In this his 29th album (and second Christian album), Charlie Daniels has stayed true to what has become his unique style of boldness and fun, with a country/bluegrass flavor. Steel Witness may surprise some listeners, however, with its unmistakably serious focus.
The first cut, "It's Happening Now," sets the lyrical tone for the project as the lyrics proclaim this to be the raptured generation. The musical tone is mid-tempo with plenty of guitar and drums. The music, however, simply provides a subtle base and never gets in the way of Daniels' frank and open lyrics:
The hands on the clock are moving faster Humanity's sun is going down With each passing day the time grows shorter... It's happening now!
Two other songs also carry this central message throughout the project. Both "Tribulation" and "A Day In The Life" provide lyrics with an end-times theme. Daniels makes this clear in "Tribulation" when he sings:
Get your mind out of the world Take your Bible off the shelf Read the book of Revelations for yourself
Not holding back at all, Daniels roars forward into "New Pharisees," which will probably turn a few heads. Much like "Tribulation," this one never really gets beyond a mid-tempo sound. The vocals are more in line with a story song and there is less background instrumentation than most of his songs, suggesting that Daniels wanted to make sure the lyrics took center stage. The song speaks about the tendency of modern-day Christians to judge their fellow man, much like the Pharisees of Jesus' day. Daniels includes himself in this condemnation, singing, "New Pharisee, Yes, you're a lot like me."
Not to leave any area untouched, Daniels also dives into some political statements in a couple of songs. In "Payback Time," he states that many of those in government are blatantly going against God's will and warns of God's coming judgment. Electric guitar and sullen vocals really give this tune a true sense of foreboding. Daniels has stated that he fully expects this song to be one of confrontation by his critics.
He follows this pattern in "Whose Side Are You On?" Though the pace is a bit more upbeat than "Payback Time," the same message comes through in the lyrics. It speaks of a future when the Bible will be outlawed and America will become more and more anti-Christian. He makes this warning by singing:
You say this is America You say we ain't got nothing to fear But if something don't change You're gonna see it happen here Land of the free, home of the brave You'd better wake up before it's too late
Finally on "Somebody Was Prayin' For Me," we get what we would usually expect from Charlie Daniels. With help from the veteran black gospel group, The Fairfield Four, Daniels cuts loose and raises the tempo with plenty of electric guitar and fiddle play. This song will remind listeners of many of the songs of celebration from The Door, his previous Christian album.
Other tunes that use the vintage Charlie Daniels style include "He's Not Here," an inspiring tune with an Easter message of the resurrection. On "Jesus," he gets some uplifting help from the Christ Church Choir. A fast-paced tune that gives the project a shot of celebration it needed, this song will probably be the highlight for those that enjoy the songs of fun old-time revival by Daniels.
In the final analysis, Steel Witness is a slightly slower and serious collection than fans may be used to. However, the boldness of his lyrics and the quality of his country/bluegrass music provide the Charlie Daniels sound many are looking for. I would encourage any fan of country Christian music to give it a listen. It might even work for those who may not normally listen to country. I find that when I am getting a little bored with too much pop Christian music, nothing wakes me up like a bit of Charlie Daniels.
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