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60 of 68 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fine CD as the band bridges secular and Christian music, June 14, 2005
Relient K has gained attention and new fans recently while opening the "Noise To The World" tour for Simple Plan and Good Charlotte. This CD contains about half of the songs they played on the tour, but not older ones like "Sadie Hawkins Dance" and "Chapstick, Chapped Lips, and Things Like Chemistry."
Relient K puts together a CD full of upbeat, light pop-punk. To the casual listener, little more seems meant than songs about relationships (like "High of 75"), or lack of fulfillment ("Be My Escape", "I So Hate Consequences")
The Christian point of view quickly becomes clear. The "you" songs such as "Be My Escape" are addressed to could, if you want it to, be some girl the singer is trying to get to take him from an unfulfilling life, but it could be Jesus as well "You've told me the way, and now I'm trying to get there" "But I can't ask you to give what you already gave". "High of 75" plays on the pun between "sun" and "son", and the clouds battling for control of the sky could be good and evil.
Still, Relient K has cleverly done songs that set forth their point of view, but in a manner that all can appreciate, whatever their religious beliefs. They've joined the mainstream, but without selling out their religious beliefs.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lyrically brilliant, musically great too!, July 27, 2006
I have to admit, it took me awhile to actually enjoy Relient K. I used to think their music was very generic and their lyrics were cheesy. But this album changed everything for me. Matt Thiessen is such a clever lyricist, using enough word plays to delight the wordsmith in me, but also making me think more deeply about my relationship with God and others.
The band sticks to their standard pop-punk riffs on this album, though I believe they use smoother speed and instrumental transitions on this album. Example: Be My Escape starts with screaming guitars and a fast beat, softens down to keyboards, vocals and light drumming during the verses, back up to rocking during the bridge and chorus, and slows right down for a touching finish. There are several other songs that vary in a like manner.
Lyrically, I really enjoyed Be My Escape (but the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair), Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet (I move you, but you just wouldn't budge, I tried to hold your hand but you'd rather hold your grudge), When I Go Down (When I go down, I'll lift my eyes to You, but I won't look too far, 'Cause You'll be there with open arms, to lift me up again...). What a beautiful way to end the album!
Musically, many songs stand out - High of 75 is probably the most original song, starting with acoustic guitar, and including a drum loop in the chorus. Other highlights include Who I am Hates Who I've Been, and Life After Death & Taxes, which combines great vocals with some cool screaming!
Relient K has made a fan out of me, and if you buy this album, it will do the same for you!
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Opposite of Redundant, September 23, 2005
Relient K is, and always will be, misunderstood. Like that reviewer that just couldn't understand the meaning of the words that the band was trying to get across.
I'm sorry, but there's no play here... no double meanings. The album is a very specific view of certain aspects of the Christian reality. No, it's not always posies and jellybeans... the toughest part of Christianity is yourself; and THAT'S what Relient K brings forth on this, their fourth release.
The song "Let It All Out" is a song where the narrator realizes everything that God has told him: "And You said: 'I know that this will hurt... but if I don't don't break your heart, things will just get worse. If the burden seems to hard to bear, remember: the end will justify the pain it took to get us there.'" What does this mean? Simple: If we want to please God, we need to stop sinning. Sin is human nature, so, it's hard and painful to go against your very self. However, the price of sin is death. So, we have choice: we go through some tolerable pain in exchange of an eternity of joy OR we don't negate our nature in an exchange of eternal death. So, God has to "break ouor heart" otherwise "things will just get worse." It's a voluntary and rewarding trajectory because it will all be worth it when we sing in Heaven. Heaven is the "end" that "justifies the pain it took" to get there.
With phrases like "...the beauty of Grace is that it makes life not fair [...]", refering to the grace of God, this album is deep in it's meaning and fun in it's music. A must buy for any good music fan.
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