Album review: "Now &?Forever" stands out
Michel Elseth
Issue date: 2/12/09 Section: Arts
Music and worship lyrics make the Mark White Band's debut album "Now & Forever" a compelling listen.
The Detroit-based Christian group led worship at Hillsdale Unite in December and most of their 11 worship songs employ energetic rhythms that make them memorable. The rhyming structures of the lyrics and the repetitive melodies aren't always exciting, but they serve their purpose.
The title track, "Now & Forever," breaks the predictability mold with strong rock-like guitar and vocals in the chorus and excellent melody. "Forevermore" is engagingly rhythm-driven and features compelling harmonies in the chorus.
The band's musical strength lies in their acoustic songs, most notably "Hallelujah," which begins with simple piano accompaniment and mellow vocals. The moment that sets the song apart comes with the string entrance in the second verse and build into a tightly woven, melodic final chorus. The piano-only tag ties together the chord progression with full chords providing a satisfying resolution and a perfect ending.
"Moment" deserves recognition as another strong acoustic track. A personal psalm, with mostly minimal acoustic guitar and simple vocals, "Moment" becomes a triumphant hymn and ends with an echo of its opening.
Even more than its musical strengths, however, the lyrics carry the album. Each song is worshipful and biblically-based. Many are simple, but manage to convey applicable ideas while avoiding sounding cliché.
With authentic lyrics and strong musicality, "Now & Forever" sets the Mark White Band above the crowd of local worship bands. For those who enjoy artists like David Crowder, Chris Tomlin or Aaron Shust, this album proves a welcome addition to their music library and an everyday call to worship.
The Detroit-based Christian group led worship at Hillsdale Unite in December and most of their 11 worship songs employ energetic rhythms that make them memorable. The rhyming structures of the lyrics and the repetitive melodies aren't always exciting, but they serve their purpose.
The title track, "Now & Forever," breaks the predictability mold with strong rock-like guitar and vocals in the chorus and excellent melody. "Forevermore" is engagingly rhythm-driven and features compelling harmonies in the chorus.
The band's musical strength lies in their acoustic songs, most notably "Hallelujah," which begins with simple piano accompaniment and mellow vocals. The moment that sets the song apart comes with the string entrance in the second verse and build into a tightly woven, melodic final chorus. The piano-only tag ties together the chord progression with full chords providing a satisfying resolution and a perfect ending.
"Moment" deserves recognition as another strong acoustic track. A personal psalm, with mostly minimal acoustic guitar and simple vocals, "Moment" becomes a triumphant hymn and ends with an echo of its opening.
Even more than its musical strengths, however, the lyrics carry the album. Each song is worshipful and biblically-based. Many are simple, but manage to convey applicable ideas while avoiding sounding cliché.
With authentic lyrics and strong musicality, "Now & Forever" sets the Mark White Band above the crowd of local worship bands. For those who enjoy artists like David Crowder, Chris Tomlin or Aaron Shust, this album proves a welcome addition to their music library and an everyday call to worship.
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