Don't be offended by my title. I'm not all that far out of the teenage years myself. When I was a teenager, it always astounded me to find great singer/songwriters that were my age or younger. This was probably the selling point for Rebecca St. James and Jaci Velasquez, and it certainly figured into my interest in the brother and sister duo known as LaRue. Unfortunately, the whole "teen artist" thing is so commonplace these days (in the Christian and general markets alike) that I've become a bit jaded. LaRue still stands out in my mind as respectable artists, because they have refused to take a back seat to the "teen pop" trend, opting instead to work with a comfortable and enjoyable mixture of pop/folk/rock.

LaRue first surfaced in 1999 with their self-titled album. It contained three songs which were huge on Christian radio: "Waiting Room", "Reason", and "Someday". I recall that "Reason" had me hooked. It was a very simple but effective what's-a-teenager-to-do-in-this-messed-up-world rock ballad, but very effectively performed, and something about the music video just cast a spell over me. I bought their album, and I honestly expected more of the bouncy pop-rock style of "Waiting Room". That only barely held up - most of the album played it safe, with warm acoustic melodies but fairly predictable (and sometimes preachy and embarrassing) Christian lyrics. I had to hand it to Phillip and Natalie LaRue (he's 19, she's 17) - they wrote every single song on the album, unlike the majority of the teen artists out there. And despite my disappointment with the album, I held out a hope for LaRue, that their songwriting would mature with them, and that they would be fascinating artists to watch grow up. This hope is starting to come true, with the release of their sophomore album Transparent, a fittingly deeper look at what makes these siblings tick.

Theory of Flight
Even though I face these mountains, I still soar to the sun...
The first track on this album might not immediately lead you to believe that LaRue had changed at all in the year or so since we last heard from them. It starts off with just a guitar and Phil's voice, building in a fairly calculated manner, not really capturing the passion of the last album's lead track. However, the song really grows on you - that opening line ("Even though I'm firmly planted in the ground, I still run") keeps beckoning you back to the CD as a whole, and you begin to realize that Phil and Natalie do a great job of blending together on this song, once again using the tried-and-true formula of Phil's verse juxtaposed with Natalie's chorus that worked so well in "Reason". I've read an interview with the band where they explained that the record company (Reunion) wanted the duo to start the album off with a big hit single, and they opted for this song instead. The LaRues stood their ground, and won, and I think it serves as a great introduction to a decent CD.

Wake Up
Generation lost, all for everything until it comes to the cross...
Now here's your single. As "Theory" fades out, this one comes creeping in, constructed around an edgier, organic rock vibe - not hard enough to drive away the band's core audience, but definitely a stretch. The song laments the plight that the siblings' generation seems to be caught in - rebelling against authority and getting swept up in the negative message of a lot of the popular music out there these days. While I'm not entirely certain that the current situation is all that different from what every teenager goes through, I'd rather hear an outcry like this from one of their peers than some know-it-all adult. LaRue manages to pull this off without being preachy, pleading with their peers not to coast through a life without faith and trust in a higher power.

Fly
I believe that this picturesque beauty will fade away...
Some of you may remember this as "Chloe's song" from the soundtrack to the Left Behind movie. (Shudder.) Yes, LaRue did write a song for the soundtrack to a preachy end-times movie. And they stuck it on the album afterward, making it available to people like me who didn't want to hear a decently hopeful song about longing for Heaven couched in between a number of other songs threatening non-believers with overexaggerations of the yet-undeciphered prophecies of Revelation. It may not be one of the strongest cuts on the album, and the theme may seem redundant after "Theory of Flight", but the motivation behind "Fly" is a passionate one - longing to be unchained from the sins of human life and the hiddenness of God due to that sin. The music is comparable to "Theory of Flight" as well, though a little faster. The chorus is decently catchy.

Jaded
Something's changing between you and me, a bond that's melting so painlessly...
Now here's where the LaRues really start to bare their souls. There were a few songs on this album based on very personal experiences, and it took some time of prayer and discussion with producers and the like before the siblings felt comfortable releasing these songs to the public. This song in particular is a slow, spacey rock song with a 3/4 beat that analyzes the reasons behind the end of a relationship. (Interestingly, though it was Natalie's experience, Phil sings lead on this song.) The emotions explored here are interesting ones... a distance is increasing between two lovers, and for some reason, it feels okay. The resulting conclusion is not simply "You weren't the one for me and God has someone else in mind", but that God used the situation to teach both partners something more meaningful about themselves. One of the album's strongest cuts, in my opinion.

Fallen for You
As though the world was wearing black and You were wearing white...
This song is a bit of a flipside to "Jaded", opening with some synthesized angelic vocals and a programmed beat that sounds like the ticking of a clock, soon to be accompanied by Natalie's vocals, which are also angelic, and thankfully non-synthesized, unlike many of the aforementioned teen popsters. It's a simple but pretty love song directed to God - a good dose of healing after the brokenness of the last song. It falters a bit, though, since it never makes an effort to build past the simple electronic background, and there really isn't much lyrical meat to the song. Still, if the LaRues were your normal teen pop group being marketed due to their looks (and I have to admit, Natalie is pretty cute - sort of like a young Catherine Zeta-Jones), this would likely be one of the stronger cuts on the album that would result from such a marketing scheme.

