Chronos

Item: Downpour
Author: Jonathan Avants

Downpour

(2004)

Reviewed by Jonathan Avants

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label independentThe Phantom Tollbooth2005

adult alternative folk rock worship

With a style all their own in the Christian music marketplace, Chronos certainly has the potential of being a fun and enjoyable act. I sense a great amount of energy and enthusiasm in their first nationwide release, Downpour. These guys would make a good, kid-friendly concert.

Unfortunately, the song composition on Downpour is not very good. What could have been an appreciable effort at blending folk, funk, rock and pop into a cohesive style turns into a mess of cliché song structure and contrived themes that dominate the record. A song about a Roman soldier changing his life after hammering in the nails of Jesus' crucifixion would probably be a hit on Christian contemporary radio, but it lacks any musical depth. "Dime" is a metaphorical song about an American ten-cent piece's journey in the pocket of a pair of pants; the dime finally escapes from its dingy living quarters after being spun out of the pants in a washing machine. The song, and others like it, lacks subtlety and artistic taste.

Chronos has their hearts in the right place. They do have a style that is fairly unique in Christian music circles and their high energy as expressed in Downpour is certainly promising. But if they wish their artistry to be taken seriously, I believe they need to step back to the drawing board, take a deep breath, erase their preconceived musical goals, and start over again. If they can retain their high energy and overall style while reconstructing their song composition and musical goals, I believe they can become a truly enjoyable act worth checking out.

1.5 tocks