Contact [Enhanced, Limited Edition]

The Benjamin Gate | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 2, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Limited Edition
• Label: Forefront
• ASIN: B000068QUX
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #731,422 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Lift Me Up

2. This Is Not

3. The Calling

4. Do What You Say

5. Overkill

6. Need

7. Light

8. Your Kisses Blind Me

9. Tonight

10. Gratitude

11. The Way You Are

12. Violently

13. Fall Away

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Follow-up nerves, August 3, 2002

By 

Za'chary Westbrook "Jericho" (Salem, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Contact (Audio CD)

Last year 'The Benjamin Gate' debuted '[Untitled]' to rave reviews. It was sufficient to catch the eyes of Ausy Christian-rockers 'The Newsboys', and America got it's first exposure to the South African group. While press photos make the band look like a wannabe No Doubt, The Benjamin Gate defined themselves as undefinable, by creating familiar but distinct music. While most Christian bands these days are simply trying to copy successful secular artists, The Benjamin Gate is definately the most original Christian band to hit the scene in years. Many bands who release edgy debuts that go big, wus out and go mainstream on their second album, Adrienne and the boys reject the sell-out manuever and stay true to their fans without going the way of Creed and simply rehashing their successful album, assuming that their fans are too stupid to tell the differance. '[Untitled]' was an edgy techno-rock praise and worship CD with lyrics a la The Smashing Pumpkins. 'Contact', with it's uncomprimisingly 'Gate' cover art, delivers a matured sound that is reminiscent of meeting a father after meeting his son. The lyrics, however, are the biggest leap between albums. The praise and worship is left behind for a more human take on Christianity. It's unusual to hear an angsty Christian band, but The Benjamin Gate strikes a cord as they deal with the struggles of Christians in the secular world. This makes the title make a good deal of sense. It's about the Contact betwen Christians and non-Christians. [Untitled] is obviously a reverent referance to the humility in praise and worship. Among the specific subjects are purity in relationships ('The Calling') and anti-conformity ('Do what you say'). 'Contact' while a very differant experience from '[Untitled]' is unarguably Benjamin Gate.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The techno's gone,lyrics better,sound more focused, April 13, 2005

By 

Greg Brady "columbusboy" (Capital City) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Contact (Audio CD)

On this album, the production trims the focus away from dense production stacked with walls of guitar atmospherics and technoish keyboards drifting in and out of the mix and instead focuses on "cleaner" guitar lines. The lyrics (a bit of a downfall for the last one) are quite a bit better here, avoiding much of the repetitiveness that undercut many tracks on the last one. Perhaps it's all the influence of wunderkind producer Charlie Peacock, whose name turns up here as co-executive producer with David Bach and who's been responsible for producing much of the most memorable Christian pop and rock of the last 10 or so years.

HIGHLIGHTS:
The debut began with mediocre track "How Long?" On this one, the Gate comes out swinging with radio hit "Lift Me Up", a soaring sonic merry-go-round celebrating the promise of Jesus' eventual return to Earth. The 'whoa-oh-oh-oh' hook to "This is Not" is infectious. "Do What you say" issues a challenge to spend more time living a TRUE Christian life rather than merely "doing what we should". ("We're here to love and not be manipulated/And that should never be understated/Let's see what we've got here/Let's take it on...") A completely revamped cover of 80s Men at Work hit "Overkill" also sparkles. "Your Kisses Blind Me" uses a unique image to try and express the wonder of knowing God ("Beautiful you are to me/Moon above a raging sea..")

LOWS:
There's still a couple songs where the words aren't up to snuff but at least they're at the end. Chorus to "Violently" is "Fight/Got to fight/Got to fight to get thru/Got to reach/Got to reach/Till we find you". Same thing with "Fall Away" ("I fall away/away/away..")

BOTTOM LINE:
In every way a step up from the debut. One can only wonder where they might have gone had the band not broken up. This one has a pretty good consistency to it and I think will probably still be listenable as time goes on.

POSTSCRIPT:
Keep listening after "Fall Away" for a hidden version of "The Calling" that's a little more raw than track 3.

3 1/2 stars

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Benjamin Gate never fails to rock., February 19, 2005

By 

Rose (San Francisco, California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Contact (Audio CD)

I heard the song "The Calling" on the radio before this CD came out, and I recognised Adrienne's voice straight away, me being a huge fan of The Benjamin Gate. Their music has a quite unique sound, one that is not too poppy, but catchy enough to sing along to.

This CD in particular is not my favourite CD of theirs, but it is definitely deserving of five stars. They did an amazing cover of "Overkill" by Men At Work, along with giving some of their old demos facelifts and including those on here. It's great to hear how Adrienne's voice has matured on this album, and the musicianship is impeccable. The only reason I don't really like this CD as well as "Untitled" is it seems to be a bit too polished, with too much ForeFront and not enough Benjamin Gate going on. Their older sound seems more raw and more untamed, along with their songs seeming more varied on their older CDs.

This CD is very much worth buying, but don't buy it and not any of their older CDs. If you're gonna buy this one, you should also pick up "Untitled" if you can.