This album doesn't rock.
Well, okay ... it does rock a little. I must admit, though, I was expecting a testosterone-laced, guitar-heavy meatfest. Isn't that what local artists, to wherever they may be local, do?
Instead, Grace and Dire Circumstances is an amazingly mature record, succeeding first and foremost because it's real. There's no "showing we're in touch with the kids" here. Sure, it's got some punch, and lots of swirly moments, and even *gasp* periodic use of distortion. But Farewell to Juliet would be closer compadres with Caedmon's Call or obvious influence The Choir than Third Day or Fleming & John, for example.
Furthermore, FTJ manages to avoid a trap that even good acousticky collegy bands fall into. Through twelve original tracks and one cover tune (a truly tasteful re-working of the Choir's "Chase The Kangaroo"), the band manages to consistently knock your proverbial socks off, rather than fade past a few singles into B-side material and whiny pseudo-self-examination, ad infinitum.
That's not to say there's a lack of spiritual searching to be found on Grace and Dire Circumstances - far from it. Guitarist/songwriter Jeff Elbel and company manage to translate some straightforward and familiar thoughts into deceptively simple lyrics:
Just as you think, "Okay, those were nice. Now I think I'd like to try something different," the band introduces new elements, with subtle guitar effects and kicking backbeats. Suddenly I realize - they've played and produced the hell out of this album, and have done it well enough that it's not even noticeable! Grace and Dire Circumstances incorporates swelling background vocals, carefully chosen harmonies, and a plethora of color instruments - little tags and flourishes that add life to the music without bothering your conscious mind in the process. Suddenly I'm aware of really cool but tasteful guitar work; Elbel works in hooks and solos and chimes that add dimension to a song without calling attention to themselves as the work of a "guitar hero." How many guitarist/producers do you know who can pull that off? Heck, how many do you know that want to?
Just as you're getting comfortable with the whole laid back jangle of it all, Farewell to Juliet goes all 77s on you and beats you about the head and shoulders with "Thermostat (For All The Fleas)." This track alone eliminates any concern that maybe the band doesn't rock because they can't rock.
After a brief respite vis a vis the piano-spiced "Healer," FTJ once again slaps you around with "Seven Three One." Having already made their point, though, this one is less derrier-busting and more, well... cool. It's hard to surprise anyone after twelve tracks, but I can scarcely relate how pleased I was to not be fast-forwarding through the last few tunes just so that I could say I listened to the whole thing.
All in all, Grace and Dire Circumstances is a killer album - even though it's not dance party music, and it doesn't kick anyone's butt. What it does offer is some exceptionally tasteful, well-executed acoustic pop/rock laced with relevant lyrics that don't require a college class in vaguerism to decipher.
The album transcends the vast majority of its genre, Christian or otherwise, and whether or not it ends up being your "thing," one point is certain: this ain't no local band. Farewell to Juliet is a band to take notice of now, while there's still a chance to exploit them for personal gain. They've done their part; now all we can do is sit back and watch the wheels of musical injustice turn, hoping that every now and then one of the good ones gets noticed.
Because this is one of the really good ones.
--Dallas Koehn (koehn@ionet.net)
