Caedmon's Call has finally signed a distribution deal after five years on the college circuit and two independent releases. Their latest release encompasses the entire range of the "college" sound from the light acoustic "Lead of Love," a melodic song that reminds me of Jars of Clay, the heavier "Not the Land," which echoes the electric guitar ballads of Dryve, to "Bus Driver," a catchy deceptively direct song about an extremely mundane subject, or is there a universal message? I'm just a reviewer-what do I know? The three vocalists lend so much variety to this project that a play-through is never boring. Let this grow on you for a while. There's more in the lyrics than catches your ear on the first listen. --Shari Lloyd 

 
After the buzz about this group on (the Usenet newsgroup) rec.music.christian, I was prepared to be blown away by this album. I wasn't. This is not to say that I dislike their work. There is a nice vocal variety (although I don't think they are taking full enough advantage of Danielle Glenn's voice) and on some they have the alternative sound down pretty solidly. Aaron Tate and Derek Webb write some pretty fair songs. (Their cover of Rich Mullins "Hope to Carry On" is quite Hootie-esque: where did that come from?) The album is solid but undistinguished to the point of running long: after seven or eight songs, I found myself tuning out. --Chris Parks 

 
There is a point we all come to when we break free from all the ideals that youth group sheltered us with and we move on to become an adult of responsible faith. This is exactly what the group Caedmon's Call deals with in their latest self-titled release, but they do so frequently without cleverness. Few songs met the challenge of connecting their lyrical and musical concepts, instead juxtaposing spiritually intense, angst-filled lyrics with cheery, clean cut instrumentals. There is potential here, notably in Derek Webb's wrenching "Center Aisle:" "What crimes have you committed/ demanding such a penance/ that couldn't wait for five more minutes/ and a cry for help / 'cause this room is so peaceful and I hate the silence/ and can't walk the center aisle." Give this group a few years and a couple of albums to grow , and then purchase one of their CD's. --Jessica Aguilar Walker