Bob Briner's monumental 1993 book Roaring Lambs inspired and motivated a lot of people, and it still is today. Briner really shook the Christian community up with his views on being salt and light in mainstream culture. The multi-artist compilation CD Roaring Lambs is out to do the same thing. Does it succeed in upholding Briner's views? Half of the time.
Half of the songs on this album really just preach at the church, which seems to go directly against Briner's philosophy. "Headstrong", a bass heavy pop song that sounds more like a demo than a real song. I've come to expect better from this band.
A Southern rocker called "Salt and Light" is lyrically flat, but the duet between Ashley Cleveland and dc Talk's Michael Tait sounds great, as their voices complement each other nicely. Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith duet for the first time in history on a sing-along pop song called "Out There". The two also wrote the song, and it is truly a historical moment. Another low point of the album is a peculiar tribal chant with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Charlie Peacock. It is a good song but seems very out of place.
Most of the other songs on the CD, however, are surprisingly wonderful. Of course the real draw of this album is the fact that there is brand new material from a couple of artists who have not been heard from in a few years now, namely Steve Taylor and PFR. Taylor offers up his first recording since 1993, a drum shuffling, offbeat alt rocker called "Shortstop". This funky little song is stuck in my head, and I don't mind a bit, as it is a very cool rock song. PFR's "Kingdom Come" is a pop song that has introspective lyrics and a lovely arrangement of strings. This is one of the best PFR songs I have ever heard, and I cannot wait for their new recording!
Two other album highlights are two new songs from Over the Rhine and Sixpence. OtR's piano-driven ballad "Goodbye" has honest lyrics and Karin Bergquist's great vocal range makes this song really stand out. Sixpence None the Richer, who certainly fit the definition of a roaring lamb, close the record with a musical tribute to Bob Briner. A good project for any fans of Christian alternative music, Roaring Lambs has a few flops and several memorable songs that add up to be a good farewell to the late great Bob Briner.
Josh's Score: 3/5
Other coverage for this album
ReAL Magazine 2000Reviewed by Kevin D. Hendricks"Despite all the fancy buildings, sophisticated programs, and highly visible presence, it is my contention that the church is almost a non-entity when it comes to shaping the culture. In the arts, entertainment, media, education and other culture-shaping venues of our country, the church has abdicated its role as salt and light." (Bob Briner, from Roaring Lambs) Yes. A pull-quote like that should…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Trish PattersonJesus said, "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Jeffrey OverstreetRoaring Lambs: a festival in honor of a man who inspired excellence THE MAN: BOB BRINER Bob Briner, author of the book Roaring Lambs, encouraged believers to be "salt and light" in their culture through excellence. He exhorted us to do all things to the best of our ability for God's glory. For preachers, preach well. For storytellers, tell stories well. For athletes, play your heart out. And…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Mike L. EhretIf ever a various artists project (and there are loads of them these days) screamed "significant" and "momentous" with every sinew of its marketing tendons, Roaring Lambs, is that project. Let's look at the project's pedigree: It's based on a book that is a touchstone to the contemporary Christian, Bob Briner's Roaring Lambs. Briner died of cancer in 1999, at a too early age (61). It was…
