Meet Tree63 – the latest international talent to be signed to Inpop Records (the Newsboys’ record label responsible thus far for Beanbag, Rhubarb, and Phil Joel’s solo work). Hailing from South Africa, these guys create a more sonically dense and satisfying batch of songs than you might first expect from a three-man group. Not surprisingly, the group’s bouncy, energetic blend of pop, rock, and dance music caught the ear of Newsboys leader Peter Furler, as the two bands have a bit of a similar sound. Other obvious influences within the realm of Christian music are Delirious?, SonicFlood, and Matt Redman, all of whom have played a major role in the modern worship revival, and who have endorsed this likeable new band on several occasions. I mean, what’s not to like if you’re looking for some fresh new modern worship music? These guys deliver some compelling, vertically-directed songs that fit squarely between all of the aforementioned acts, with a healthy share of U2 influence to boot.

Well, there is one thing not to like, but it’s more a fault of the tactics used to market this band than a fault of the band itself. Because so many Christians hungry for new songs to sing can’t get enough of this stuff, anything with the "modern worship" label sells like hotcakes. So that’s how Tree63 got labelled. On many of their songs, this label makes sense – the words are highly singable, making an excellent soundtrack for reflecting on the character of God. But I’d hesitate to label this a straight-up worship album. Don’t get me wrong – this band has a huge heart for God, and it oozes from every word on this CD. But some of these songs are more personal, more specific – like vertically directed journal entries. It just wouldn’t work in a corporate setting. This approach allows the band to break free from the shackles of your standard modern worship songs, and like their big brother band Delirious?, these guys take it where it goes. But the result is more compact than a Delirious? album, and ultimately, slightly less satisfying.

Treasure is a good start for this album. Taking a similar approach to the tune of the same name by Iona, it meditates on the verse from Matthew that states "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also". Lead singer John Ellis joyfully describes the changes in his life that have resulted from salvation, and how knowing God remains his goal despite his constant stumbling – his light, rubbery voice fits this style perfectly, being perky without showing off. The beat and guitar riff that drives this radio-ready tune are infectuous, if a bit repetitive, combining the passion of Delirious? with the zippiness of the pre-disco Newsboys. The song seems to fade out before it should – I recall downloading a longer version from Napster, but it works well as a radio single and an introduction to Tree63’s style.

Joy starts off with a slightly edgier guitar riff, but the mood is still bouncy and poppy, so much that the opening lyrics seem a bit cheesy when coupled with it. It takes on the language of a more typical worship song, as John simply thanks God for saving his life and prays that his actions will bring God joy. Apparently, other worship bands have already borrowed this song from the band – it is probably the most suited for Sunday morning of any song on the album. (I think it was one of the first songs the band wrote.) A quick key change after the bridge, and then another one shortly after, keep things interesting near the end of the song. It’s not one of my favorites, but it does the trick when you’re in a jumpy, highly caffienated mood.

Look What You’ve Done floats along on a chiming guitar pattern that can’t help but bring back memories of The Edge from U2's glory days (John Ellis is actually performing double duty on vocals and guitar). Following the theme of the past two songs, it is a meditation on the great lengths God has gone to in order to save us, and the resulting thought is "It’s not a question of what You can do for me/But what can I do for You, my Lord?" Even though the favor can never be repaid, John longs to give back all of himself to God. The song really picks up in the middle, rocking in a very smooth and melodic fashion. Fans of alternative, grittier guitars aren’t gonna find much to enjoy here – this is rock music at its poppiest without relying too heavily on programming and other production tricks.

Sacrifice seems to pick up where the last song left off (many similar themes are repeated throughout this album, making much of it seem like a continuous song even as the musical landscape changes), dwelling on the idea of the exchange between God and man. The lyrics are excellent, drawing from Biblical history in which people were required to sacrifice possessions or even animals to be cleansed before God – which is not an easy thing for modern Christians to grasp. The idea presented here is that God knows what it felt like to let something precious die in order to win back the intimacy with us that our sacrifices could have. It may raise more theological questions than it answers, but it’s still quite a beautiful song, floating along on a strong syncopated drum beat. John’s vocals are especially delicious on this one as he cries out "It’s all for You, Father, it’s all for You/I live for You, yeah/I die for You." He reminds me a lot of another Christian singer by the name of Greg Long.

Earnestly shows us a slightly feistier side of the band, opening with some edgy chords and a programmed beat. The melody to this one has a little more of a minor-key punch to it – the verses lope along at a comfortable pace, and then the chorus allows the band to let loose and rock out, mostly driven by some solid drumming by Darryl Swart. The only drawback to this song are that the lyrics are a little bit skimpy, the second verse being a slight rehash of the first. It’s still a passionate song of devotion that should appeal to a lot of the churchgoers of my generation, with its theme of seeking God through suffering (In the freezing chill of winter/In the furnace of Your fire/My soul, my soul clings to You).

