Remix albums always seem to be a sticky situation. A couple years ago the
Newsboys tried to remix their rock songs with very little success. It
sounded like rock/techno soup. Most pop groups, such as Avalon and ZOEgirl,
manage to put together a disc of dance remixes, a couple of which might be
of the caliber to spin in the clubs. Superchic[k]'s most recent album was a
remix project and included some great rock sounds with a bit of DJ
scratching. But remixing a worship album? Not many have tried that, and the
only one I can think of doing it is the David Crowder Band.

GOT COMMENTS?? - We want your input on cMusicWeb.com! Send it to
webmaster@... or find me on AOL IM.

UNSUBSCRIBE?? - Logon to http://groups.yahoo.com to do so, or drop us an
e-mail telling us why you're annoyed by hearing from us.


SUNSETS AND SUSHI: EXPERIMENTS IN SPECTRAL DECONSTRUCTION (2005)
by Hollie Stewart

While in college, I had to take a few Literary Theory classes, and within
the core curriculum I learned about the post-modern buzzword:
deconstruction. Deconstruction became the gigantic umbrella under which all
criticism could flourish. No longer did the text remain neutral; now every
word, every moment of pause and reflection, held a deep purpose. For
instance, each nuance could be seen as the result of the author
subconsciously projecting him/herself onto the text. In this movement, a
reader could tear the words apart (not literally; otherwise the book would
be ruined) and find a new meaning within the work.

The theory says this can be done to any piece of writing, but do songs meet
the same success? I never thought they could, until David Crowder embraced
the theory and applied it to his music. According to whatdoesthissay.com (a
site translating the Asian characters written inside the CD jacket), "The
deconstruction of a text does not aim to render it meaningless; instead, the
goal is to probe and extend the potential meanings of it in order to better
understand it. The purpose of this recording is to situate our contemporary
music production in relation to these issues that inform it. [...] We offer
this [album] in hopes that your life tears it apart and puts it back
together and/or that it tears apart your life and puts it back together."
This sounds like a grand illusion for what would appear to be a simple remix
of several key songs found on Illuminate. But when I applied my literary
skills onto what I heard rather than read, I found success. Sunsets and
Sushi manages to transform traditional DCB worship songs into techno-driven
pieces. The listener enters a world where the song "Intoxicating" becomes
just that; the synthetic rhythms and beats lull the listener into a
dreamland. The already beautiful "Deliver Me" becomes the "Antidromic Mix"
and lifts the listener to a higher plane of understanding through delicate
keyboard strokes. "O Praise Him (All This For a King)" turns into an
"Oceanic Mix," embracing an Oriental, water-like sound throughout. These
songs would fit nicely into a Chillout recording, or as a companion piece to
Andy Hunter's work. Perhaps if the apt.core project went on tour, the David
Crowder Band could contribute some of their eclectic remixes.

To be honest, I've fallen in love with this album so much that I wish it
could have been longer, perhaps even introducing some new material. The
whole record has the soothing feel of "End of October" from The Lime CD.
Rumor tells me that drummer Jeremy Bush is the techno lover of the band, so
it's most likely that the rave/dance style heard here will only remain on
side projects and not appear on full-length albums. But one can hope.

The theory behind Sunsets and Sushi seems to work. The songs are
reconfigured into completely different creations, and because of this, the
words can be felt and heard in differing ways. By deconstructing Illuminate,
this "experiment in spectral deconstruction" stands on its own two feet and
becomes an entirely new creation. If you're a David Crowder fan, you'll
either find the album silly (especially when accosted by the uber-fast beat
on "No One Like You"), or you will dance your way into a new construction of
meaning.

Read more about David Crowder Band at cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/worship/davidcrowderband


MORE NEW STUFF ON cMUSICWEB.COM

Review: Day of Fire - Day of Fire
http://cMusicWeb.com/hardrock/dayoffire/dayoffire.shtml


AVAILABLE TUESDAY, MARCH 22 (at cMusicWeb.com or your local music store)

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

AWAKEN - NATALIE GRANT
Natalie Grant has been a mainstay in the Christian music pop scene for
years. But with her latest release on Curb Records, it looks that Natalie's
poised for the next level. The album cover is edgier and so is the music.

GOVERNMENT NAME - BOBBY BISHOP
Todd Collins' Beatmart Records sets off in a big way today. Although the
label's first release was a mixtape of mostly independent artists,
Government Name is the first artist release from Beatmart Records. Bishop
covers the usual realms of Christian rap music, from the "I don't get no
respect" gig to lambasting the media.

IN MOTION - COPELAND
The second full-length from Copeland finds the band in a bit of new
territory. Although we have not yet heard the full album, it sounds a bit
more upbeat and rock-sounding than their previous effort. Still, though,
their brand of rock is soothing and up to the same caliber as Beneath
Medicine Tree.

NOT ASHAMED - PECULIAR PEOPLE BAND
Maranatha Music rarely puts out a modern worship disc that manages to
impress, but Peculiar People Band may be the first. While the band does not
manage to distinguish themselves from the realm of worship/rock
Sonicflood-type bands, they include some good original songs.

REDEMPTION SONGS - JARS OF CLAY
There's no contest here: Jars of Clay obviously gets the PICK OF THE WEEK.
I've been listening to the newest Jars album for about a week now, and
although it's different than past discs, it is definitely one of their best.
They have managed to take the lyrics of old hymns and craft some beautiful
tunes around them. Although the Jars do great on their own with songs such
as "God Will Lift Up Your Head", there's some great collaborations with the
Blind Boys of Alabama, Sarah Kelly, and Martin Smith of delirious?.


THE LATEST NEWS HEADLINES
- Newsboys sign with Inpop Records
- The Elms Set Out To Burn The Fields
- And more!

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


Thanks for reading this week's cMusicMail, and we'll be back next week with
even more great content. If you have any comments or questions, please reply
to this e-mail or send them to webmaster@.... We'd love to hear
from you!

Dan Ficker
http://cMusicWeb.com/
a different approach to music
AOL IM - dMusicWeb