Monday Morning -- Fool's Paradise

As soon as I threw this into the CD player, I knew I was going to enjoy the CD. This is good, melodic, powerful rock and roll that's a lot like the stuff I listened to when I was in school.

Monday Morning is a four-piece band featuring Derek and Kevin Stipe (vocals and bass, respectively), Justin Blythe (guitar), and Kent Rector (drums). Their first release, Blind, sold over 5,000 copies. They hit the festivals this summer, playing Atlanta Fest, and Cornerstone already, and are scheduled to play Gracefest in Pensacola Florida this September. They tour a lot for an indie band.

And the CD is outstanding. "Sunshine" is the current radio single, and is not the bright, sunny song that you might think it should be. The song is about a struggle -- it's about living through pain and emerging to find God's love still there. It's an encouragement to anyone going through something that seems to have no solution; persevere, and the Light will break through the clouds. "Next Year" is almost an autobiography of the band, telling of times of difficulty and, once again, perseverence. In fact, that kind of perseverence seems to be a theme throughout the album, and marks the band's career up to this point.

I do have a couple favorite tracks on the CD. "Dear You" tells a story that hits close to home to me -- the broken heart of a believer who didn't take time to share the reason for their faith to someone who they were close to. "Until the End" is the battle-cry of the believer who is committed to serving God. "Tonight" is an awesome story about one girl's search for meaning in her life.

From the promotional materials that came with the CD:

Maybe it's okay to think everything's all right, to ignore problems going on down the street, outside your dood, inside the hearts of people you know. Maybe it's best just to live life in the universe you've fashioned for yourself, oblivious to chaos swirling barely beyond your view. Or maybe not.

Perhaps we should be cognizant of the situation at hand. Admit that bad things happen, and people aren't always what they seem to be. But knowledge is power, and hope can be found, if you choose to look for it. If you choose to leave your Fool's Paradise.

This CD will challenge a lot of people's opinion of "Christian rock." I know that, at a time when I was starting to think I was too old for new music, this CD came as a breath of fresh air. Good rock and roll, with a contemporary sound and lyrics that speak to the heart. Just the way I like it.

The album isn't available at Amazon (yet). The release date is August 30. If you can't wait that long, head over to Grassroots Music and pre-order your copy. You can listen to samples at the band's website. You owe it to yourself to check thi band out.

Posted by Warren Kelly at August 16, 2005 04:37 PM | TrackBack