edge just like most
other pop these days.

PRETEND YOU'RE ALIVE - LOVEDRUG
While not many have heard of this new band, they're poised to be a big name
of the future. We think the band is comprised of Christians, for their music
definitely has spiritual undertones. Even more impressive is their amazing
brand of rock, which has rocketed them from Ohio indie band to major rock
name in just two years.

SPACE IN BETWEEN US - BUILDING 429
If you listen to Christian radio you've no doubt heard b429's "Glory
Defined". If you liked this single, you will probably enjoy this God-focused
pop/rock debut. However, if you're looking for something new and original
musically, look more to Lovedrug or The Swift this week for your fix.

TODAY - THE SWIFT
Possibly one of the most underrated bands in Christian music today, The
Swift are the only band making piano-based rock similar to Ben Fold's Five.
With their latest release, The Swift build upon their first disc with even
more lush instrumentation and catchy hooks. This PICK OF THE WEEK should be
a keeper.


THE LATEST NEWS HEADLINES
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- And more!

View all the latest stories on cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/


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