Pros: Poignant and even daring reflections on the relationship between Christ and man.
Cons: A few bothersome interludes and one awkward attempt at a blues song.
The Bottom Line: If you like folk music, are a Christian, and aren't offended by my title, then you should hear this album. If you are offended, then you should hear this album!
divad23's Full Review: She Must and Shall Go Free by Derek Webb
Oh, how Caedmon's fans will grieve when Derek Webb decides to leave...
By now, anyone who's even a casual fan of the folk/rock outfit known as Caedmon's Call knows that Derek Webb, one of their chief songwriters and frontmen, has decided to step down and pursue a solo career. While I'm sure this came as no surprise to anyone who noticed his creative absence in the band's last two albums (In the Company of Angels and Back Home), it was still a bit of a disappointment to those of us who valued Derek's input and were crossing our fingers hoping he'd attempt to balance his solo venture with his role in the band. Alas, the subject matter and overall message that was laid on Derek's heart to convey ran a bit deeper than most of CC's recent material, and Derek was a nice enough guy to not want to mire the band in controversy for some of the things he had to say. So he parted ways with the group (I will stress once more that this was an amicable split), and less than two months after the release of the band's disappointing fifth album, Derek's latest musings are available to us on his solo debut, She Must and Shall Go Free.
Now this isn't the Derek Webb that some of you may know. On Caedmon's Call's records, his songs often seemed a bit random alongside the group's usual theological and devotional fare. His writing tended to be a bit more world-weary, taking snapshots where the group's other writers painted in broader strokes, focusing on individual stories about bus drivers and funerals and missing home and relationships... and the lack thereof. If you thought about it, the songs fit into the theme of each album, but getting there took a little work since the songwriting styles were somewhat disparate. In that sense, Derek was to Caedmon's Call what Kevin Max is to dc Talk - an integral part of the group's creative process and yet the guy who doesn't quite fit in, who has more on his mind than what the group's albums could hold. A solo album was to be expected. But then the dude went and got married to indie songstress Sandra McCracken, and we had no clue what he would have left to write about no that he was no longer single!
It turns out that Derek's new album is about a lovely bride. Not his bride (though she helps him out a bit here and there), but rather the bride of Christ. The Christian church as we know it today. You see, Derek's been struck by the complacency that a lot of modern Christians are feeling regarding their faith. The temptation Christians face - and Derek knows that he is no exception - is to believe outside influences when they tell us there's something that we need other than Jesus Christ. He wants to use these eleven songs to wake us up, in a sense - to encourage us to focus on our first love again. And his approach mirrors a Caedmon's Call album in that it has two types of songs. This time, instead of having the straight-laced theological songs and the quirky single guy songs, the album contains songs - love letters - if you will - written back and forth between God and his people. In that sense, the album's message echoes something you might hear on an old-school record by Steve Camp or Keith Green (or even Steve Taylor if you can understand him!), but it's couched in a laid-back, road-trip-ready musical style reminiscent of Caedmon's Call, but perhaps a bit less poppy and glossy.
Nobody Loves Me The truth is never sexy, so it's not an easy sell
You can dress her like the culture, but she'll shock 'em just as well...
Have you ever been in a community of Christians and felt something wasn't quite right, but were afraid of how they'd react if you spoke up and said something about it? I know I had my share of "black sheep" moments during my college years. This songs seems to empathize with those types of people who can perceive when something isn't quite right among the body of believers and want to be able to speak up about it. It's like of like the mission statement for Derek's record - he asserts that he needs to speak up and tell the truth, and he doesn't care if it makes him unpopular. I love that the first person he's willing to indict is himself - "I'm turning over tables in my own living room". It does a great job of setting the pace for the record with its twangy, syncopated rhythm, and old-school Caedmon's Call fans will relish the chance to hear Derek playing banjo - a sound I thought I'd never hear again after the "Bus Driver" decided it was time to retire. As if to foreshadow some of the supposed "controversial" lyrics that will crop up later in the album, he mentions that "I'll say words that rattle your nerves, words like sin and faith alone."
She Must and Shall Go Free Jesus' blood speaks loud and sweet, here all deity can meet
And without a jarring voice, welcome Zion to rejoice...
The album's title track is the first of a few songs that attempt to express the point of view of Christ and His relentless love for the church. It almost reads like a courtroom plea, the closing argument of a defense attorney fighting for the restoration of a person who has sinned. Sandra McCracken contributes some hymn-like couplets that address this idea of love over law adequately, and it is all tied together in the chorus - "All her debts were cast on me, and she must and shall go free". The song settles into the groove of a comfortable mid-tempo folk/rock tune, and it's definitely one of the most radio-friendly of the bunch.
