Bright Sadness
Artist: Charlie Hall
Label: sixsteps records
Length: 12 Tracks/46:57

 Charlie Hall follows up his acclaimed 2006 release Flying Into Daybreak with a fourth project, The Bright Sadness, this project, according to Hall, “comes from me understanding my ordinary human condition and my deep love for Jesus and the life He brings. It is the accepting of my brokenness and that in the world around me while never losing sight of Christ’s closeness, His free fellowship, His redemption and compassion, His Brightness.” Hall’s is one of the most intense and passionate sounds that is around! I believe we will be hearing these in our worship services soon!

From the time you pop in this CD till the time you have heard the twelfth song you will have related to all of the lyrics you have heard. These songs are written with such compassion, and a desire of wanting you to know who Christ is, and what he has done and will continue to do for you. 

“Chainbreaker” is a song that tells us that God is a God of second chances; He will always pick you up and allow you to run free from your past. “Thrill” was my favorite on this one! It is such a celebration of the trill that we get from knowing we have Jesus, and how He fills us up.

I believe this one should be played as loud as possible: at home, in the car and even in your worship services! The songs all ring true, and you are sure to find at least one on here that you relate to!

Go out and buy this one today, also pick up some for a friend. You will not be disappointed!

Trish Cooper

---

Charlie Hall’s music is distinctive in a way that is hard to pin down, but which has much to do with a mix of the way he uses melody (either angular of powerful, but little in between) and his vocal style.
 
When The Bright Sadness begins with “Chainbreaker,” the verses are one tedious line repeated straight several times, but when the chorus bursts in, it works so well that all is forgiven, especially after the bridge has added another twist of the tune. 
 
On “New Year” he uses his inimitable idiosyncratic style (“is he singing or talking?”) to put more expression into the words, while adding a hip-hop edge to the feel of the rock ballad. He gets a similar effect with “Scenes” and “Hookers and Robbers”.
 
“Scenes” displays his lyrical ability as he dwarfs the efforts of many other worship market writers in his expressionism and conversational style. 

As I lay me down to sleep, As I walk on city streets, As I laugh with friends and feast,
It lifts my mind to you.
As my children play and run, In the news with wars and guns, In the church where songs are sung, It lifts my mind to you. ..
I have such a short memory, so you keep reminding me of you. 

“Thrill” is very much David Crowder territory, and you can see where the two of them have rubbed off on each other’s music during their work with their Passion work. The production reminded me very much of the first Passion disc, which first took worship music up several notches at one go in its crystal clear, fresh and vibrant mix. This has a sound that moves with the songs and sets Hall’s words on fire – and no more so than on “The Second Alive” as he invites the listener to take a walk in the burning heart of God and come alive, as the song builds and builds in its intensity.
 
Elsewhere the disc stirs together a random batch of tracks from another invitational piece “Hookers and Robbers” to the disappointing anonymity of “You are God” and the early part of “Mystery,” which again depends on just the simple hook. The former takes God’s heart for the outsider and squeezes it all through the hook lyric, “Come as you are”.
 
Hall has made a strong disc here that has some sublime moments and a truly vivid, inspirational set of words. There are patches of filler, but they have generally been pushed to the end. Nice work.
 
Derek Walker

   

.