Near to Me
I long to know You like You know me...
Again, nothing lyrically complex here, just a simple song of longing to be near to God. It helps to keep the album from getting bogged down in slow songs, though, by combining the gritty alt-pop of "Wake Up" with a brighter melody and some keyboard wizardry snatched straight out of the 80's. The verses are a little stronger than the chorus - this could probably be a hit song with a little more work.

Brianna's Song
I see you as dancing although you cannot stand...
Deeply personal song #2. This song is based entirely around a piano and a mournful cello, and Natalie takes the lead once again. The subject of this song is Brianna LaRue, their younger sister, who suffers from cerebral palsy, lives her life confined to a wheelchair, and has an extremely difficult time carrying on even the simplest conversations. She's one of the people that Phil and Natalie admire most, because she has the brightest outlook on life of almost anyone they know, refusing to be bitter about her affliction. My only complaint about this song is that Natalie seems to be over-singing at times, trying to inject too much emotion, and sounding rather warbly in the process. Still, it's a wonderful ballad, one that must have been a total cry-fest when they first played it for their family.

No Goodbyes
To embrace life, live in this time...
This song starts off rather awkwardly with the warped sounds of an audio tape in reverse (though it is a clever allusion to the song's theme). It's a breezy acoustic rock song with a slight country feel to it. Here the LaRues are trying to keep their heads up amidst memories of friends who have gone their separate ways in life, or perhaps the struggles of life on the road. They find solace in the fact that that these goodbyes are only temporary, and they will all meet again eventually. Thankfully, the whole idea of seeing each other again in Heaven is more implied than blatantly stated. As in "Jaded", God has used a sad ending to bring something good - hope and wisdom.

I Can't Sing
We talked the other day - it's funny, you didn't have much to say. "Please leave a message after the beep."
Definitely the most fun song on the record. The LaRues had a little outside help writing this one - they were basically goofing around, singing nonsense songs with their nine-year-old cousin, when he came up with the chorus, "I can't sing when you're away, baby." They decided to turn that silly chorus into this bouncy little number, which seems at first to be about pining away over a former lover, but turns out to be dedicated to some of the people they miss back in their native California.

Seem to Be
What you did, it left a mark of things unspoken, things undone...
This is definitely the most aggressive song on the album, hooking you almost immediately with Phil's urgent chorus (he actually trades off with Natalie quite nicely here) and the speedy drums and guitars (though this still isn't anything near the realm of hard rock). It's more risky than "Wake Up" in terms of stretching their core audience, but the music definitely fits the theme. The song deals with a close friend who hurt them badly. Instead of just being angry at that person, the LaRues caution him that they can see through his facade, and that they have been wounded by the things he did. However, they are resolved to forgive him and to try and extend and olive branch of trust once again. It's excellently composed with a catchy chorus, and it fits in well with the theme of the album - not putting up a facade or acting fake.

One White Tulip
It's been one beautiful life, and I know it's tasted its trials...
Another slower song in 3/4 - not as rock-oriented as "Jaded", and also much happier. This song is dedicated to the LaRue family, reminiscing about memories shared between the parents and siblings, and affirming the family's strength. If I were one of their parents, this would mean so much more to me than a "thank you" reference in the liner notes ever could. Once again, I have a slight vocal complaint - Phil sounds kind of half-there in this song, which is a shame, because his vocals (while an acquired taste) are normally very quirky and passionate. Still, it's one of the most memorable songs on the album, and a fitting "official" end.

Like Clay
Like a sparrow afraid to fly, raise me...
Tucked away as a hidden track, this is a simple worship tune that the siblings had been working on for their first album, but decided it wasn't ready. You can tell both that it's a demo and that it wasn't written as recently as some of their newer, stronger material, but it should likely please fans of their older work, and it's a fitting "thank you" to God. It seems better suited as an afterthought than it would have tucked somewhere in the middle of the album.

Had this same album been put out by a significantly older group, I probably wouldn't have rated it as high. I happen to think the LaRues show a lot of promise, and it takes a lot more effort to overcome the pressures of whatever record labels, fans, magazines, etc. think they should be at such a young age. One this album, the LaRues have carved out their own niche in Christian music, inspiring their old fans while stretching the limits of safe Christian pop just a tad, and definitely winning over new fans. I think they've got a brilliant album deep down inside them somewhere. They're gonna need it. After all, they won't be cute teenagers forever.

TRACK REVIEW SUMMARY
Excellent: Jaded, Theory of Flight, Wake Up, One White Tulip
Good: I Can't Sing, Seem to Be, Brianna's Song, No Goodbyes
Decent: Fly, Fallen for You, Near to Me
Weak: Like Clay
Skippable: NONE

Group Members:
Phillip LaRue: Vocals, guitar
Natalie LaRue: Vocals
(And of course, a host of studio players)

Website: http://www.laruemusic.com


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Waking up