Miracle
Artist: Robbie Seay Band
Label: Sparrow Records
Time: 11 tracks / 54 mins

RSB's début disc showed a tremendous promise shining from several engaging tracks and that promise is coming true on this third release. 

Seay's jangly, Telecastery sound carries songs with depth and character to make this a very worthwhile collection that mixes praise with words about real life issues. It has a crisp, light accessibility that brings to mind Coldplay, Travis and Keane (is it coincidence that the cover resembles Keane's Under the Iron Sea?) with vocals that are Peter Gabriel here and David Crowder there. 

Seay has his heart in the right place, giving us biblically sound worship songs that we can sing wholeheartedly, that touch both heaven and earth, that see worship as truly involved in service rather than consumerism, and that illustrate a different authority. Try these lyrics from Kingdom and a King: 

My heart is beating faster in my chest | As I sing of where my loyalties will rest | To never wait on the governments to move | As the broken and the poor cry out for You

For the kingdom and the King | For His glory we will sing | For the rescue of our souls | He has come | For the kingdom and the cross | Oh, the triumph and the loss | Love has broken through and now redeemed 

Oh, God, may we be focused on the least | A people balancing the fasting and the feast | A call to give, and to serve and celebrate | For You are great 

Seay does a great job of balancing the fasting and the feast. "Crazy Love" is written with Matt Bronleewe about forgiveness and second chances in our family relationships; "Love Invades" is an anthem that lets the disc take off like a jet; and "Awaken My Soul" is about God's pursuing love.

Between the upbeat songs lie some that know of pain that can strike without warning. The title track records Seay's reaction when a friend was diagnosed with cancer, while "Lament" is a song of desperation in response to a friend's son being shot and killed. Less dramatic, "Long Way Home" is about working through marriage when it is difficult.

I'm not convinced about the congregational echo in "Let Our Faith Be Not Alone," but the words stir my spirit and the guitar work is lovely.

Tollbooth readers will be pleased to hear that he has covered Jon Foreman's "Your love is Strong," which fits well in this set. Another song that some will recognise as a beautifully poetic hymn is "Oh Love That Will Not Let Me Go," which has a new chorus added in. I can't think of a more appropriate ending to this collection.

Seay says that this CD reflects a year in the life of the band and their church, representing, "a broader journey and reality. From the deepest depths of sorrow and angst to the greatest moments of celebration in Scripture, the band strikes up and it's beautiful to be part of that. Each song seems to echo what God is doing among us."

I've enjoyed its sound around me at work and loved bathing in the words at home. This is soul-filling stuff - and the words about God's grace are deepened by the hard experiences that gave birth to them.

Derek Walker