Pros: The front half rocks, and features some decent songwriting.
Cons: The back half settles into a musical and lyrical slump, and the Tim Hughes cover is unnecessary.
The Bottom Line: I'll go with 3 1/2 stars. It definitely trumps anything from their boy band days, but it's not solid enough to play with Christian rock's big boys.
divad23's Full Review: Exodus * by Plus One (Christian)
Plus One used to be the boy band that I loved to hate. Oh, how times have changed.
It's ironic, when you think about it. When this pre-fab group of five pretty boys was thrown together and they cut their debut record in 2000, the results - both in terms of the music itself and their resulting fame in Christian Music Land - were quite predictable. The Promise still ranks among the absolute worst records I've ever heard - not just due to the genre, but also due to the utter banality of the lyrics. Since then, the group has released three more records with semi-rhyming titles - Obvious, Christmas, and Exodus. I had to admit upon hearing Obvious that the band was maturing and taking a little more control of the substance of their music - that album had its share of embarrassing moments, but it was bearable overall. And I wouldn't go near a Christmas record by a boy band if it was the last album on Earth, so I can't really offer an informed opinion on that one. What I do know is that a heck of a lot happened in between the rather rushed making of Christmas and their third "normal" album, Exodus. Somewhere in between the departures of Jason Perry and Jeremy Mhire (the first of which seemed to agonize fans forever before it was officially announced, and which provoked endless puns on the group's ill-chosen name from mean people like me, and the second of which was a rather sudden surprise) and a label switch from Atlantic to the smaller CCM label Inpop, something significant happened to Plus One. Put simply, they decided to stop being a boy band.
And all God's people said, "Amen."
I don't mean to diss the genre itself. Heck, the first time I heard a Backstreet Boys song, I thought it was catchy and (gasp) different. I have no problems with the style, when it's well-done - but any genre where style is commonly promoted over substance is bound to irk me. Once the boys started to fight that stereotype, even if it was simply by co-writing a few songs and contributing the occasional bit of instrumentation to Obvious. My fiancee (girlfriend at the time), who used to be a pretty big fan when they were in their boy-band stage (this was before she met me), saw them at a 2003 concert in Hawaii and was surprised to find that it had much more of a live band feel. The rumors were true - Plus One was going rock, and while this seemed to be a predictable move from teenybopper pop acts at that point, it seemed like a welcome enough reprieve to me. I had always had at least a small amount of faith that the boys had potential - even when reaming their first album, I recognized it. Now, with three members doing most or all of the songwriting and composition, and contributing a good chunk of the guitar and keyboard parts on their latest albums, they could finally throw off the shackles and play a style that I would presume fell closer to their personal tastes, rather than being confined to whatever genre a producer felt was the best fit for their silken vocals. And so it was that, in late 2003, Exodus was born. It's taken me until now to get around to actually listening to it and reviewing it, but I'm happy to say that for the most part, I like what I'm hearing. And that's not just genre bias talking. (OK, maybe a little.)
Now I don't want to build this up too much - Exodus is not to Plus One what Jesus Freak was to dc Talk. It's a creative step forward, but it doesn't result in a cavalcade of immediate radio hits and classic CCM pop/rock tunes like that album did. Exodus finds these three boys rocking out when it suits them, and still performing exceptionally well in the vocal department, taking on more of a traditional band formation where Nate Cole is the lead singer and Nathan Walters and Gabe ("I-Couldn't-Crack-a-Smile-If-I-Tried") Combs are part of his backing band (rounded out by Newsboys lead singer/drummer and label president Peter Furler on percussion, and probably a few other studio players as well). Basically, it's a pop/rock band, with semi-awkward lyrics, that comes bursting out of the gate with confidence, if not with a fully developed sense of timing and purpose. It's fun, it's thoughtful, and it has personality. And while the thought of a rock band with boy band vocals is likely to turn off a lot of people, fan response seems to have been positive (I always theorized that a stylistic shift to something more organic and a lyrical focus on the actual songwriting talents of the band members wouldn't bother anyone who already liked the group), and they've claimed at least one new fan.
