Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

‘Sink Or Swim’ is of a similar ilk to their new album and will therefore appeal to new fans wanting to check out where the band came from. For the uninitiated, it contains all the main elements that make Waterdeep an intriguing band. Melting together elements of roots and rock, here is a band who make “real” music with an old fashioned, bearded idealism to write with honesty and conviction, passion and poetry. Built around the songwriting of Don and Lori Chaffer, this set explores the very issues of life and faith that trouble and challenge all of us. Mixing reality with hope, spirituality with irony and a huge dollop of excellent musicality, can you tell that Waterdeep press all the right buttons with me? “No One Told Me” has Don Chaffer examining the frustrations of the bits of life that don’t go right and “I Know The Plans” is simply Lori Chaffer’s musical working of Jeremiah 28:11. What gives Waterdeep their charm is the total unpretentiousness of their approach and the delicate artistry of well crafted, sometimes off beat music a million miles from the simplistic fare of CCM. Waterdeep don’t package their thoughts into neat little parcels for consumption, instead you get the wonder of the leftfield “Legend Of Vertigo” or the vulnerable ballad “I’m Afraid I’m Not Supposed To Be This Way”. Spiritual issues are unpacked gently along the way and these songs have the power to connect with an unbeliever as well as provoke believers to thoughts, deep thoughts. Waterdeep are a very special band.

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.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.