Portland, Oregon based trio Above the Golden State began their professional career in mid-2008 with the release of their somewhat under hyped, but well produced self-titled debut. Now in early 2010, they are introducing their sophomore project, “The Golden Rule.”
Kicking off with a guitar driven title track, it if evident from the start they aren’t going to changing their sound much with this effort. Focusing on the first commandment, the song is lyrically strong and puts forth a message that is surprisingly rarely found in CCM music. "The Golden Rule, to love Gad and you neighbor as yourself, is a commandment we're all been given," says lead single Michael Watson. "Through these songs, we want to encourage the Church to return to that fundamental truth. We are constantly pursuing God upward, serving God within our community and going into the world to share His message."
Following up comes the thoughtful “Chance to Love,” radio ready and truly one of the better moments on the disc, the hook-laden tune delivers a nice laid back feel, and will no doubt soon be a fan favorite. Moving into the second half, (I know, only three tracks later) things stay pretty much stationary. “Real You” is one of the most awkward contributions to the disc, sounding much like a mixture of Tenth Avenue North and Relient K, while “Teach Us” is another prime example of this band’s youthful talent, though it’s unfortunate they rarely slow down enough to capture it in full.
So after listening to this CD for the first time, I realize what the main problem is here. This is an EP. A 6-song album is just too short. I realize that Sparrow Records is trying to adjust to the economic downturn, but there is just plain not enough music here to satisfy anticipating listeners and reviewers. The second negative is the producing. Take “I Am Loved,” the lead single for instance. The song has a worthy message and chorus, but somewhere along the way that all gets lost in the maze of overwhelming production and pop/rock styling. Not to say that this isn’t worth a look, but something in the back of my mind makes me think this could have been better. But all this depends of your point of view, many people would take the side that is nothing specifically wrong with the songs, and there isn’t. But for me, I look for something that defines, or sets apart a band, and this album doesn’t seem to rise above status quo. ~ Christian Lingner
3 of 5 stars
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