"Salutations: A Tribute to The Prayer Chain" is a project put together by AudioLab Records. It features 13 bands and artists doing some of The Prayer Chain's best songs.
The Prayer Chain was one of the first "Christian" bands to break new ground in an industry that was known as a second rate rip-off from the mainstream. In the early to mid 90s the band was part of the grunge/alternative era, but The Prayer Chain managed to create music that continues to inspire people years after the group's breakup.
Unfortunately, "Salutations" doesn't do The Prayer Chain justice. While there are a few recognizable contributors like Viva Voce, Brian McSweeney from Matthew and formerly of Seven Day Jesus, Luxury and Michael Pritzl from The Violet Burning, the rest are practically unknown, which is understandable since AudioLab is an indie label. However, the question is why would you do a tribute to The Prayer Chain without big names like Starflyer 59, Poor Old Lu and The Choir.
With tribute albums the songs tend to imitate, improve or ruin the original band's songs. "Salutations" ruined "Sky High," "Waterdogs," "The Hollow" and "Crawl." "Loverboy" and "Fifty-Eight" were almost as good as the original, but also were lacking something.
As for the good tracks, Brian McSweeney's "Bendy Line" is an awesome Tim Taber impression. Glisten's cover of "Mercury" is another remarkably accurate rendition of the original. However, the last song on "Salutations," Ed Lamoso's alternative country sounding "I Believe" was perhaps the most enjoyable track on the record because it succeeded at changing a Prayer Chain song for the better.
In comparison to other tribute albums, "Salutations" actually isn't that bad. It's probably better than the Keith Green, Petra and Stryper "tributes." But if the Weezer tribute is the standard, which it might be, "Salutations" is average at best. Ironically its mediocrity merely proves how great The Prayer Chain is because no one can quite measure to their standard.
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Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #98Reviewed by Dan MacIntoshIt speaks volumes that over half of the album Mercury is covered with this tribute to The Prayer Chain, whereas only one selection from its debut EP, Whirlpool, appears. The Prayer Chain may have made an immediate impact upon the Christian rock subculture with its initial upbeat praise works like "Shine," but it was the complicated music and mixed emotions of Mercury that ultimately earned this…The Phantom Tollbooth 2002Reviewed by Ken MuellerThe Prayer Chain was one of those legendary bands that had great talent, put out some great music, and then went out in a flash. The guys who made up that band (Tim Taber, Eric Campuzano, Andy Prickett, and Wayne Everett) have all gone on to bigger things and continue to work together in various capacities to create and nurture some of the most exciting music out there. So it’s only fitting that…