Anthem is an oddly titled song – as you might guess, it’s a slower, more meditative song, but I don’t know if it quite builds to what I would call anthem status. This is the first time the band has really slowed down so far, which is a nice change from the norm (many people seem to think that playing a song slower somehow makes it more spiritual). It’s a lovely ballad, even if the music seems a bit subdued, carried mostly by a subtle beat and John’s vocals, which sound a lot like Matt Redman here. My only real complaint about this song is that the verses seem to wander a bit – John doesn’t seem quite sure if it’s a standard worship song or a stream-of-consciousness prayer. Once again, if this hadn’t been labelled as a worship album, that probably wouldn’t bother me. I do like the rich keyboards that wash over the chorus, but some may find them to be a bit cheesy.

A Million Lights keeps us in a mellower mood for one more song – another intimate moment in John’s relationship with God (he’s the chief songwriter for the band). I’m almost certain that the song came spontaneously out of an evening walk on the beach or something like that. The song follows the grand Delirious? tradition, in which the title is merely a starting point off of which the theme of the song develops – John is staring up at the "million lights" in the sky and thinking about a God who is simultaneously near and far. The lyrics are wonderfully personal (If I fall fast asleep/It’s just because I feel so safe in You), but they falter at times when trying to complete a thought and make it rhyme (Can I walk out to sea/Way beyond these breakers/We have no place among/The movers and the shakers). Ever the vocal chameleon, John Ellis reminds me a lot of Dave Matthews on this one, since he has to stretch for some higher notes (and hey, Dave’s from South Africa too!) Oddly, the tune is similar to the Dave Matthews Band’s song "#41", even if the musical backdrop is quite different.

1*0*1 is an enigmatic title – you don’t usually see those on worship albums. It’s an abbreviation for "One and Only One" (not some sort of an ode to intro-level college classes). The song is written very directly to Jesus – John seems in awe of how his life has been changed, and unsure of whether he deserves so much love. The music complements this awestruck state of mind perfectly – building off of an echoing guitar line and an electronic beat that make this song light up like the Aurora Borealis. (Okay, it’s a weird analogy, but for some reason, this song reminds me of flashing lights in the sky. It has nothing to do with the lyrics.) My best description of it relies once again on U2 – it’s a bit like what you would get if you took "Where the Streets have No Name" and combined it with "Discotheque". Even if it is a bit too close to U2 for comfort, it showcases Tree63 at the top of their game, and it’s great to hear such a strong song near the end of the album.

Can I See Your Face? starts off with just John’s voice and some low-end noise from the drums and bass before kicking into high gear. The song is upbeat and edgy, much like "Earnestly", but the lyrics are more complex. John is trying to find a balance between reverence and curiosity in this song – he wants to know more of God but he doesn’t want to sound unappreciative of what he has been given already. Lyrics such as "Bring me to my knees/Chill me to the bone/Leave a message on my answer phone" plant this song outside of the realm I would categorize as "worship" – it’s more of a mysteriously worded anthem for the spiritual seeker. It keeps the energy level up after the abrupt transition out of "1*0*1", even if this song is a bit on the short side.

Worldwide is a really surprising song with which to close this album. While it is my favorite song on the CD, it seems like precisely the wrong song to place as the last track on a "worship" album. This track is a tasty slice of techno-rock with lyrics to match the mood – it uses a number of technological metaphors to invite the listener into a deeper walk with God. It’s sort of like a cybernetic altar call. Once again, I wouldn’t call it a worship song. At this point, Tree63 seems to have strayed a bit from the audience they won over with the first few songs on the album, but it’s such an enjoyable song that this doesn’t bother me too much. Once again, a zippy guitar riff runs throughout most of the song, flirting with a super-charged dance beat and even bouncing back and forth between the speakers at one point. The song culminates in an unabashed invitation for the listener to follow Christ, wrapped in some clever lyrics: "Open up your window/How far are you prepared to go/It could be more than just one drive/How many flavors have you tried/Go: spirituality/No one here gets saved for free/Somewhere inside of me is the promise of eternity/Somewhere inside of you is the spirit that you hide from view/Come on, I dare you." The whole thing ends a bit too abruptly, leaving the listener wanting a lot more. I personally would have out this song toward the front of the CD.

It’s really a shame that they chose to end it here – there are some interesting songs that the band released independently, such as "Stumbling Stone" and "Darkness Between the Stars", that earned the band some popularity in South Africa and definitely would have fit on this CD. As it stands, the album is a great showcase of a new band’s talent, and it offers a number of truly inspiring and downright fun songs based loosely around a worship theme. What would have pushed this disc over the top? A few longer praise anthems to balance out the high-energy pace of the album – especially at the end. Ending with three upbeat songs is a great idea for a modern rock album, but a bit awkward for a worship album. The biggest obstacle for Tree63 to overcome will be finding the right blend of enigmatic, "spiritual seeker" songs and more straightforward praise songs. They’re very good at both – the audience just needs to be clear on what they are attempting to do with each song. Delirious? is still working on this as well, and they’re a stellar band. So I’m confident that Tree63 will soon be up there with the best of the modern worship genre.

TRACK REVIEW SUMMARY
Excellent: Worldwide, 1*0*1, Earnestly
Good: Treasure, Look What You've Done, Sacrifice, A Million Lights, Can I See Your Face?
Decent: Joy, Anthem
Weak: NONE
Skippable: NONE

Band Members:
John Ellis: Vocals, guitar
Darryl Swart: Drums, backing vocals
Martin Engel: Bass, backing vocals

Website: http://www.tree63.com


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Driving