zorrothepiking's Full Review: Hero by Daily Planet (Christian Rock)
Every once in a while, I come across a song that makes me thing "Dude! I have to get that album." This is pretty rare, though, as I usually wait until I can sample an album and decide if its worth buying. Daily Planet, though, performed the song Tangled Web during a Christian Awards show several years back, and I decided I needed it. Unfortunately, this is their first and only album, despite the great potential they show. Here's a bit about the band and my impressions of the album.
The Band
Daily Planet rose and fell before most even noticed them. I never heard any of their stuff on the radio, and I would have completely missed them had it not been for that show. They originally came together in Southern California, via shared classes at APU and word of mouth. Does the name Daily Planet remind you Superman? Well, it should. The name was pulled straight from a comic, which might just explain the title, right? They produced this album, hit a couple venues, and then disappeared.
The Album
For whatever reason, I don't find myself listening to this album very often. I guess it doesn't quite fall into my favorite genre. I'm more likely to pop in a switchfoot or RelienK album than Dailly Planet, but the reason I'm writing this (as opposed to a different album), is because I stuck this in and thought "You know, this is a great album. I should really review it." So here we are. Many things make this album stand out. If you don't own the album, you've probably never heard them. So what is the basic sound? Well, it most easily compares to Third Day. And I don't mean the mellow Third Day of Offerings, but more like the rocky Third Day of Come Together (mostly) or Time (somewhat). Now, mix in a bit of the playful rock sound that Audio Adrenaline features, and you'll basically be there. They also like to play with the effects, with some interesting background adds and some synth work. I also love the dynamics in this album, something critical to an enjoyable track (In my opinion) and often lacking in a debut rock album. But they don't just blast along. It's really well done, with a surprising instrumental maturity that is more impressive each time I listen to it.
The album kicks off Flying Bind, which is definitely one of my favorite of their songs. It has an old school Audio Adrenaline sound, which means it has a warbly organ in the background, supporting a dominant and distorted electric guitar. Just when you think you have this song figured out, they throw in a bridge that could be a perfect overlay for "Sweet Home Alabama". The vocals immediately stand out, with slight country twang that is more pronounced in some parts than others. I actually really like his voice. It has a nice sound to it, not sloppy or raspy like a lot of rock vocalists sport. The song itself is about surrendering whatever we are doing with God, which makes it very appropriate for the first song on a debut album. The chorus says:
You've got the lead, You've got the reins
I'm flying blind, so I'll just stay behind You
I've got the faith You'll take me there
I'm flying blind, a wing and prayer to guide me
I gotta give control, give control
To the Pilot of my soul
Following this is More to Life. It has a funky bass sound and a smooth and slow tempo. The bring out the organ again, giving it another old-school sound. The energy in this song is as high as some of the others, due in part to its pace. The vocals are expressive, and the band cranks it up on the chorus, but it never feels like they quite hit full force with this song. The bridge brings these way down is tone, and things kick right back in after. The message can be easily guessed from the title, which basically says that he's sure that life isn't as shallow as it feels, and that there must be more than living each "weekend to the next." Next comes Lost and Found, which is really awesome. It comes in with simple vocals and an acoustic guitar. Get to the end of the first verse, and the rest of the instruments come in strong. The feel is slow and throbbing, with a volume and energy that fluctuate throughout the song. The chorus seems to hit some sort of groove that brings it all together perfectly. This is probably because the verses are all minor while the chorus finally brings out that major chord we expect. They switch back and forth in a way that is surprisingly skillful, and keeps the song both highly dynamic and completely cohesive. I believe this is the first song where you get a taste of a bit of violin, which recurs throughout the album. Lost and Found is really a song of paradox, in which the artist struggles to understand the apparent contradictions he sees, including suffering children despite a loving God, hence the paradoxical "I am Lost and Found in you". Again, unusual maturity for a debut.
Woohoo! Next comes that hook song, Tangled Web. As soon as it kicks off you feel the energy. I have to admit this song less dynamic than others. The choruses are pretty flat both musically and vocally. Fortunately, the energy in the song is just so fantastic that I hardly notice. The vocals are loud and strong, the electric guitar is punchy and intermittent (making it great for adding emphasis) and there is a synth sound that adds a slightly ethereal feel, despite being repetitive. The composition of the song isn't that great, as you can see, but it's still a blast to listen to. Lyrically, it's about being what others need you to be (a hero) without losing who you are.
Everything Revolves Around You comes next, providing a really night transition to the slower part of the album. It's still a rock song, but it doesn't have the overwhelming electric sound or the yelling-esque vocals of some of the others. It's a bit slower and just really solid. So yeah, though this song doesn't particularly stand out, it is a good middle point between the first rockers and the end-album ballads.
