In their last two albums, Geoff Moore and the Distance experimented with a pop sound in an effort to gain a broader audience. While it was well-executed pop and pop/rock, this change turned off some of the band's more rock-oriented fans. Their latest album, Home Run, will probably win back many of those fans. By trading in most of the pop sounds for some acoustic guitars, Moore and his comrades retain their bright, upbeat feel (thereby keeping the audience they gained with the pop) while returning to more traditional rock and "unplugged" sounds.
As with the last project (Evolution), this album opens with its title cut and the title cut opens with a spoken "set-up" as Chris Harris-in his best sports announcer voice-welcomes us to (executive producer) "Dan Brock Memorial Stadium... for an afternoon of baseball." This tune is an upbeat, slightly stripped down pop/rock look at baseball as a metaphor for the Christian walk. The lyrics draw several parallels, but stop short of beating the concept into the ground.
A deep funk groove dominates the verses of "New Americans," which gives a strong call to return America to its origins of faith without falling into the trap of being militaristic about its point. "Evidence of God" is a bright, upbeat tune in which Moore sings that he believes in the existence of Shakespeare and Michaelangelo-whom he has never met-because he has seen their work; so much the more should we believe in a God whom we can't see, if for no other reason than the creation all around us. "Best Days" is a quiet ballad, lyrically reminiscent of "Good To Be Alive," that looks back on key events in Moore's life, each of which were "one of my best days." The song ends by looking forward to the Lord's coming which will "surely... [be] the very best of days." A song of confession and re-dedication, "The Vow" starts as a ballad and slowly grows to a rock anthem. "Love Will Save The Day" is a slower, bright rock tune that shows that, as God's love saved us from sin, so it can-and will-rescue us from our daily trials as well
An infectious, upbeat rocker with a chorus that begs to be played in an open convertible at 65 mph and twice as many decibels, "Born To Be" encourages us to remember the seemingly unlikely people that God used in Bible times and to realize that He can use us in the same way. "Come Near To Me" is a quiet, acoustic ballad that examines the commitment and openness that's required of a true Christian friendship. "Tell Me Again," another ballad, picks up the pace a bit, and recognizes that:
The God of the past is still God today So tell me again of the old, old stories Tell me again of the faithful who walked... I don't want to forget, so please tell me again
In the midst of all the insecurities we face in this world, "Nothing To Hide" celebrates the fact that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38), so we have "nothing to hide, lose, fear, or ever prove." The final cut, "We Are Waiting" is an anthem of praise that echoes John's sentiment in Revelation-"come quickly, Lord Jesus."
While there are only one or two all-out rockers on this album, the pop influences have clearly been pulled back significantly and the acoustic work is well done (even when not considered as a substitute for pop). All in all, this is a solid project that will definitely go extra bases for some listeners and will be a Home Run for many others.
(What? You thought I could do the entire review without even one baseball reference?)
