Music Review: What Light is All About by Alathea

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Strong lyrics and a unique sound make stand out

Cons: Disc takes a little getting used to; "My Family"

The Bottom Line:

Needed time to grow

But as I kept listening

I grew to love it

Alathea Delivers a Disc Like Nothing Else.  And I Love It!

Back in the late 90's and early 00's, Rocketown Records could do no wrong as far as I was concern.  The brain child of Christian music legend Michael W. Smith turned out one great artist after another that I still listen to quite regularly.  When they announced they would release a CD from Alathea, I was skeptical at best, but I blindly bought What Light Is All About.  I quickly grew to appreciate it and still enjoy listening to it.

Alathea (a Greek word pronounced ah-LAY-thee-uh and meaning "Truth")was a trio at the time this CD came out.  They had already released two independent CD's.  For some reason, this is still the only one I have.

I'll be perfectly honest, I don't like this CD the first time I heard it.  The music is described as Root.  I have no idea what that means.  I've also heard it described as "Oh Brother" (the George Clooney film) meets Nickel Creek.  I saw the movie once a decade ago and have heard maybe two or three songs from Nickel Creek.  Yep, not helping me either.

Here's how I would describe it.  Equal parts Country and Folk with a touch of Pop to keep it from sounding too twangy.  Frankly, I wouldn't expect much more from a trio who live in a cabin in Tennessee.  When the fiddle gets going or the mandolin or harmonica come in, you can't deny the Country.  But it never gets so over done it will turn off non-Country fans like me.  The biggest help to me is that the vocals never dip into an heavy accent.  That's the part of Country I dislike the most.  Plus with all the guitar and piano and strong lyrics, it becomes just one more element to the disc.

And the lyrics are fun, and bright.  They quote from Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek at one point in the linear notes, and that comes through at times.  For example, the first track is "Indian Creek."  It opens with some strings and a very Countrified feel, but then the guitar and vocals come in, and the Pop touches take over.  The song talks about finding and communing with God in nature.

In a similar vein, "Hike to Maine" uses a long trek as a metaphor for working toward your dreams.  The images truly make the theme come alive in a fresh new way.  The fiddle and banjo that join the guitar and piano definitely make for some fun Countrish moments.

"Faithful One" is one of my favorite songs on the disc.  It's a praise song to God for never changing.  And yes, it talks about struggles, both of times of doubting but also times of strong faith during trials.  There's a light banjo in this mostly upbeat song.

Clarinet provides a haunting background for "I Will Walk," a song of commitment to God.  The song itself is very slow and meditative.   Similarly themed, "Always" is more upbeat, but it is also more of a prayer to always follow God.  And for a reflection on the simple joys of life, look no further than "Smile on Me."

The ladies take their style to the classic song "O Love that Will not Let Me Go."  Here, they titled it "O Love..."  The lyrics are the same as the hymn except for a chorus that repeats "O love that will not let me go" three times in a row.  This song has the most twang you'd hear in the vocals, but their harmonies on the chorus are outstanding.  It's much more upbeat than I remember the hymn being, almost a celebration of God's love for us.  And the fiddle solo before the third verse is fun.

"Emmanuel" is a Christmas song.  It starts off with simple piano but adds beautiful strings as it progresses.  The verses talk about the Wise Men and the Shepherds while the chorus reminds us that Emmanuel means "God with us."  It's a beautiful song.  I would love to have a copy of it on a Christmas CD.

The most honest tracks on the disc come back to back.  "Broken Down" is a tad slower with a beautiful cello as a featured instrument.  The lyrics make such confesses as "I have brushed up my act, but I'm still an orphan in rags trying to look her best" or "I have put my hand to the plow, but my spirit was barely in it."  Yet the chorus reminds us that Jesus will fix all our problems.

"Runaway Heart" is a guitar heavy mid-tempo song with vocals that were obvious sung with a smile.  All this betrays the seriousness of the lyrics which talk about someone who has been willingly led away by sin and regrets it.  I love the bridge on this one.  "If you left the 99/She wouldn't be hard to find/So rescue this runaway."

About the only song I never have completely warmed up to is "My Family."  This one brings in the harmony and fiddle along with the guitar.  The lyrics talk about how much we need each other to grow in this life.  But somehow, it comes across as a little too cheesy.  I enjoy it now more than I did originally, but it's still the weak link.

That one blemish aside, this disc still provides 10 solid hits.  And, truth be told, I enjoy the style as something different.

So if you want something a little different for your collection, track down a copy of Alathea's What Light Is All About.

CD Length: 41:42

Tracks:

1. Indian Creek

2. Faithful One

3. I Will Walk

4. Smiled on Me

5. O Love...

6. Emmanuel

7. Broken Down

8. Runaway Heart

9. Hike to Maine

10. Always

11. My Family