Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get Your Music on Amazon!

JFH Music Review


We Are Leo, The Rush & The Roar
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

We Are Leo
The Rush & The Roar



Artist Info: Discography
Genre(s): Pop
Album length: 11 tracks: 38 minutes, 24 seconds
Street Date: May 26, 2017


READER RATING:   


The first few seconds of "Dimensions," the opening track to We Are Leo's The Rush & The Roar, sound like a mix of One Direction's "Best Song Ever" and the 1975. I appreciate the way artists such as 1D and the 1975 take cues from the 80's but repurpose those sounds in a fresh, modern way. During these opening seconds, I thought I was about to hear something similarly special from the Dream Records pop band. Then my hopes were shattered with the entrance of David Duffield's stale, characterless singing, proclaiming lines like "same song on the stereo" with an odd sense of importance. A strong chorus nearly keeps "Dimensions" afloat, but catchy choruses aren't able to save every song on this album -- especially when most songs boast entry-level lyrics for kids who've never heard music before.

Oddly, this album is front-loaded with its weakest songs. "Astronaut" is as bad as it sounds. "CRZY AWSM" lacks any sense of momentum or urgency for what's supposed to be a party song...and it also lacks any discernible pattern for dropping vowels in its title. (They know they left an "a" in there, right?) "Low Key" is Tobymac-lite, employing Funk 101 bass-playing and a solid guitar solo to establish itself as the only musically noteworthy song. (However, drummer Joshua Sentner does spice up a few tracks with his perfectly-timed fills.) "Warrior" makes the album's most direct reference to Christ with the line "nail-pierced hands," but otherwise the song's message gets confused between God's-strength-through-our-weakness versus self-empowerment.

When "61 / Twenty-Three" shows up, the mid-album appearance of such a great song seems accidental. Thankfully, this song marks a turning point on the album. "Salt Life" is a sugar high of surf rock, replete with a Switchfoot reference. The title track aims for the alternative rock of early-Mae, Falling Up, and Over It, creating a highlight that suggests We Are Leo should forever leave behind bubblegum pop for more rock. "Young Eyes" trails off into meandering territory for its final minute, but it begins as a shockingly beautiful track with lush harmonies and the most modern production on the album. Unfortunately, the endings of most of these songs are crippled by an overabundance of background vocals. And while the whole back half of The Rush & The Roar stays consistently enjoyable, "Shine Forever" and "The Way That I Feel" can't quite stand under the weight of their pedestrian lyrics.

There's also something more insidious to these lyrics than utilizing cheesy cliches. No joke: eight of these eleven songs use the word "feel." This word is usually attached to some vague reference to God, e.g., "I feel your love/strength/breath/hope." And while eight of these songs also make mention to celestial bodies ("sun," "stars," etc.), the insistent use of the word "feel" does more than make we wonder if the album was written from a vocabulary of 65 words. This album presents a version of pseudo-Christianity that's all about positivity, sunshine, and "feeling" God. There's barely a lick of biblical doctrine throughout; instead, we get a lot of hopeful feelings that everything's gonna be alright. (Ignore that Jesus promised hardship and persecution to his followers.) 

Honestly, I would love to hear an album of worshipful pop like "61 / Twenty-Three" (the album's most theologically-sturdy track), an album of unabashed surf rock a la "Salt Life," or an alt-rock album in line with title track "The Rush & The Roar." But I cannot recommend the first half of this album to anyone, especially not the type of cynics who already accuse Christian music of poorly rehashing secular music. But I also can't wholeheartedly recommend the latter half of the album to Christians, in fear that it will support an individualistic religiosity that's more Sola Feels than Soli Deo Gloria. Either way, unless lines like "light it up and let it glow / hey oh come on let’s go" or "rock and roll blue sky feeling" really get you going, this album (as a whole) is not for you.

- Review date: 5/25/17, written by Chase Tremaine of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Listen to the debut EP from the band Hopeful.!

 

. Record Label: Dream Records
. Album length: 11 tracks: 38 minutes, 24 seconds
. Street Date: May 26, 2017
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: AmazonMP3

  1. Dimensions (3:48)
  2. Astronaut (3:15)
  3. CRZY AWSM (Crazy Awesome) (3:29)
  4. Low Key (3:01)
  5. Warrior (3:32)
  6. 61 / Twenty-Three (3:05)
  7. Salt Life (3:26)
  8. The Rush & The Roar (3:38)
  9. Young Eyes (3:46)
  10. Shine Forever (3:37)
  11. The Way That I Feel Now (3:47)

 



Leave a Comment

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 


(JFH Sponsor Spot)

 

 

                 
Listen to the debut EP from the band Hopeful.!

Search JFH




This Tuesday, March 26, 2024
ALBUMS
Brandon Lake Apple Music Nashville Sessions - EP [Provident]

This Thursday, March 28, 2024
ALBUMS
David And Nicole Binion The Revelation Of Jesus - EP [Integrity]
The Rocky Valentines Erase [Velvet Blue/Tooth & Nail]

This Friday, March 29, 2024
ALBUMS
Grungepunks The Fall Blues EP [Charon Collective]
Meadows Familiar with Pain [Facedown]

SINGLES
Joe L. Barnes Altar - Single [RCAI]
iNTELLECT It Ain’t My Fault - Single [Polished Arrow]
Spoken Worth Holy Week - Double Single (independent)
Gileah Taylor Summer Jubilee - Single [Velvet Blue]

VINYL
Battlecross Pursuit of Honor (Blood Moon Vinyl) [Back Breaker]
Battlecross Rise To Power (Silver Bullet Power Vinyl) [Back Breaker]
Battlecross War of Will (Amber Wave Vinyl) [Back Breaker]

Next Friday, April 5, 2024
ALBUMS
EmanuelDaProphet Fab5 [Capitol CMG]
Me'Kayla Prelude - EP [Motown Gospel/Capitol CMG]
We Are Messengers Where the Joy is [Curb]


For all release dates, click here!
 



Listen to the new album from Hope Beyond Suffering!




Listen to the new Album From Tim Juillet!

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images