For fans of a lighter Jars of Clay or a less funky DC Talk, this second release from Smalltown Poets is for you.
Michael Johnston, former vocalist and guitarist from Villanelle, returns with a second set of radio-friendly tunes. His lyrics are still some of the very best that Christian music has to offer when it comes to the confessional, 'cut to the quick' brand of writing. For example, on the song "48 States" he sings:
Been to 48 states and a few different worlds
I've seen dithered men leave boys, women, and girls
Found the Church roll full and they're current with dues
To pay for the empty pews...
Lyrics as cutting and brutally honest as these can be found liberally throughout, couched alongside nice harmonies and the crisp and clean guitars.
Perhaps it's this dichotomy that is so unsatisfying at times. When words like
Petty daggers bounce weakly off my back
I'm leaving breathless gods and secrets in my tracks
Your wishes set in stone, I borne the first often
I've cleared this temple out come take your place again
are sung to such sweet, pop music, the sour truth they speak of can become lost in all the sugar.
Honestly, if you don't dig deep enough to sit down with the lyric sheets and read what's being sung, you won't come away with the full impact of this complex musical package.
3 tocks
Other coverage for this album
The Lighthouse Unsorted 1999Reviewed by Bert GanglThe intelligent and spirited alternative pop/rock of Smalltown Poets' self-titled debut made it an unqualified success. The album generated two #1 singles, received both Billboard and Grammy award nominations, and was the fastest selling debut in Forefront Records' history. For the most part, the group's follow-up, Listen Closely, is built upon the same modern rock and pop framework as the debut.…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by James Stewart"You're about to hear sounds that are a little different to what you're accustomed to" proclaims a voice at the start of the tenth track of Smalltown Poets' sophomore album. But to be honest, I don't know why, since there's nothing in this track or the album that hasn't been heard before. The Poets sound like any acoustic band gone electric, and the production, like most of ForeFront's output, is…Similar sounding releases
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