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Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
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Your Gateway to Music and More from a Christian Perspective Slow down as you approach the gate, and have your change ready.... |
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There has been a lot of talk about this latest installment from the band that, for the most part, defined what great Christian rock 'n' roll could and should be. Some have said that it is DA's best release since The Alarma Chronicles. Spanning two discs with thirty-three songs and almost two hours of playing time, I humbly submit that Mr. Buechner's Dream is their best work yet. Daniel Amos is back to a
quartet consisting of Terry Taylor, Tim Chandler, Greg Flesch and Ed Mc
Taggert. Also along for the ride as
I would have to say that my two favorite cuts on the album are "Ribbons and Bows" from disc one. "And there may not ever be anything here new to say, But I'm fond of finding words that say it in a different way." The second highlight happens on disc two in the tune called "Pregnant Pause." ".... it's a miracle we ever had faith-enough to have a laugh in that face. Here's a pregnant pause while we wonder if the water's runnin' . . . " These just happen to be my two favorite songs, so far. There is not a moment of filler on this entire project, and on a two-hour album that is a big deal. For a band that has been around for more than twenty years, to sound as fresh and vibrant as they still do, is a testimonial as to how much fun these guys are having, and there are only a handful of bands around that could pull it off, and do it as skillfully as DA. Terry's song writing is nothing short of brilliant, and this album reminded me again of what a superb guitarist Greg Flesch is. A companion video called The Making of Mr. Buechner's Dream is available at the band's web site (www.danielamos.com). The album was recorded at the Green Room by Chris Colbert with assistance from Lori's husband, Frank Lenz and Uncle Terry. In an age where the music industry is being ruled by the latest 13-year-old wunderkind, it is a privilege to hear music by a bunch of professionals like Daniel Amos. Chris MacIntosh a.k.a. Grandfather Rock
After a six-year hiatus, legendary Christian rockers Daniel Amos have come together once again and released a double album entitled Mr. Buechner's Dream. The title refers, of course, to minister and author Frederick Buechner, who is the subject of two songs on the 33-song project. DA has been through a lot recently - with the death of Gene Eugene and of several others close to band members. And since it has been so long since their last album, some questions are raised: Are they still relevant to an audience that has shifted in taste? Do they still have the necessary desire to get it done? Mr. Buechner's Dream answers emphatically: "YES," to both of these questions. It is a magnum opus of social commentary, of painting pictures of people in need of a Savior, yet still taking, at times, a tongue-in-cheek viewpoint to its surroundings. It is easy to see how DA had influenced almost every Christian alternative band of the last twenty years. Terry Scott Taylor's voice at times recalls those of Mark Heard, T-Bone Burnett, Mark Robertson, Jonathan Rundman, Paul McCartney, and/or Paul Westerburg. Musically, the band cannot be pinned down. "Meanwhile" is a rockabilly song in the style of Tom Petty, while "Nobody Will" could be a Wallflowers outtake. "Faithful Street" evokes The Beatles, and "So Far So Good" has a musical break very much like that of The Doors' "Spanish Caravan." Yet still at other points the CD sounds like a slower version of Chagall Guevara. And the lyrics? As Taylor writes on "Ribbons and Bows": "...and there may not even be anything here new to say, but I'm fond of finding words that say it a different way." DA takes ordinary situations and people, and holds them up in a new light, with a new perspective and an unfailingly interesting turn of a phrase. The title track portrays several authors enjoying each other's wit and company. "Staggering Gods" is a commentary on the idols of our culture: We hear the terrible noise that gives them away"The Tale You Told" is a tribute to those who would make their living by being creative, and "Who's Who Here?" shows the futility of pursuing material things: Jason and his Argonauts"Over Her Shoulder" refers to the mistake of Lot's wife, and "Pregnant Pause" is a tale of Abraham and Sarah. "Joel" is just that - a quote from the book of Joel set to music. "Steal Away" is another song of the Old Testament that summons Noah's Ark: Steal away to a lost horizon"Nobody Will" shows our quest for enlightenment while being distracted by the entertainment around us. "Flash in Your Eyes" is a song to Gene Eugene: Now you're the catch in my throatThirty-three songs, two hours of music, and three albums worth of material. Yet it never grows tiresome. It never gets old. Mr. Buechner's Dream is a triumphant return for Daniel Amos. Let's hope that it doesn't take six years until their next album. Brian A. Smith 10/21/2001
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