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These
Simple Truths
Artist: Sidewalk Prophets
Site: www.myspace.com/sidewalkprophets
Label: Fervent records
Time: 11 tracks/40:15mins
You walking into a room all clammy hands and sweaty pits because you know you only have this one moment to make an impression. Statistically you know you’ve only got about three to five seconds for people to make up their mind about you, and that’s before you speak. You’ve made sure your clothes are clean and impeccably ironed. So the sweat marks on your shirt aren’t helping. You reach out your clammy hands with the biggest “I’m a winner” smile you can muster and in your nerves stumble on the mat just inside the door.
Whoops.
You now have to work double time in an attempt to salvage some credibility, so you watch closely what you say and how you say it. You now calm your nerves in a steely resolve to regain the impression you first wanted to make.
That is the world of an artist when they present their work to us; their audience, their family, and friends. Their release is them. It’s their child, and we usually make our decision whether we are going to buy into them within the first three to five seconds. So they work hard to make sure the package captures what is inside. All they have is about three seconds to impress us with their dress sense. Will it be something that captures our attention, or be covered in sweat marks? They’ve tried hard to ensure that the first track we hear captures us, giving us their best “I’m a winner” smile. They hope that it reveals enough of them to keep us listening on (but it can’t be so good that the next track disappoints), and all they have is three to five seconds of the opening track to impress us. Will it make our hands clammy; will it send a chill up our spine of joyous rapture at the discovery of an artist you’ve instantly fallen in love with? Three to five seconds is all they have.
Having sat in on many friends who have agonized over track listings, and cover art, etc it’s process I don’t think I would like to go through. Trying to figure out how best expose your art, yourself to the world would make me feel very vulnerable. And then you have to write or be involved in the writing of your promotional material. How can you write something that captures the interest of the Label/Manager/A&R guy/Reviewer in the first sentence? What can you write that doesn’t sound trite, or to full of self-importance?
Arrgh! Glad I don’t have to do that.
When I received the promo copy and associated material for Sidewalk Prophets, I did my usual thing and read their spiel first. The thing that stood out to me was one line, “… Sidewalk Prophets is a new Christian band. Really? Like we need another new band …” blah, blah, blah. With that one line my expectation was raised. I was looking forward to hearing something new that wasn’t the usual MOR pop/rock we have an abundance of.
Woo hoo! In went the disc. Four seconds later it was out. Disappointment came running around the corner and hit me in the ear with a baseball bat. Do I really have to review this? What can I say that wont rip them to pieces? How can I tell them that their baby was average? Sorry guys, you just didn’t do it for me.
So with reluctance I put the CD back in my Mac and started again. I had to be impartial. After I got through the first track the second track started to speak to me. They kept working hard, being careful what they said and how hey said it. By the fourth track my impression of them was beginning to change.
Now, after several listens I think they have won me over.
They definitely are not anything new. However, they are doing things their way. When listening to them you will hear Mercy Me, Jeremy Camp, The Afters, etc, etc. There is nothing offensive in this disc, and on closer listening this is a quality product for a maiden album. Good song writing, musician ship and vocals and the whole package well produced by Ian Eskelan makes for an impressive first attempt from a bunch of newcomers.
Sidewalk Prophets is a ministry band focused on helping people, both young and old, embrace the uniqueness God has given them. With Christ centered, worshipful lyrics that centre on Christs love, you wont be able to help but feel encouraged to live a surrendered life, and obey the unique call God has for our being. “Sidewalk Prophets describe themselves as an unlikely group of poets, musicians, and fun-lovers who have been brought together by the blood of Jesus Christ to share the hope, faith, tragedy, and love that is the reality of Christianity”. (http://www.therockandworshiproadshow.com/blog/tag/sidewalk-prophets/).
Sidewalk Prophets started playing at camps, churches, youth retreats and conferences, and slowly developed a strong following. They have now had spots on The Rock And Roll Worship Show, along with support spots for MercyMe, Michael W Smith, Jeremy Camp, Audio Adrenaline and others. Signed to Fervent Records, with label mates like Needtobreathe, Francesca Battistelli, BarlowGirl and Big Daddy Weave I think you know what to expect. If you love MOR pop/rock with a Christ centered ministry, then these are the guys for you. If, like me, you haven’t had a Jeremy Camp, Michael W Smith, or Eric Champion CD or MP3 in you player for a while then maybe it’s time to revisit the music that first encouraged you in God. How about giving Sidewalk Prophets a spin.
Don’t stop at the first listen, because sometimes first impressions can be wrong.