Think back to good old PfR - smooth vocals, great harmonies, somewhat minimal but often thoughtful lyrics - there are a lot of moments here that remind me of that other threesome. Other moments recall the Newsboys, Luna Halo, and some of the more indulgent rock-opera types from yesteryear (but only a tiny bit). It's a mix that loses a considerable amount of steam in the second half, but when it's hot, it's extremely likeable.
Outlaw Look over your shoulder
The past will make you bolder
And even if it's colder
You'll be one step closer...
This somewhat bouncy, piano-driven tune serves as an excellent bridge between old Plus One and new Plus One - it's got a bit of a boy-band beat to it and a strong chorus that features the guys singing in unison, but the emphasis on piano and guitars is strong enough to not make the music feel pre-packaged. The lyrics, for perhaps the first time in Plus One's history, are strikingly autobiographical, drawing a parallel between the sinful past that can haunt a Christian, and the group's less-than-artistically-credible musical past. Of course, they don't explicitly describe it that way, but it's important that this song says "You don't have to change your name" and affirms that grace means not having to hide from the past and pretend that stuff never happened. Indeed, it was a pretty bold decision for this group not to change its name - there are probably people who would have liked the music, but wouldn't have gone within thirty feet of an album with the name "Plus One" emblazoned on it. Regardless of how you take the metaphor, it's refreshing to hear Plus One in this more explicitly religious context, and Nate's falsetto vocals and the airy piano add a lot of quality to the song, even if it occasionally stumbles over too-easy rhymes and a premise that isn't fully explored (how is it that the outlaw is able to get away?)
Tonight I want to walk down 3rd street slow
Drive up and down the coast
Watching the sunset hang
While God puts on his show...
Transitioning neatly from the first track, a high-end guitar intro sets the rhythm rather unexpectedly for this song, which takes off running at a very non-boy-band-ish tempo. While the lyrics find the boys mixing their metaphors quite a bit and struggling to find a comfortable description for their desire to block out the pursuits of the world and pursue spiritual maturity, you can't fault 'em for coming up with a solid melody and a strong guitar presence to guide the song. The group is clearly starting to grasp a sense of dichotomy here with lines such as "I am broken, but that's just Your type" that get at aspects of the faith that straightforward, sappy love songs generally can't uncover. If I have one criticism of the music here, it's that there may be one too many dramatic pauses, and that can make the song feel like it's the result of a few different ideas cobbled together, but when it's running on full steam and the guys' voices are intertwining with different choruses at the end, leading up to an abrupt halt, it's clear that they're grasping a more dynamic sense of performance than what their former crooning could have accomplished.
Be Love Inside, you're ruining the mood
You're singing solitude
Forgetting all you knew...
Apparently someone saw Bruce Almighty, because this more relaxed song (which I think was the record's debut single) finds Plus One urging their listeners to "Be the miracle" (or, in their words, "If you need love, take the time and be love"). It could be really gloppy in the hands of their former selves, but the guys are careful not to overdo this one, opting for a more bare-bones opening that builds slowly into a solid pop song. The sentiment here is more than just an empty "be nice to everyone" - it's clear through the rather confrontational lyrics (written in a style that makes it seem like the writer is accusing himself) that someone was struggling with the temptation to let celebrity give them a big head, and that they needed this little reminder to take their pride down a few pegs.
Sea of Angels How could I ever let this sight slip my mind
You are the source of the ones in fight, so raid the sky...
