After the Chase is a California based worship band that is comprised of husband and wife team Nathan and Jenna Strong, and Jack Pryor. Their self-titled, self-produced album is comprised of eleven original modern worship songs. Mostly acoustic/folkie in sound, they come across as a lighter version of Waterdeep at times, with occasional glimpses into a fuller Rich Mullins/Bebo Norman tone.
The Strongs have obviously been singing together for awhile, as their harmonies blend effortlessly over the instrumentation. "Caught Up" is man's struggle not to be caught in the snares of the world, but to be swept away by the love of God. "Fight or Flight" illustrates more of the same, the idea of dealing with the problems that hinder us, rather than fleeing to the easier way.
"Come Take Your Chances" offers a way out of the rat race:
So come take your chances
With the King of Romances
Come risk it all, take a chance on my call...
"Simple" yearns for a childlike faith, free of the complexities we seem to instill upon ourselves when we make things harder than they ought to be. "Priority Scattered" shows what can happen when we get our needs and wants mixed up.
While somewhat too light for my usual tastes, After the Chase is a well done project. The production work on it is impeccable, blending the music without trampling the vocals, and all of the musicianship fits in perfectly. I was surprisingly pleased by this record.
4 tocks