Rob Boynton
Artist: Sidewalk Prophets
Site: www.myspace.com/sidewalkprophets
Label: Fervent records
Time: 11 tracks/40:15mins
You walking into a room all clammy hands and sweaty pits because you know you only have this one moment to make an impression. Statistically you know you’ve only got about three to five seconds for people to make up their mind about you, and that’s before you speak. You’ve made sure your clothes are clean and impeccably ironed. So the sweat marks on your shirt aren’t helping. You reach out your clammy hands with the biggest “I’m a winner” smile you can muster and in your nerves stumble on the mat just inside the door.
Whoops.
You now have to work double time in an attempt to salvage some credibility, so you watch closely what you say and how you say it. You now calm your nerves in a steely resolve to regain the impression you first wanted to make.
That is the world of an artist when they present their work to us; their audience, their family, and friends. Their release is them. It’s their child, and we usually make our decision whether we are going to buy into them within the first three to five seconds. So they work hard to make sure the package captures what is inside. All they have is about three seconds to impress us with their dress sense. Will it be something that captures our attention, or be covered in sweat marks? They’ve tried hard to ensure that the first track we hear captures us, giving us their best “I’m a winner” smile. They hope that it reveals enough of them to keep us listening on (but it can’t be so good that the next track disappoints), and all they have is three to five seconds of the opening track to impress us. Will it make our hands clammy; will it send a chill up our spine of joyous rapture at the discovery of an artist you’ve instantly fallen in love with? Three to five seconds is all they have.
Having sat in on many friends who have agonized over track listings, and cover art, etc it’s process I don’t think I would like to go through. Trying to figure out how best expose your art, yourself to the world would make me feel very vulnerable. And then you have to write or be involved in the writing of your promotional material. How can you write something that captures the interest of the Label/Manager/A&R guy/Reviewer in the first sentence? What can you write that doesn’t sound trite, or to full of self-importance?
Arrgh! Glad I don’t have to do that.
When I received the promo copy and associated material for Sidewalk Prophets, I did my usual thing and read their spiel first. The thing that stood out to me was one line, “… Sidewalk Prophets is a new Christian band. Really? Like we need another new band …” blah, blah, blah. With that one line my expectation was raised. I was looking forward to hearing something new that wasn’t the usual MOR pop/rock we have an abundance of.
Woo hoo! In went the disc. Four seconds later it was out. Disappointment came running around the corner and hit me in the ear with a baseball bat. Do I really have to review this? What can I say that wont rip them to pieces? How can I tell them that their baby was average? Sorry guys, you just didn’t do it for me.
So with reluctance I put the CD back in my Mac and started again. I had to be impartial. After I got through the first track the second track started to speak to me. They kept working hard, being careful what they said and how hey said it. By the fourth track my impression of them was beginning to change.
Now, after several listens I think they have won me over.
They definitely are not anything new. However, they are doing things their way. When listening to them you will hear Mercy Me, Jeremy Camp, The Afters, etc, etc. There is nothing offensive in this disc, and on closer listening this is a quality product for a maiden album. Good song writing, musician ship and vocals and the whole package well produced by Ian Eskelan makes for an impressive first attempt from a bunch of newcomers.
Sidewalk Prophets is a ministry band focused on helping people, both young and old, embrace the uniqueness God has given them. With Christ centered, worshipful lyrics that centre on Christs love, you wont be able to help but feel encouraged to live a surrendered life, and obey the unique call God has for our being. “Sidewalk Prophets describe themselves as an unlikely group of poets, musicians, and fun-lovers who have been brought together by the blood of Jesus Christ to share the hope, faith, tragedy, and love that is the reality of Christianity”. (http://www.therockandworshiproadshow.com/blog/tag/sidewalk-prophets/).
Sidewalk Prophets started playing at camps, churches, youth retreats and conferences, and slowly developed a strong following. They have now had spots on The Rock And Roll Worship Show, along with support spots for MercyMe, Michael W Smith, Jeremy Camp, Audio Adrenaline and others. Signed to Fervent Records, with label mates like Needtobreathe, Francesca Battistelli, BarlowGirl and Big Daddy Weave I think you know what to expect. If you love MOR pop/rock with a Christ centered ministry, then these are the guys for you. If, like me, you haven’t had a Jeremy Camp, Michael W Smith, or Eric Champion CD or MP3 in you player for a while then maybe it’s time to revisit the music that first encouraged you in God. How about giving Sidewalk Prophets a spin.
Don’t stop at the first listen, because sometimes first impressions can be wrong.
Rob Boynton