Scott Riggan

Item: All I Know
Author: Alex Klages

All I Know

(2002)

Reviewed by Alex Klages

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Label Spinning Plates MusicThe Phantom Tollbooth2002

ccm pop rock

Scott Riggan, with Ben Bauman, formed the successful pop-rock duo The Nobodys. This album is his first release without Bauman.

Even so, there is not much here that would not seem in place on a The Nobodys album. For instance, two songs, "All I Know of Love" (the title track) and "Don't Cry (Goodnight Emily)" have appeared on previous The Nobodys albums. Several other tracks are co-written with Ben Bauman, so the stylistic influences are still there.

Jason Collum and Scott Riggan together share the production duties, and create much the same soundscapes as Randy Thomas did on The Nobodys discs, so that is not a huge change, either. If there is anything negative to say, it would be that this solo disc really doesn't tread any new ground; there is not a lot on here to suggest any new musical progressions beyond the borders of what The Nobodys performed. This is not to suggest that is necessarily a bad thing, but it is worth noting.

Like on The Nobodys' albums, the musicianship is strong, and the lyrics tell a story. The liner notes suggest that All I Know is essentially a psalmody of sorts coming out of the experiences in Riggan's life. As such, even the remakes of the older The Nobodys tracks take on a new meaning and new context.

An example of the high calibre of the lyrics is in the song "I Thought I Knew You" in which Riggan paraphrases Psalm 77:

I thought I knew You
These threads have come undone
Belief unraveling
My faith is tangled up
While doubt is splitting out the seams

However, this questioning at the heart of the album is resolved by the end, when "Love Called My Name" and the questioner replies with a simple "I Love You Lord."

On the whole, this album does not blaze new territory, and is if anything a little less edgy than some of The Nobodys' work. However, Riggan's voice is as pure and listenable as ever, and his knack for catchy lyrics and melodies shines through in this album.

4 tocks