Reviewed by Andrew Townend

The Californian alt-country folkster released this collection of self-penned songs accompanied by his vast array of backing musicians in 2005. Justin's gruff, bluesy vocals make him a singer adept at conveying passion and with an eclectic mix of songs, all written by Justin bar one, the effect is an involving listen. The one cover is the final track, the lyrically powerful "Secret Of The Easy Yoke", written by David Bazan (Pedro The Lion). The album touches on themes such as politics, the Church, standing against the Devil and almost challenges the listener to make leaps of faith, with lyrics like "You'd like to swim but you just can't commit, and you're afraid that you might drown in it" ("Change"). Perhaps the highlight of the album is the deeply moving "Safe" which chugs along steadily before reaching a beautiful climax - it is about insular believers being too afraid to minister to the people who need it most ("I'd rather fail a thousand times than live in fear and never try"). If you are a fan of Derek Webb or Pierce Pettis this album will be up your street.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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