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With an ambient array of styles in today’s music industry, and a progressively larger amount
of emerging artists at that, it is no surprise to find artists experimenting as much as they can
with genre combinations, new production methods, and of course, obviously different instrumental
techniques. Within our expansive rambling about artists lacking creativity and originality, there
are some bands out there that seem to have brought a certain lull in the Christian music industry.
They try to sound different, but in the end all sound the same.
Foolish Things, signed with Inpop Records (Matt Kearney, Paul Colman,
Superchick, Tree63, Newsboys) is somewhere in the myriad of Christian music, but make a puzzle
piece fit into the alternative Christian rock genre. Hailing from Aurora, Colorado, Foolish Things
consists of Mark Labriola II (Vocals/Guitar), Isaac Jorgensen (Vocals/Guitar), James Rightmer
(Vocals/Guitar/Keyboard), Nate Phillips (Bass), and Shaul Hagen (Drums). After opening for bands
such as Shane & Shane, Newsboys, Salvador and Skillet, and surmounting over 10,000 independent
record sales, Foolish Things has hooked up with Nashville producer Jason Houser (Matthew West) to
create Let’s Not Forget the Story, an album worthy of a listen to.
Foolish Things seems to reverberate the sounds of Switchfoot, DC Talk, U2, and Coldplay in
their debut album with Inpop. With a wide Christian and secular audience, the sound may or may not
be what people are looking for. With an album full of rock-worship and meaningful lyrics, Foolish
Things seems to have done pretty well for themselves in the eyes of those who enjoy the likes of
Tree63, Newsboys, or Sanctus Real.
One highlight on the album includes “Spirit Come,” their first radio single, which brings
Tait’s earlier work to mind. There’s a definite pop sound that resonates through the album, a 'nod
your head' kind of pop, especially in aforementioned track. The album starts off with “Who Can
Compare," a song filled with lyrical power that is likely to make for a great worship service song
with lyrics like, "Needer of nothing and giver of all/ Every living thing survives/ By the
strength Your boundless love supplies/ Lord of power beyond compare/ The universe sits in Your
hands/ And eternity is where you stand."
The album is quite repetitive in sound and strictly holds to the alternative rock pattern,
except for the last song. “Forgive Me” is probably the only song on the entire album that really
caught my attention. As a slow piano ballad, it seems a little out of place on the record, but it
has an amazing message of the importance of prayer and being real with God. “Forgive Me” starts
off soft, as we all do when we first ask God for forgiveness, but gets very powerful near the end.
The song begins and ends with, "Forgive me when my prayers have come to you closer than the things
confessed and reaching with emptiness."
If you enjoy the bands mentioned earlier, you may find that you’ll enjoy Foolish Things’
debut album, Let’s Not Forget the Story. The sound isn’t much different from the sound
that’s been spreading about Christian rock today, so you may not find anything especially creative or
different. Regardless, Foolish Things freshman effort is worth the shot if you’re willing to go for it.
- Review date: 7/9/06, written by Jessica Vander Loop
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