Music
Review – Caedmon's Call
"Back Home" |
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Caedmon’s
Call
Back Home
on Essential Records
lineup:
Garett Buell-Percussion
Todd Bragg-Drums
Jeff Miller-Bass
Josh Moore-Piano
*Derek Webb-Guitar & Vocals
Cliff Young-Guitar & Vocals
Danielle Young-Vocals
review by Tom Gilbert
Typically a review is done early on in the life of
a release, often even before the music is
officially released. Well, I’m coming
to the party a little late with my observations of “Back
Home” from Caedmon’s
Call. This delay is not from being unaware of the record. On the contrary, I’ve
been enjoying the CD for nearly a year.
So, why now? I could muster several excuses, but let’s leave it to the combination
of finally getting around to it and the prompting of the Spirit.
Caedmon’s Call has been around for over ten years and they’ve gathered
a loyal following. Their often laidback and folksy sound is easy to get comfortable
with. If you examine the photograph on the back of the liner notes you’ll
see they look “down home”. Maybe that’s the image they were
trying to present.
Thankfully, neither the picture nor the music seems contrived.
They sound honest and earnest in the thirteen songs on this
release. While the record rarely rocks out, there are some up-tempo songs such
as “Hands of the Potter”, “Beautiful Mystery” and “Never Gonna Let
Go”, and they reach a nicely building orchestral mood on “The Kingdom”.
The big challenge, as I see it, for contemporary Christian music artists is to speak to
issues that affect us all, the saints and the sinners, and especially to show us
how to be more like the human Jesus. Songs that spout bible verse sentimentality will
rarely reach us on a deep level and certainly won’t appeal to non-believers. If
music is to evangelize then it must find a way to touch our souls without preaching.
At times, such as during the Sandra McCracken penned “The High Countries”,
this group achieves that. Danielle Young plaintively sings: Out
on the green plains, I am but a ghost bound
up with all that I call “mine”,
still the light grows. Would you fall to
pieces in the high countries?
During “Thousand Miles” there is the confession of shortcomings (I
have stolen, Lord, let me give/I have cursed
the air and clenched my fists), but also
the desire to be bathed in grace (So
take my broken offering and make it whole) and
the determination of the apostle Paul (Let
me walk as one fixed upon the goal/Even
though I’ve got a thousand miles to go).
I have to admit that after countless listening this release
has not worn thin. I still sing along to many of the songs, especially “Only
Hope”, “Never Gonna Let Go” and the bouncy “Hands of the Potter” that
has received the bulk of radio play. The chorus is irresistible as the harmonies
and overlaid vocals joyfully proclaim, Into
the hands that made the wine from the water/Into
the hands, the hands of the Potter.
The theology is not particularly deep. I don’t get great spiritual insight
from the lyrics, although I do identify with the line from “Beautiful Mystery”:
You suffer the seeker/In You they abide. The gift of “Back Home” is
I feel uplifted each time I play this CD. And isn’t that like returning to
the comfort of your family and abode?
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Caedmon’s Call
is a collaborative group. Although they have seven members
they manage to spread the contributions around and no
one is particularly chief songwriter or leader of the
band. *Derek Webb, the longtime guitarist for the group
has moved on to a solo career, but his presence is felt
here as co-writer on “Beautiful Mystery”.
The group plans to release a new album, Chronicles, on
April 6th and they are also writing songs and gathering
music for another release later in 2004. You can check
up on the band and their current global experiences (India)
at their official web site, caedmonscall.com
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Scripture
taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights
reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of
International Bible Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks
of International Bible Society. Use of either trademark for the offering
of goods or services requires the prior written consent of International
Bible Society.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission
of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189, USA. All rights
reserved.
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