Ages ago, when I first began my little blog, I often liked reviewing the albums I was enjoying. It wasn't too long before I stopped doing that. Not really sure why, but it just didn't happen again. However, I've found in the past year or two that somewhere in me, there's still a desire to review. So, I recently saw an opportunity, now that one of my all-time favorite bands, Stellar Kart, is releasing their new album Everything Is Different Now on Tuesday, March 9th. The album has actually been available at live shows and the band's online store since September, but on the 9th, it will be available to the general public in all stores. The review begins...
Stellar Kart's newest album, Everything Is Different now, definitely lives up to its title, and in a very good way. I can see huge growth; musically, lyrically and spiritually, on this album. The band's raw, punk sound stayed for their first two albums, until they released their third, Expect The Impossible, when it changed to more of a "power-pop punk-rock" sound (as they used to call it). Now, don't get me wrong, ETI was a fine album, and whatever I say about it is just my personal opinion; no disrespect! ;-) A couple of Stellar Kart's biggest hits came from it (as well as some of my favorite Stellar Kart songs). However, I must confess that it was not my favorite Stellar Kart album. Again, I've always enjoyed listening to it, just not my favorite. Part of it, I think, was that it was such a far cry from everything else we'd ever heard from them before. A musical improvement, no doubt, but to me, it sounded in some ways like it was trying a wee bit too hard to be different and to reinvent (again, just what it looked like to me. I don't know the guys, so I don't know that that was really happening! I've also learned since then that an artist needs to be artistic). So, is there a point to everything I'm saying about Expect The Impossible when I'm supposed to be reviewing a completely different album? The point is, I feel like Everything Is Different Now combines all the best parts of Expect The Impossible with the best parts of the first two albums, which did need some growth. Everything Is Different Now, to me, is a very balanced album. It does have a different sound from Stellar Kart's earlier material, but it's undeniably Stellar Kart. They definitely went back to their roots on this one, but progressed quite a bit at the same time. As cheesy as it sounds, I'm proud of them.
Everything Is Different Now opens with the fresh and upbeat worship song "All My Heart," which is a perfect introduction to the album, giving a pretty good idea of the things to come. Next comes a cover of the Steve Fee worship classic "We Shine," which is Stellar Kart's first single from this album. Now, some might have a problem with the fact that half of the album is made of covers. I'm not usually into a bunch of covers all being on one album, however, I think that it seemed to work out pretty well in this case. I think that the songs they've chosen to cover, as well as the new ones they wrote, express where they are as artists and as people. Some songs seem to be done as a tribute to the original artist or just for fun, and then there are well-known worship songs; the previously mentioned "We Shine" and Matt Redman's "You Never Let Go."
Musically, the title song seems to pick up where "Hold On" left off on the band's sophomore album We Can't Stand Sitting Down (not saying it's a copy or anything, just has a similar styles, mixing and harmonizing). In my opinion, it's one of Stellar Kart's best songs to date. I can definitely see it becoming the next radio single very soon. You would never know it if you've only heard their more upbeat songs, but the band has always made fantastic ballads, and that definitely shows on this album. One song I think will be popular among devoted fans and new listeners is "It's Not Over," a hopeful, encouraging, very acoustic guitar-based song, featuring a lyrical collaboration with Chasen Callahan, frontman of the band Chasen (known for their hit "Crazy Beautiful.") The album's closer "Like The Sun" is a piano-driven ballad that mildly resembles the gentler moments on Expect The Impossible in some parts. One of the greatest lyrical stand-outs and most worshipful moments on the album is "Rescue," made noticeable to me by a very enthusiastic, Gospel-centered lyric, co-written with a few members of Hillsong United (I think I heard it was with them; don't quote me on it). It keeps the classic Stellar Kart "power-pop/punk-rock" sound with an upbeat tempo, bright, crunchy guitar hooks and buzzing synths. With such worshipful lyrics, I would be surprised if it doesn't make it on the worship setlists of various Church youth groups.
Now, there is one song of which I've only heard about 20 seconds, and am looking forward to hearing in full-length. It seems that since the album was first being released at concerts, there are going to be a few minor adjustments, one of which is a song called "Something Holy," which was not on the earliest version of the album, the version I bought in September (I'm assuming the other adjustments will not be on the CD itself but on the packing, where the track list on the back of the case had mixed up the order of a few songs, and in the insert, where an old draft lyric was printed instead of the final one...I think the latter will actually be a gem to fans who bought the early version of the album, giving them the feeling of seeing a small "behind the scenes" featurette). The very little I heard of the song had what sounded like Owl City influence and seemingly good lyrics, so my plan is to buy it on iTunes the second the album officially releases ;-)
Overall, Everything Is Different Now is a huge step of growth in many ways for Stellar Kart, and I believe it will give them a broader appeal than they've had in the past, but without compromising the band's signature sound. I can see them gaining more fans and attention from the industry and from music listeners overall when this album gets out. As a fan, a music-lover and a Christian, I certainly hope that happens. My hope that people will not only enjoy the music, but be encouraged and moved by the lyrics as well. For that very reason, I highly recommend that you check out the album, and if you like it, buy it!
Where to buy:
Stellar Kart's store - MusiChristian - Amazon
