| A brilliant release that leans heavily on how weary we can find ourselves, but hope still shines through in the midst of our deepest darkness. All but one song is penned by Michael Knott (LSU, Aunt Betty's, Lifesavers, etc). It starts off strong with the first 3 tracks, driven by guitars, drums, bass, and piano. On My Feet Again is sung by Terry Scott Taylor of Daniel Amos with a nod to Spandau Ballet's True with the way the high high high high chorus part is executed. One of the many highlights is Window, performed by Gene Eugene (R.I.P.) from Adam Again. Although written by Knott, it can easily mingle with some of the high points on Homeboys, Dig, or Perfecta, musically and lyrically. Gene Eugene is soulful with not just vocals but in his piano playing as well. River of Love is pure, unadulterated brilliance - sung by Knott - and carries a sense of frustration (sick of empty banks, tanks, and pockets) mixed with worshipful longing (pour me a bucket from your river of love). Again, Eugene's piano playing is sublime and Knott has rarely sounded so convincingly vulnerable as he does here. This release feels like a necessary companion to the Brow Beat releases (Alarma Records as well) featuring much of the same cast. Alternative Worship is one of those releases worthy of repeated spins, because the music moves you deeply and it always seems to find a way to feed the soul. That is a rare find. If you are a fan of the music of Michael Knott, Terry Scott Taylor, or Gene Eugene this is essential. Mastered for Vinyl by Rob Colwell (Sixpence, Mad At the World, Deliverance), and comes with a 12x12 lyrics insert. Vinyl limited to just 200 copies. |
