Thread

Item: Wideawake
Author: Eric Daams

Wideawake

(1999)

Reviewed by Eric Daams

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Label True Tunes RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth1999

alternative rock modern rock

I half expected Thread to be a heavy metal band. I was wrong. From the start, Wideawake demonstrates Thread's knack for making meaningful, well-played modern rock that draws influences from Jars of Clay and Smalltown Poets, both vocally and instrumentally.

The album starts with "Misfits," which is also the first single. It immediately sets the stage for the rest of the record, with nice guitar work and clever lyrics that take a while to figure out. In "Misfits," Thread explore how today's youth have to wear the same clothes and act the same as everyone else or they're, you guessed it, misfits. "Hey Now" is the second track, and serves as a warning to us to enjoy life, because it's short:

Hey now won't you slow down...
Hey now won't you listen to the sound
Of the whispering winds of change
Take a look at nature's poses
Before time slips away
Stop and kiss the roses

Even though all the songs are undoubtedly written from a Christian point of view, there are only a few explicit references to God. This helps make Thread more accessible and acceptable to non-Christians, while still maintaining their beliefs and raising issues in statements like:

But there's a tug of war inside of me
Between the hands of that make the seasons change...
And the pride in me, pulling against desires of my soul
Too stubborn to let go...
I don't want to win this war

The project suffers from bad production on a few tracks, especially on the aforementioned "Misfits," in which the vocals are hidden behind the music during the chorus. On others, the raw production helps give a nice live feel, as on "Hero."

The dreamy feel created by the artwork is reflected in the music, creating a thoughtful atmosphere, which is helped along by Scott Leger's vocals. The intensity created by vocal distortion on "You Say" makes it one of my favorite songs, with the simple chorus almost screamed by Leger. Another highlight is tender track, "Missin' Part of Me." The songwriter asks God:

Why is it just me
Where's my family
I cling to you
But there's a missin' part of me
How long will it be
Why don't they see
The joy I know
And the change you've made in me?

Wideawake is a promising debut. If this is any indication of what Thread can do, I can see them making chart-topping singles and winning awards. However, most of what's on Wideawake has been done better by their predecessors. It's radio-friendly and could appeal to many, but is not progressive enough to please the masses. But don't let me stop you from checking this album out. This is a fine debut from a group of talented musicians we will surely hear more of.

3.5 tocks