March 26, 2007

Echoing Angels--You Alone

2006, Sony

Reversal of Fortune

Originally, this review was going to compare Echoing Angel’s debut, You Alone, to Sloppy Joes. Sloppy Joes are neither good nor bad, but mediocre to the highest degree. When you just need nourishment—Sloppy Joe. This album has a good sound and accomplishes the purpose of worship, but musically and theologically it fails to say anything fresh and invigorating . . . or maybe not.

When their first release, “You Alone,” stayed on the charts for over 20 weeks, this initial evaluation was forced into revision. Currently the single is peaking in, or close to, the Top 5 in most Christian charts. Could Echoing Angels be destined for No. 1? Such success does not define mediocrity.

Soul Searching

In the mirror, I glared at myself in disgust. “Sloppy Joes!” I muttered as I pawed at my reflection. “Could I be so blind? Obviously I overlooked something!” I was devastated by my failure to recognize a song that could wreak such nationwide captivation.

I gripped my 90&9 music reviewer’s badge, considering whether I should turn it in. Certainly, if I worked for the President, and I had failed so clearly at my duty to serve the American interest, Congress would demand my resignation. Amidst the tears I mustered a little smile, thankful that I did not work for the President.

Then, something wonderful. . . an illuminating dove fluttered into the recesses of my mind cooing the question, “Why? Why? Why are Echoing Angels enjoying success? Herein lies the secret to your review. . . Why?” I wiped away the tears, ready to pummel this new challenge.

Flashback—a.k.a. The Why

Sit on my knee, kiddies, and I’ll tell you a story about a bygone musical era known as Glam Rock. In the 80s and early 90s Glam Rock took center stage as grown men did everything in their power not to look like grown men, as in they wore:

• Long, teased hair manipulated to stand on end and curled to perfection.
• Make-up--eyeliner, eye shadow, blush and lipstick.
• Spandex, tattoos, and bandanas, oh my.

The Glam Rock survivors convincingly pump their rock fist, claiming that Big Hair’s invasion was fuelled by “sex, drugs, and rock and roll,” but this is not true. Glam Rock was primarily successful due to a musical invention known as the “power ballad.”

What Is a Power Ballad?

A generation self-defined by rebellion certainly couldn’t produce “love songs,” thus the power ballad was born. A power ballad usually started with an acoustic guitar or soft piano introduction. An opening verse bore the singer’s soul about a recently incurred inflictio--a victim of love, unwilling to move on, usually contemplating suicide. A bridge between verse and chorus facilitated a musical crescendo. Then, heavy drums and big-chorded guitars slaughtered the listener with an emotion-wrought chorus. At the top of his lungs, the singer screamed his devotion to the song’s cause. Music fades. The power ballad ended with an introspective return to the lonely instrument that started the song.

A glam-rocker’s sustenance was contingent upon their ability to produce power ballads. For the most part, heavy metal was unwelcome on the radio, but power ballads gave these pretty boys access; a process also known as “selling out.”

Any 80s metal album worth its salt contained at least one power ballad; Poison sang “Every Rose Has Its Thorn;” Cinderella crooned, “Don’t Know Whatcha Got Until Its Gone;” Motley Crue immortalized the power ballad by their epic, “Home Sweet Home.” The list is long. Looking back, many careers were characterized by power ballads.

A successful glam-rock album usually occurred like this:

(1)   The first single was a well-produced metal song that carried the name of the album. The song usually met mediocre success.

(2)   The album’s best power ballad was now released. Success here meant a successful album. 

(3)   An unsuccessful power ballad sent the group back to the drawing board to prepare for their next album (if the record label did not drop them).

(4)   A successful power ballad paved the way for releases three and four, which adhered to more traditional metal stylings.

(5)   Eight months later, with the album on its last leg, the second-tier power ballads were released, trying to milk the public for all they’re worth.

Through repeated success of this formula, the power ballad became the morsel record labels craved. Near the end of the Big Hair era, new groups began using the power ballad like professional athletes use HGH. Wanting instant fame and fortune, these groups would shortcut this process, going directly to step two, releasing a power ballad without any groundwork. While this approach yielded limited success, few of these cheaters had any staying power.  

How Does This All Relate to Echoing Angels?

Kurt Cobain strangled the power ballad. Big Hair died a slow and painful death, and by the late 90’s, the power ballads had little place on the airwaves, except . . .

A new trend started in Christian music at the millennium’s turning, wherein the five-step power-ballad formula was assimilated by Christian music labels. Christian artists “sold out” to the equivalent of the power ballad (minus the suicidal tendencies), relabeling the style as “Contemporary Worship.”

What a wonderful way to worship God! Instrumental beginning, soulful opening verse, crescendo bridge, emotional boomy chorus, and fade. The music is slow, powerful, pensive, and repetitive. How great is our God indeed!

Fat and sassy Christians happily go to the musical feeding troughs when this formula is used. It has gotten to the point where musicians have stopped trying to create something new, preferring instead to create something that sounds like everything else, while theologically professing nothing.

People love the familiarity because they don’t have to acquire a taste; reviewers hate the redundancy because it sounds like everything they’ve ever heard before. There’s nothing new with Echoing Angels album--nothing bad, but nothing new.

In their release of “You Alone,” Echoing Angels jumped directly to step two. Just like their record label diagrammed, their power ballad is now peaking on the record charts. Unfortunately, the rest of the album, while solid, does not contain the zest to keep America’s interest. You’ve got to be real hungry to want a second helping Sloppy Joes.

Web site: www.echoingangels.com; www.myspace.com/echoingangels

© 2007, Chris Anderson

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Before his conversion in 1999, Chris Anderson served as Program Director and deejay for several Central Illinois radio stations, including the Classic Rock, Modern Rock, Country, and Top 40 formats. During this time BC, he also managed several rock, folk, and death metal bands, while also performing in a heathen rock act called Joyhammer. Chris is also a recent graduate of Urshan Graduate School of Theology.