Moodier piano chords and thick, dark percussion pick up the record's pace here, within a song that uses just the right amount of keyboard and guitar effects to create a mood without overpowering the musicianship present within the song. This is one of those rock songs that kind of comes in sideways, building in intensity and boiling over at the end, but it's not a "power ballad" or anything like that. From the opening line, "It takes my breath like a cheap perfume", it's easy to get hooked in by the song's dreamlike quality. The meandering verse melody kind of does this neat little trick where it drops very suddenly into more of a poppy chorus, which is admittedly more of your typical happy-happy-joy-joy Christian rock chorus ("We will win because You send Your angels"), but it's such a strong hook that I can forgive them for that, as well as a few awkward stray lines like "I drop my mouth". (Um, I believe the expression is "drop my jaw", though that still sounds funny because I'm imagining it landing on the ground with a "thunk", but anyway, I still get the basic idea that the person is in awe.) The bridge, which just repeats "Pick me up, Lord, pick me up, Lord", is a bit monotonous in comparison to the rest of the song, though there is this cool, dark bass running underneath it - the boys have made great use of their backing band here, and that pays off as the song reaches its desperate finale.
Poor Man Bare, naked and bare is how I came
And I'll be leaving just the same
So why be afraid?
This is one of those songs that you just have to play for a friend who really, really can't stand Plus One - and don't tell them who it is! Just let them rock out to the unbelievably aggressive chorus (it's not "hard rock" since there's no screaming or anything, but the guitars and drums come slamming in like there's no tomorrow), and they'll probably think it's some new band inspired by PfR or Luna Halo or heck, even one of Radiohead's noisier moments. (I'm talking The Bends-era, rock-out Radiohead, not weird electronic Radiohead, which I actually prefer, but that's another review.) This song blows in with an ominous, windy sound, and leaves Nate to sing the first verse with little more than a light backbeat and gentle shades of guitar before the maelstrom - it's got a spacey, futuristic feel to it that makes it insanely addictive. The lyrics are pretty simple, aside from the oddball second verse about outer space - the guys recognize that we were born with nothing material, and that we will leave Earth with nothing material, and that true riches are found in the spiritual realm, which is implied in a sudden refrain that shifts into a 3/4 rhythm - the guys really did their part to not make this one predictable! Christian rock stations (what few are left that actually still play actual rock music, anyway) probably wouldn't have dared to touch this one because of the name, but man, did they miss out, because this was a solid enough track to land itself in my list of favorite songs for the year 2004 (yeah, I know, the album came out in 2003, but it was so late in the year that I took liberties).
Quest of Many Trails If your tears want out, then let them fall
They'll hit your cheek and then dissolve
You see, nothing heals quite like time
It fills the gap between dreams and real life...
The album's second half is where things start to get a bit more awkward. You can probably tell as much from this song's unwieldy title. Here, they're using a mellower backbeat and a bit of an overwrought melody to try and comfort someone who is in pain. Thankfully, rather than just resorting to the old "everything's gonna be alright" trick, they actually acknowledge the value of pain and its ability to help us grow and realize things about ourselves. This results in some oddball quips like "You'll never rate your happy without sad on the chart" that make sense, but could have been worded better, and a chorus that doesn't quite stick. However, the purposefully over-the-top instrumentation and background vocals still bring a smile to my face, because it seems like the boys are going for dramatic effect without caring if it sounds cool or trendy. It's a great moment of instrumental abandon that helps to savage a song that would otherwise feel like an awkward wielding of a verse and chorus that didn't really fit each other.
Exodus It's like the perfect crime, where they don't do the time
And walk away, away with murder
I need Your defense, I need Your innocence
To set me free...
The album's title track is honestly a bit of a letdown - it's not horrid in the lyrics department, but it kind of marks the beginning of a point where the album gets into a mid-tempo mood and never pulls out of it. Without directly referring to the Biblical Exodus, the group draws on it for inspiration, describing a loss of innocence and a prevailing sense of wickedness in the world around them that leaves them weary with doubt. In a chorus that features some nice vocal interplay between the backup and lead vocals, they ask God, "Come on, come on, my Lord, deliver us." I think that part of the problem here might be with Nate's vocals, which were interesting in this new setting at first, but have started to grow rather stagnant during this song's verses. The song does manage to pick up with a space-age guitar solo and much stronger percussion near the end, but I don't think it accomplishes anything that "Sea of Angels" didn't do better.
Circle I'll trust you now
I'll trust your plan for my tomorrow
I'll take the vow
I'll take your hand and I will follow...
