| Music Review - Relient K |
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Relient Who?
review by Joanne Brokaw
Relient K CD “Two Lefts
Don't Make a Right
...but Three Do ”
(Gotee Records)
It's not that I don't like Relient K.
It's just that, until now, I really didn't care much about them one way
or another.
I used to own one of those Reliant K cars. Ever since
the driver's side door fell off in a WalMart parking lot
one sub-zero December evening, forcing me to drive 8 miles
home with the seat belt looped thru the inside handle,
window rolled down while I held the door in place, avoiding
all left hand turns, the mere mention of the car's name
makes me shiver.
My only experience with Relient K (the band) was a show
last summer at a huge music festival. The sound was horrible,
and the band talked more than they played -- although
they did throw a couple of clever witticisms over the
heads of the largely oblivious audience, which was mildly
entertaining. Still, I left wondering what all the fuss
was about.
Don't get me wrong. Fans tried to get me to fall in love
with Relient K. They played videos and mp3 songs for me
on my computer. They directed me to the website, where
the band posted their musings from the road and extolled
the virtues of ripping stuffed animals to shreds on stage.
Friends even invited me to see another show, but I declined.
Nothing personal. Relient K just wasn't my thing.
To be honest, lead singer Matt Thiessen unnerves
me just a little -- those sad puppy eyes staring
out from the CD covers and press pics. He reminds me of
that guy back in high school, who at first glance makes
you wonder how he passed remedial spelling, but who is
actually acing AP Physics without doing any homework.
You know the kind: the brilliantly creative loner who
zings you with an insult carefully wrapped up like a compliment,
then fixes a stare on you, pleading, "Won't you please
be my friend?" How can you say no?
That's partly why when the press kit came for the new
Relient K CD, Two Lefts Don't Make A Right...But
Three Do (Gotee Records), I planned to just
toss it into the pile to be reviewed after the latest
Bibleman video. All I hear lately is "Relient K this"
and "Relient K that", and how they're the next
big thing to hit Christian music since King David's psalms.
I figured that there were plenty of other music writers
falling over themselves to review them.
I can't explain what made me pop the CD into the stereo.
Maybe it was those puppy eyes on the CD cover begging
me for just one chance. But by the middle of the second
song, I have to admit that I was hooked. And by the end
of the CD, I'm ashamed to say it, but... I was in love.
Never mind the fact that instead of entire songs on the
preview CD, there were only one-minute clips artfully
mixed to give you a taste of the music and leave you wanting
more. Yeah, I felt a little cheated, but I was willing
to forgive them...just this once. I even wanted to hear
more about those kinds of girls who are so emotional that
they blow up ("Mood Rings"). I think I might
be one of them, and I'm glad they brought it to my attention.
"Two Lefts" is filled with smartly-crafted
songs about everything from pink tuxes ("In
Love with the 80's") to the inconsistencies of the
female mind; from setting priorities ("Getting Into
You") to college ("College Kids"); from
teenage drama ("Hoopes I Did It Again") to spiritual
turning away and crawling back ("Trademark). It's
funny, yet poignant, silly and yet painfully heartfelt.
It's about love, longing, and relationships, and every
song on the album is good. I don't say that very often.
It's obvious that these guys are intelligent and talented,
even if their sense of humor sometimes leaves you wondering
if they're laughing with you or at you... or if it really
even matters.
"Two Lefts" is great music, great lyrics,
and great fun.
© 2003 Joanne Brokaw All rights reserved.
Joanne Brokaw is a freelance writer from Western NY who covers
Christian music and current events affecting the Christian
community. Her articles have appeared in dozens of newspapers
in the US and Canada.
Visit her online at <www.frontiernet.net/~jbrokaw>
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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
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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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