Lost Coin, an Ontario-based indie band, has put together a very memorable pop-rock album with musical and lyrical depth.
They remind me a lot of Toad The Wet Sprocket, but at times they also sound like the Gin Blossoms (especially on "Freak Show"), Delirious (in their keyboard effects), or even Guns N Roses (in some of their dramatic ballads, like "Last Weekend"). While Lost Coin reaches into several styles on this album, they pull it off well with a level of musical craftsmanship rarely seen in an independent release.
These crafty Canadians match their musical prowess with lyric-writing skills. Songs like "Flesh" (a song about what the Incarnation really means), "To Be Loved" (a song that celebrates what it means to be fully loved, both by a spouse and by God) and "Jamie's Poem" convey a level of depth that is rarely reached in music.
One set of lyrics that especially grabbed me was "Beautiful You." At the end of the song, we hear these lines…
Some people say that beauty is found in the eyes of the beholder
But if you ask me the only eyes that matter are God's
And in His eyes you're beautiful
In His eyes you're someone
In His eyes you're loved
In His eyes you're special
In His eyes, In His eyes
In His eyes you're beautiful
Another song that I really enjoy is "Jury Selection." Lyrics like these should convict us all...
What would you say if you saw me at a bar
Hanging out with a prostitute?
What would you think if it was on a Sunday
And I was skipping Sunday school?
Would you call me brother?
Would you call me friend?
(If you haven't caught on, this song is talking about how that the "religious" folks of Jesus' day looked down on Him for his methods of ministry.)
If there is one theme that resonates through this album, it is the hope that exists despite the darkness that seems to overwhelm us.
I also have to mention the wonderful album art created by Owen Swain. I'm not exactly sure why I like it, because honestly, it's really grainy. (That may be the printer's fault, because the version on the band's website looks a lot better.) However, there is something about the vivid colors and the eyes of the person on the front cover that really draw me in. (My understanding is that this cover is a limited edition thing for only the first 500 copies, so buy it quick.)
The CD is available for $15 (Can.) + $2 s/h. from http://www.lostcoin.com, or by mail at:
Lost Coin
206 Charles St.
Stratford, Ontario
N5A 5Y2
CANADA
4/5