Here, the group attempts more of a direct praise song, which starts off quite promisingly by using a hammered dulcimer for its intro, but unfortunately settles into another mid-tempo groove and lyrics that rest on an overused metaphor. We've heard one too many songs about how someone's universe revolves around God, and while the very direct lyric about a "circle of worship" is admirable just because it's so direct and that's been historically unusual for Plus One, there are too many praise song cliches in the rest of the song for me to really take it seriously.
Here I Am to Worship King of all days, so highly exalted
Glorious in Heaven above
Humbly You came to the Earth You created
All for love's sake became poor...
And the latest entry in the "Did We Really Need Another Cover of This?" category goes to Plus One, with a relatively faithful rendition of Tim Hughes's runaway favorite from 2001. If you go to a church that does contemporary worship, you've likely heard this song a bazillion times by now, and while it's not a bad song by any means, it doesn't sound like the type of thing that really gels with the rest of this album. It feels like it should have been a contribution to the WoW Worship series or something, since they've made a habit out of getting established CCM artists to cover popular praise songs. If you like hearing familiar vocalists cover familiar favorite songs, no matter how many previous iterations of the song you've heard, then you'll probably enjoy this. It's easy to sing along with, and yet at the same time, the guys harmonize and turn in a fairly solid performance, especially during the bridge (the most powerful part of the song, where the line "I'll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross") and the final chorus, but up to that point, it kind of feels like the guys are just running through it and not trying to add any ingenuity to their version. The song even feels a bit rushed, hitting its climax too soon and riding on that and a little bit of Coldplay influence to make it memorable. Not quite - but nice try.
Like a Kite I'm coming back, I'm coming back for good
And now that I've froze my eyes
I'll stay to the end of the world...
The record dips into rock opera melodrama (in a rather mild sense) one more time for a pretty-sounding finale that turns out to be a bit of a lyrical nightmare. If odd word choice was a minimal feature in some of the other songs, it rears its ugly head in full force here with a string of poorly-constructed metaphors. I want to feel like I'm there sailing with the "aimless drifter", looking at the stars and knowing that God is there, and darn if that music isn't encompassing and captivating, but I just can't bring myself to do it when Nate is searching for the start, and having his legs armed to race, and getting his eyes frozen. The crown jewel of metaphors crops up along with the song's title: "But You held me like a kite, right by Your side." Well, what good is a kite if it's hanging by a person's side and not flying in the air? That doesn't even make any sense. The strings and bells and drums make for pleasant aural fireworks, but this parting shot from Plus One is half-baked at best.
And sadly, I think that bittersweet ending is truly going to be the final bow from Plus One. The group hasn't officially called it quits, but as far as I know they played their last show recently and have no definite plans to do anything together in the future - at least one of them is pursuing a solo career. (Perhaps that's the place where a comparison to dc Talk would be apt.) There was a time when I would have done the happy dance upon hearing news of their breakup, but gosh darn it, they were just starting to realize their potential. I think that with a little work in the lyrics department, commitment to finding a theme and sticking to it and extending their album length a little bit, they could have come out with a really strong fourth album. As it stands, this will probably end up to be the peak moment of their individual careers, as any solo debut from one of these guys is likely to focus more on a pretty face singing serviceable pop songs rather than anything of real substance. I could be wrong on that one - I hope I am - but the likelihood of that happening is quite high.
Anyway, I've got a solid first half of a record, and a listenable second half, plus a few scattered tunes from the old days that I can actually enjoy, and that's a far better legacy to leave behind than a string of sound-alike boy band discs would have been. Cheers, Plus One. You weren't the greatest group out there, but you managed to prove me wrong, and I respect you guys for that.
ALBUM WORTH:
Outlaw $1
Tonight $1.50
Be Love $1.50
Sea of Angels $1.50
Poor Man $2
Quest of Many Trails $.50
Exodus $.50
Circle $0
Here I Am to Worship $.50
Like a Kite $.50 TOTAL: $9.50
Group Members:
Nate Cole Lead vocals
Nathan Walters: Vocals, keyboards
Gabe Combs: Vocals, guitars
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