And speaking of ballads, our next song is the the first and also happens to be one of my favorites. I'll admit, though, that I really like ballads. Most bands can crank out a passable rock song. A ballad can reall show some versatility and some vocal ability. This first one is Questioning the Notion, which draws my attention more for the use of instruments and the lyrics than a catchy melody, though it has that, too! There is a large contribution to this song by a strings section. It keeps the feel really smooth. They also keep the tempo moving, so it doesn't drag. For its typical solo, the electric guitar trades out its usual overdrive for a warm chorus effect. But on to the lyrics, which are what make this song so great. Here are both choruses (cuz I couldn't pick just one):
I've also wondered why across the map
Most of the people starve while few grow fat
And I too have found it hard to sleep
When three corners of the square will weep
And one will laugh and buy and eat and drink
I can't explain why helpless children pay
For all the careless sin their parents made
And I've found it hard to see how God is just
In a world decayed by selfish lust
When my faith and reason don't align, I'll trust
What a change! When most artists debut with songs of grace, love, and giddy stuff, Daily Planet is making a statement. It's something everyone wonders: if there is a God who is so great and loving, then why does all this happen. The answer they provide is simple and sincere. The say that they choose to trust, admitting that they only see "half the picture". After this comes Six String Rocketeer, which is a ballad that will hit close to home (literally) with many listeners. It's about a young man who is trying to escape from the sounds of his parents screaming at each other in the next room. In his case, he's using his guitar to get away, blasting off as a Six String Rocketeer. And with what music does he escape? Well, just check out this quirky and clever bridge:
I step on board as commander in chief
With Sgt. Pepper in military motif
We walk this ship and I nod with a grin
At my friends Gordon Sumner and Mudslide Slim
"Take me to the pilot," I demand
And they lead me to the Rocket Man
"Who's navigating?" I inquire
As Julio swoops down by the schoolyard
There my soul was as light as a feather
As the Piano Man had us all singing together
This bridge, thankfully, breaks up the relatively morose sentiments of the majority of the song. Then comes Hero, the title track. Finally, we are given an explanation for the album title. It sings about viewing a musician/artist as a hero and then finding out that they aren't deserving of that title, discovering he/she is a "self indulgent model of an egotistic human being." Basically warning listeners to focus on real heroes and not on cultural icons that are more egocentric than they are admirable. The song is back in the upbeat swing of earlier songs, but without the sharp rock edge. It moves pretty fast and has a lot of energy. Great title track. After this comes 3000 Miles Away, which calls itself a "sweet love song". It's about missing someone who is, well, you can guess how far away they are, right? It's a beautiful song, largely reduced to a smooth acoustic guitar and lead vocal. I find myself quoting more lyrics than I intended, but I can't pass these up. This, in essence, is how most verses go:
New Orleans could not find the groove
In Nashville the grass did not seem blue
And Denver did not seem more than three feet high
The Empire did not scrape the sky
And the White House seemed gray
When you're 3000 miles away
Clever, right? I thought so, too. Next comes Five. Now, you'll think one of two things when you hear this song. You'll find it either cute or stupid. After all, it kicks off with the words "When I get to heaven, I want to be a 5 year old forever". Now, I occasionally find it amusing, but I usually skip the song. This is the only song that I ever skip over on the album, but I really don't enjoy listening to it. It's about why he wants to be 5. I admit the music is fun, energetic, and poppy, but I just have to be in the right mood to listen to lines like "There's nothing I can't do when I have on my underoos". The album closes out on a ballad. Well, you have to be careful when doing that. You always want to end strong regardless of the type of song, right? Well, a rocker is usually a safe bet, and I think they probably should have gone with that. Instead, I Live is slow and mellow with very few dynamics and no parts that really stick out. Even the lyrics are kinda vanilla, with the classic "I live to see your face" type stuff. It's not that I don't appreciate the sentiment, but I think they could have ended stronger. This song deserves to be on the album, probably, as it is different than some of the others, but I think they should have ended on a stronger ballad or one of their early rockers.
Overall
I like the album. The Lyrics mean more to me than most artists, and the sound of the band is great. I love me some extra-caffeinated Third Day. So the message and most of the music is fantastic. But.... Five really doesn't do it for me and the ending is weak. If I feel the need to skip a song almost every time I hear the album, I just can't give it 5 stars. Sorry, fellas. It's too bad this was the band's only album, because they had a lot of potential, and I'd be buying their new stuff.
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