I know this review is a year and a half late, but with nothing better to write about this week, I thought this album a worthy mention for your thoughts, or maybe a deserving addition to your music collection. Now, I want you to understand, I usually don’t end up promoting over-produced, sing-a-long type pop due to it’s lyrical conformity and overall lack of substance. But if you are looking for something in-between the vibes of teenybopper and the adult contemporary of Tenth Avenue North, then you have probably come to the right place. Signed to Sparrow Records in early 2008, this self-titled debut put Above the Golden State on a platform for success, but due to under-hyped publicity and (not much more actually,) they somehow found themselves in the back of the genre while other similar bands were making progress with the same styling and sound. Though it’s unfortunate how much talent has gotten overlooked here, this is only their first project, and they have music still to come that is for sure. But, predicting careers isn’t my job, so I’ll get back to the point.
Kicking things off with a catchy chorus and unblemished production, “Loud and Clear” has plenty of nice radio ready effects and lyrics that, while it seems you find plenty of these sort on every effort around the corner, foreman Matt Watson’s laid back vocals are one of the best aspects here, and it is a clever beginning for the listener. Ensuing that fun start, “Gaze into Your Eyes” may not new material, but for once it seems worth it to ignore some negative aspects, for the sake of delighting yourself with this utterly irresistible tune. “I Love You So” is another one of these pieces, the perfectly upbeat feel taking us through the half-mark with ease, and creating one of most pleasurable songs yet.
Although I have been mostly focusing on the more fast-paced numbers, the mid-tempo tracks are where the band find themselves at their helm, with their theme turning to Love, this part of the first verse of “Streets” features this transition well: When love flows through the cities/Through the grid of all the streets /Under bridges in the alleys/Like blood through our veins. “Scared” looks again to their acoustic side as well, mandolin licks and Relient K tinged harmonies pulled into another tight pop melody that also adds to the album as we move into the later part of the record.
So thought this album isn’t perfect, it does accomplish what I think they set out to do: invent a slink, even if not original sounding, contemporary Christian music album that will be a fun listen as well as give you something to think about along the way. And in my opinion, they have achieved that goal thoroughly, and I certainly look forward to more great music on the way. ~ Christian Lingner
4 of 5 stars
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