Take to the World And like the three in one
Know you must become what you want to save...
I was rather surprised to hear that Caedmon's Call had essentially said "thanks, but no thanks" to almost an album's worth of material Aaron Tate had contributed, and so it's a relief to see Derek still choosing to work with him here. In keeping with some of Caedmon's Call's more straight-ahead "theological" numbers, this track is an intelligent recasting of the great commission, urging those who love Christ to go and make the knowledge of Him available to others. Aaron does a wonderful job of describing it in humble terms, borrowing the commonly used analogy of just being another beggar looking for bread. Observant listeners will notice a familiar voice during the second verse - it's none other than Dan Haseltine, lead singer of Jars of Clay. All of his bandmates actually help out on this one, with Charlie Lowell contributing a B-3 organ to the mix, causing the song to strongly resemble some of CC's older material.
Nothing (Without You) I've got the race, got the election
But win or lose, I've got protection...
This is the first point on the album where Derek takes more of a musical risk by interrupting the casual flow of the album and trying out more of a bluesier style. The percussion clanks along and the guitars get in a few good licks, and Derek's lyrics follow the standard 12-bar pattern, but surprisingly, what's missing is a strong vocal presence. Derek seems to float through it a bit too casually when I know he's capable of wailing with the best of 'em. He's got some good lyrics here that detail how worthless his earthly achievements are without the love of God, but ultimately the song comes across as a tad empty.
Lover I found thieves and salesmen living in my Father's house
I know how they got in here, and I know how to get 'em out...
This is the first true ballad on the project, and I must say it flows beautifully. Derek can certainly come up with a compelling melody when he tries to, which is no surprise after hearing Caedmon's Call classics like "Somewhere North" and "Standing Up for Nothing". Once again, Derek is singing from the point of view of Jesus, describing the reason that He came visit us sinful humans here on Earth. Derek does a great job of taking on the tone of a concerned and passionate lover here, exposing the very human emotions behind Jesus' act of turning over tables in the temple. It helps to personify God as someone who is genuinely grieved by sin and the many ways in which His children fail to focus on the big picture, instead of the common view some people have that He's gleefully waiting to strike anyone down who makes a wrong move. I love how Derek paraphrases the Song of Solomon at the end of the song, saying "I am my beloved and my beloved's mine/So you bring all your history and I'll bring the bread and wine/And we'll have a party where all the drinks are on me." That line will probably bug a few teetotalers, but they'd obviously be missing the point.
Wedding Dress So could You love this bastard child
Though I don't trust You to provide...
This quiet acoustic number is really the crux of the album, and definitely the most confessional piece for Derek. It's also the one most likely to bug people, largely due to his use of the word "whore" in the chorus. Those who would get hung up on such a word obviously haven't read their Bibles, which minces no words in indicting the children of Israel for their spiritually adulterous ways. Derek is admitting that he is the whore who is all to eager to "put You on just like a wedding dress and run down the aisle". In other words, he's able to dress himself up as a good, pious Christian when it's convenient, but he knows that he's guilty of looking to other things for satisfaction. It almost hurts to hear him confess that "I would take a little cash over your flesh and blood". Those of us who can so easily put our favorite Christian singers on a pedestal need to hear songs like this, and it's a shame that too many people will be more concerned with Derek's word choice than the point that he's trying to get across here.
Awake My Soul This grace gives me fear, and this grace draws me near
And all that it asks, it provides...
If you picked up Caedmon's Call's latest album, then you'll recognize this modern hymn penned by Derek's wife. The band heard Derek's work in progress and decided that they liked the song so much, they had to record their own version. It was a welcome break from all of the "Cliff songs" on that record, and on Derek's record it's a good way to kick things back into semi-upbeat mode, though I miss the accordion and overall thicker wall of sound that worked so well in the Caedmon's version. It's a song about wanting to be shaken and reminded of the truth that "No one is good enough to save himself" and that this truth should be a reason to remain humble and keep our priorities intact.
Saint and Sinner If you want my spirit, you gotta take my booze
And if you want my mystery, you gotta take my clues...
