Invitation to Eavesdrop is the debut album from the spikey-haired newcomer, Shaun Groves. He's being touted as another new discovery from Rocketown Records, the record company owned by Michael W. Smith and home to other well-received artists, like Ginny Owens and Chris Rice.
Groves brings a rich passion to his song writing, and the result is evident in his lyrics. The music varies from driving, well-produced pop rock (complete with strings!) to poignant, intimate, and intelligently-penned slow songs. The pop rock numbers draw you into the album with their rising emotion. The slower songs seem out of place (perhaps because three out of the four were mixed separately), and will easily be over looked.
'Should I Tell Them' starts off the album with the rising instruments and Groves' voice to match (I hate to make comparisons, but at times he sounds like Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20). This song speaks of the dilemma of fallen people acting as representatives of a holy God: "But on every face I detect / These same questions I've posed to you / Like do You speak through the imperfect / Or are we too dirty for Your light to get through."
'Welcome Home' is an (unknowing) re-write of the "My Heart, Christ's Home" analogy many have heard before (the story describes Christ moving into the rooms of our heart and cleaning house). The song works as a nice bridge between the driving rock songs and the slower pieces. He also brings some fresh writing to the analogy: "I took the space that You placed in me / Redecorated in shades of greed / And I made sure every door stayed locked / Every window blocked and still you knocked."
'Satellite' offers more of an edge, while 'After the Music Fades' is a fun, upbeat rock song that could be a high point at concerts. 'Move Me' is another example of Groves' writing talent: "I'd be drunk by now if / Selfishness were wine."
Of the slower songs, 'Two Cents' doesn't seem to work. The production and instrumentation kill a personal song that would work just fine with Groves and a guitar. 'Your Renown,' 'Abba Father,' and 'Last Notes' are the odd balls that don't fit with the rest of the album. They're slower and gentler and, by nature, hard to capture just right. While the slow songs aren't the highlight of Invitation to Eavesdrop, they're also the personal songs that will stand out as the gems of an intimate live performance.
Invitation to Eavesdrop is exactly that: an offer to listen in on the thoughts and questions of someone who thinks deeply.
Similar sounding releases
2001Mark SchultzSong Cinema
2002The KryUndone
2001LaRueTransparent
2004Tim HughesWhen Silence Falls
2001downheredownhere
1999SwitchfootNew Way To Be Human
