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Speak to Me
Artist: Geoff Moore
Label: Rocketown Records
Time: 10 songs/49:50 minutes

Veteran music artists are sometimes overlooked in favor of newer ones.  It’s a mistake to not consider the experience of someone like Geoff Moore, who has been making music since 1984.  Much of it was with his rock band The Distance.  In 1999 he went solo with the release of Geoff Moore, and the last time we heard from him was 2002’s A Beautiful Sound.

Seasoned artists reflect a maturity that can only come with time.  That alone makes Speak to Me worth checking out. 

Despite the use of some cover songs, Moore’s wisdom is reflected in the songs that he helped write and in his choice of music.  He is a singer-songwriter at the height of his powers.  An organic, roots-rock sound (reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen and Bob Seeger) works well with lyrics that reflect a lifetime of walking with God.  These songs touch on many aspects of the Christian life.  There’s the brokenness and passion of the title song and the world-weary hope of heaven in “When I Get Where I’m Going,” which includes guest vocalist Christy Nockels. 

“Your Day” may be the best of all.  An echoing guitar leads a melodic adult contemporary sound marked by lyrics that are full of confident expectation and faith.  “If I find victory or pain / If it’s in sunshine or driving rain / I will trust you and do the next thing.”  Moore admits that the last phrase comes from a favorite thought from Oswald Chambers, “When faced with uncertainty and unsure what to do next, he (Chambers) encourages us to ‘trust God and do the next thing.’”  This is the ultimate start-your-day song.

Over the years a number of artists have recorded songs about our obligation to the poor.  Petra’s “Hollow Eyes,” Michael Card’s “Distressing Disguise,” and the Randy Stonehill/Phil Keaggy classic, “Who Will Save the Children,” are a few that come to mind.  We can add to the list “Every Single One,” another poignant reminder: “In a world away from luxury / Is where I found prosperity / Where greater love laid down His life / For the orphan and the widowed wife.”  It springs from the many years that Geoff has worked with Compassion International.  The song is graced with beautiful violin playing.  A more electric and programmed version is included as a hidden track.

Moore does excellent covers of two familiar songs: “He Knows My Name,” a duet with Kendall Payne, and an acoustic “This Is My Father’s World.”

“So Long, Farewell (The Blessing)” is a raw and musically raucous goodbye song.  That same spirit of musical abandon comes through on the chorus of the title song.  Loud and furious, they lack some of the distinction heard elsewhere on the recording. 

The album closes with the tender and beautiful “Erase,” a plea to be more like Christ.  “Erase all the distance between us / replace all the space with Your presence.”

Moore’s maturity shines through every aspect of this release.  His first Rocketown Records recording shows that experience is worth a lot.

Michael Dalton

Submitted 4/25/07

Geoff Moore has over twenty years in the CCM world. His first demo was produced by Billy Smiley and featured an unknown keyboard player named Michael W. Smith. After ffiteen years or recording and touring with The Distance, Moore went solo in the late nineties, began managing and mentoring other bands, adoptd two girls from China, and serves as a board member for Shaohannah's Hope, the adoption foundation started by Steven Curtis Chapman. His jounrey is reflected in the album Speak to Me, both in that he works with many talented artists, and in its views of adoption and Heaven.

"Speak to Me" is a plea to be able to sift out the noise of the world and hear God's voice. It melds the guitar rock of DeGarmo & Key with '80's anthem rockers like Bruce Springsteen and Bob Seger. "Your Day," co-written with Joel Hanson (PFR) shows that despite the inevitable aging of Moore's voice, he still has it. The hit here, to my ears, is "When I Get Where I'm Going." Featuring Christy Nockels (Watermark), it is a longing gaze at Heaven, while stressing the urgency of being ready to be there. 

"He Knows My Name" and "This is My Father's World" get a makeover, and the former is a duet with Kendall Payne. "So Long, Farewell" is a lot like "Fare Thee Well" by PFR, in that it serves as a song for parting and looks forward to seeing the other party again, whether in a short time or in Heaven. "Erase" reveals that any problem between God and His followers inevitably rests within the follower. 

There is a tendency within the CCM world these days to reject music out of hand when it is released by someone over forty. This mistake should not be made here: Speak to Me shows that Moore can stand up with any of the younger bands and still rock when he wants to, and also contains a mature viewpoint that can only be gained through experience. 

Brian A. Smith
6 May 2007