It's easy to tell that Derek and co. recorded this album with sort of an "independent spirit", which is shown in some of the studio chatter that worms its way in between some of the songs. This track opens with a random quip from Derek about "The army of my national guitar", an instrument which he's mentioned sounds cool no matter who is playing it. Sure enough, he uses it to great effect here as his homegrown band goes off on another bluesy romp about the identity crisis all Christians seem to face. There's a sort of cautious surrender going on here, as Derek basically offers himself to God, but insists that God has to take all of Him, not just the good stuff. Of course, Derek's point is that this is exactly what God wants, not the cleaned-up version of ourselves that we often try to offer Him. It's something that you'd think we'd all know as Christians, but we seem to spend so much of our time trying to look like something we're not and trying to make spirituality into something neat and predictable. I love the down-home feel that the harmonica and Derek's acoustic intro and outro contribute to this song. It's a brilliant piece of work.
Beloved And now you would rather be
A slave again than free from the law...
Another lovely ballad shows up here - this one's a little more rich on the acoustic side of things, but it's still easy to confuse it with "Lover" due to the similar titles and 3/4 rhythm. But Derek's interpretation of what Christ would have to say to His bride is summed up even more poignantly here: "Don't you ever let anyone tell you that there's anything you need but Me." Coming from the mouth of a human lover, these words would sound controlling and possessive, but here, they are life-saving words in a world of false teachers who promise a way to work for one's own salvation. Once again, Derek sprinkles the song with a little banjo playing, and the results are heavenly. Some may get bogged down in some of the Biblical language (especially the line about circumcising one's heart), but I'm sure that Biblically literate listeners won't have too much trouble here.
Crooked Deep Down My life looks good, I do confess, you can ask anyone
Just don't ask my real good friends, 'cause they will lie to you
Or worse, they'll tell the truth...
Hardcore Caedmon's fans will recognize this one - it's a recast of a song Derek introduced on one of the Guild Collection albums. It sounds like he's slowed it down a bit, but the lyrics are a dead-on perfect fit for this album's theme (likely something he'd been working with for quite a while). If it wasn't apparent from the title, he's basically going off on a rant about his own sinful nature, reminding fans that on the inside he's not necessarily the nice guy he appears to be on stage. It gets a little confusing when his story shifts a bit in the second verse to focus on a girl who walked out on him - obviously he's not referring to Sandra, who's singing right alongside him, but it's a return to that whole "bride of Christ" metaphor. Okay, a bit awkward, but the rockabilly stylings make up for it. The one truly unfortunate thing is that the intro, which sounds like a random band members going off on an impromptu Gospel jam, is a bit tedious. But hey, at least it's a minus track.
The Church I have long pursued her as a harlot and a whore
But she will feast upon Me, she will drink and thirst no more...
The record closes with a gentle piano ballad, reaffirming Christ's undying love for the church just in case you weren't paying attention. Derek's new label, INO Records, pulls a few strings and manages to get Sara Groves to contribute a few guest vocals - I have to admit I'm a little more attached to her voice than Sandra's, so it's a good choice. The song does a good job of neatly tying up the album's thematic metaphor, and at the same time it reminds us why Derek recorded this album - "If you love Me, you must love the church." That is to say, he couldn't stand to watch himself or anyone else be led away by other potential lovers, and so out of love for those people comes these timely words of correction and encouragement. I love how he twists around a popular cliché to his own benefit near the end of the song, when describing those who would try to distract the children of God: "Though some may be her bridesmaids, they will never be My bride".
There's a little "hidden track" that crops up after a few seconds of silence - it sounds like another band member fooling around, trying to figure out the chords to some Sunday school song. It's hard to hear what's going on and he flubs it up a few times, so I usually skip that little outtake.
While the few missteps on this album tend to stick out like a sore thumb, I still feel She Must and Shall Go Free is not only a worthwhile and enjoyable collection of songs, but an artistic attempt at conveying a message that modern Christians (including me) need to hear. I'd tell you that you need to buy this album, but somehow I get the feeling that would be a heretical statement. So I'll just stick with a strong recommendation that you buy this album if you're a fan of Caedmon's Call, if you like folk music informed by a Christian worldview, or if you're just plain tired of a lot of the fluff coming out of the CCM industry these days.
Long live the Webbmaster!
ALBUM WORTH:
Nobody Loves Me $2
She Must and Shall Go Free $1
Take to the World $1
Nothing (Without You) $.50
Lover $1
Wedding Dress $2
Awake My Soul $1
Saint and Sinner $1
Beloved $2
Crooked Deep Down $1
The Church $1 TOTAL: $13.50
Band Members:
Derek Webb: Vocals, acoustic and electric guitar
Kenny Meeks: Acoustic and electric guitars, vocals
Matt Pierson: Bass
Garrett Buell: Drums and percussion
Sandra McCracken: Background vocals
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