Imagine This

Item: Love
Author: Roger Appelinski

Love

(1995)

Reviewed by Roger Appelinski

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Label Essential Record GroupThe LighthouseSeptember 1995

alternative metal funk rock hard rock

Last year, Imagine This asked us to open our minds to some fresh new combinations of musical styles. They called their mix of rock, metal, R&B, and funk "groove-intensive funk rock."

With their sophomore release, Love, they have tightened their sound considerably. I would describe it as more-the metal is more metal, the rock is more rock, and the funk goes to the heart of disco-era funk (hence the retro look on the cover). The only thing that is less is that there is no rapping, and the album is just too short. It gets over way too quickly.

Once again, Daryl Youngblood is the key creative force behind the band. He handled the lead vocals and added to the BGV's, played rhythm and lead guitars and keyboards, produced the album, and wrote most of the songs. Robert Beeson co-wrote with Youngblood on several tracks, and co-produced several as well. Rick Weinland (drums), Ahmed Montgomery (bass), and Tambri Hunt (keyboards) continue with the band, while Eric Miller joins to add rhythm and acoustic guitars.

The psychedelic groove dominates the title track which kicks off the project. The bright and cheerful tune shares that:

Your love is everywhere Like a song in the air Your love is everywhere I go

After that, most of the songs have a disco-funk-laden set of verses with a hard rock/metal chorus-or they are straight-out rockers.

There are two acoustic-based tracks on the project. My personal favorite is the more organic, acoustic-based, "My Son." The addition of some light strings shows a subtle similarity to Jars of Clay. It begins by telling of a young boy falling asleep in a boat in his family's backyard lake. He awakes to the sound of crashing waves and as he prepares to die, he is rescued by his father. That story is compared to how we can feel trapped as well, just like being in a boat as "the world comes seeping in." The tender, heart-felt chorus is the same, whether it is the human father rescuing his son, or God rescuing us:

Son just take my hand Rest your feet on solid land Keep your eyes laid on me Don't be swayed by the sea And I will lead you home

I was pleased to hear a stronger vocal addition by Hunt. Her strength in the bgvs is noticeable, and she adds several descants throughout the project that I simply adored. The rest of the band joins to add to the punchy BGV's.

While Imagine This was lyrically political and direct, Love is more open-ended and God-oriented. The references to God are slightly masked, with "He," "His," "You," and "Your" used often. They aren't vague; they just avoid common clichés about God. A strength here is in loaning the project to a non-Christian friend. The message is there, just subtle enough to creep in on him instead of pounding him over the head with God.

"As The Deer" is the exception-using the word "Thee." The Houston-based band performs a disco-jangle-laden funk version of the praise chorus. "Munky Jump" encourages us not to conform to what others are doing-to not do the "munky jump." "Notta Live" speaks about someone trying to "renounce my belief:"

I see you breathing a breath full of life Exhaling a banter of agnostic spite ...I'm not alive 'cause of what you say, sister I'm not a live 'cause of what you say

I was impressed by Imagine This when it released, and I am even more impressed with Love. It shows solid workmanship in every aspect of the project. I might even consider voting it Rock Album of the Year...