I wasn't exactly overwhelmed with anticipation when this disc hit my mailbox. Shaun Groves? That "Welcome Home" guy? I was prepared to write off White Flag as another radio friendly unit shifter, aimed at the adult contemporary crowd who buys 75% of Christian music. But, as my wife is so fond of telling me, wrong again.
Centered around the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount, White Flag is a rock record. Groves' approach is grittier, with vocals that sound world weary at some moments, and filled with a raspy conviction at others. His goal here is not a devotion to religion, but to true discipleship.
"What's Wrong With This World?" breaks new ground, almost defying its title, when it points out that people are what's wrong. People, who are helpless to live their lives without sin, and are incapable of bringing anything to God that is of value:
"Nothing in my hand I bring/Simply to the cross I cling/Naked, come to thee for dress/Helpless, look to thee for grace/Foul, I to the fountain fly/Wash me, Saviour, or I die."
"Sad Song" is exactly as advertised. "Hummingbird" opens with a Nickelback guitar riff, settles in at a completely different place, then revisits the opening chord in its chorus. "Heaven Hang On" is a portrait of urban despair, and "Only" seems destined to be the single.
Groves' vocals are as rough edged as a splintery board, combining the pathos of Springsteen's acoustic material, and the passion of the Alarm's Mike Peters. On "Peace Has Broken Out", though, the song and tone is much more John Lennon -- in fact, the song is very reminiscent of Lennon's "Happy Christmas (War is Over)".
White Flag teaches me a few things. First, never judge an artist by his previous material. Second, the songs here are a good lead in to studying the Beatitudes, and gaining a new perspective, and some new insight as to what Christ may have meant. If you've been on the fence with Shaun Groves, this is the album you've been waiting for him to do.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2005Reviewed by Joe MontagueIn 2003, relatively new artist Shaun Groves received six Dove Award nominations. Mark this down. In 2006 Shaun Groves will win at least one Dove Award--and maybe more--because his White Flag album, due to be released July 1, is quite simply a stunning example of Groves' superb talent. White Flag is a CD that combines pop driven tunes, ballads, rock with an edge, alternative, and worship songs all…The Phantom Tollbooth 2005Reviewed by Jonathan AvantsI've found myself rooting for Shaun's third release; I've kept up with CMCentral's column written by Shaun over the previous weeks, giving readers a chance to see what it was like to go through the writing and record creation process. And with White Flag only a few weeks away from dropping, is the final product a success? Shaun makes an effort on this recording to combine a rock/alt edge with…The Phantom Tollbooth 2005Reviewed by Burton WrayWhen Michael W. Smith launched Rocketown Records one of his first artists was a then unknown singer-songwriter named Shaun Groves. Groves' first CD enjoyed success in the stores and on radio with songs such as "Welcome Home". Unfortunately, his second project did not enjoy the same success and people viewed it as a sophomore slump, some even wondering if Shaun Groves was a one hit wonder. Groves…Similar sounding releases
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