Music Review: Count the Cost by David Meece

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Fun music and great lyrics

Cons: Only if you don't like 80's pop

The Bottom Line:

Music is dated

But the lyrics still hold up

Thirty years later

Great 80's Christian Pop

I didn't discover David Meece's music until the early 90's. Ironically, that was just as his career was ending. But I made a point of going back and tracking down his work, and it was well worth it

Count The Cost was originally released in 1983 and was David's sixth studio release. It combines praise to God with some very honest reflections on his life.

This disc opens with "Gloria." Actually, it opens with the sound of rushing wind before a synthesizer and some drums come in. David is a classically trained pianist, so all of his music is heavy on the piano, keyboard of synthesizer. This is a pure praise song. And there's a kid's choir doing most of the backup singing. It's a great, upbeat way to start out the album.

That song's brother track is later in the album. "Today is the Day" is another fun upbeat song. It's a combination of praise and encouragement that reminds us to rejoice because Jesus is risen. Like that first track, it's heavy on the synthesizer and drums.

While these two tracks are great and fun, one reason I love this disc so much is the honesty of so many of the tracks. I really do feel like I could have written many of them. Take "Falling Down." It's a pure confession song as he confesses his many failures in life. No, he doesn't actually name them. But still, the confession is refreshing. But what makes this song so great is that it is so fun. It's got a fast beat. In fact, there are times I wonder how he gets all those words sung. It makes you feel good about confessing. While the majority of the track has that synthesizer and drums again, the song actually starts with David showing some of this piano background by including a riff on a Sonata by Mozart.

This song has a companion as well in the final song on the disc. "Replace it with Your Love" is a ballad prayer confessing areas of weakness and asking for God's spirit to come in instead. It's got a great mix of keyboard, drums, and strings.

There are quite a few other slow songs on here, too, and I absolutely love all of them. Keyboard is the backbone of "Making My Life Brand New." In it, David discusses the struggles in his life before Christ and offers his thanks for his new life.

"I Don't Know What I'd Do Without You" is a beautiful ballad about the strength that Jesus can give to a life. It's mainly a duet between piano and keyboard, but strings join in at times. The result is beautiful.

"And You Know it's Right" is a challenge to non-Christians. I can easily picture him singing this song at the end of concerts as an altar call. The verses are slow and quiet, but the song picks up a little speed along with volume on the chorus.

Then there's the song I love just because of how fun it is. "Some People They Never Believe" takes a serious subject and interjects some fun into it. It's got just a hint of jazz feel to it. With each verse, he describes a miracle in the Bible, but reminds us that not everyone believed after they'd seen that. It starts softly with percussion, but builds a little with every verse. It's much louder by the end, with keyboard playing with the percussion. The only thing I still don't get about this song is the verse order. The first verse is about Moses while the second discusses Noah. Yet they lived in the reverse order. But that's just me being nit picky.

Now remember earlier when I said this CD was from 1983. After just one song you could have figured that out on your own. True, the slower songs are fairly timeless. But the more upbeat songs have a definite 80's pop feel to them. I'm sure that will be a turn off to some people. Personally, I never minded. The songs are fun and the lyrics are great. That's what I want most in my music.

So if you can stand some good old 80's pop, it's worth hunting down this CD. Count The Cost has some fun, uplifting, and encouraging messages for you.

CD Length: 38:56

Tracks:

1. Gloria

2. Making My Life Brand New

3. Falling Down

4. Pressing On

5. Some People They Never Believe

6. Count the Cost

7. I Don't Know What I'd Do Without You

8. Today is the Day

9. And You Know It's Right

10. Replace It With Your Love