FESTIVAL: RETURN TO BLACK STUMP

On a wet and rainy weekend, what else would you rather be doing than camping out, listening to bands, hearing great teaching, eating 'Baptist' doughnuts and hanging out with three thousand of your closest friends?

     For those lucky enough to go, that’s exactly what was done earlier this month at Appin, an hour south of Sydney, at the Black Stump Festival.

     After the relocation and then cancellation of the festival last year, some were tentative to return but the faithful, “hardcore” stumpers returned with vengeance to revive this great event.

     Stump is always presents a multicultural, inter-denominational and varied event with many bands we know of today getting their first gig at past festivals which spring-boarded their careers in the music industry.

     JILL CAVENAGH returns to Black Stump...  | more... |

REVIEW: SEASONS MAKE A STRONG DEBUT WITH A MOMENT OF CLARITY

17th August, 2011

JILL CAVENAGH

Album: A Moment of Clarity

Artist:  Seasons

Year: 2011
Label: Waterfront Records

In A Word: Promising

It’s a far catch cry from television singing competitions but one of Sydney’s latest Christian music offerings is anything but out of tune, clichéd and cringe worthy.

Formed in Sydney in 2010 via the marvels of social media, this band has sprung onto the Christian Music scene in a large way appearing with Switchfoot, Evermore and Stan Walker in addition to television and radio appearances. From Dust, the fifth track on their debut EP A Moment of Clarity was also picked up on a promotional trailer for Law & Order.

The quality of sound produced by Seasons stands out from others in both the recording and live contexts having played at both smaller venues and the larger festival scene.

The vocals are a given talent with the lead, Hayley Jensen, having plenty of experience prior to joining with Sam Young (guitars), Pete Wright (drums) and Daniel Tucker (bass) after placing fourth in series two of Australian Idol. Her voice easily traverses the register which is likened to American rock outfit Paramore and they described their sound as “alternative rock” in a recent interview on Hope 1032 radio station.

The guitars, drums and bass are no less dramatic providing a full, driving and intense sound heard in The Road (based on Matthew 7), which is then contrasted with the track From Dust.

One of the great personal characteristics of the band is the way they acknowledge the responsibility and influence they possess whie in the public eye, wanting to be “positive role models” and provide a message of hope to youth as opposed to one of negative feelings and hopelessness which can sometimes consume the genre of alternative rock.

The rest of 2011 and early 2012 promises to be busy and exciting for the band with appearances nationally and internationally at The Big Exo Day, The Blackstump Music Festival and Parachute Festival in New Zealand. I’m sure that with the positive attitude they exude, passion for music and God at the centre, this new band can make it to the heights of the music whilst keeping their feet on solid ground.

SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE REVIEWS...

Your Say

Discuss this article. Name: Message: Enter your name and message to make a comment. Due to recent spam problems, all messages are moderated and may take 24 hours to appear.

PAST MUSIC REVIEWS:

HERE IS LOVE FROM A "VERY PASSIONATE COLLECTIVE"

Bethel music seems to have something rare in the American praise and worship scene; it’s the raw kind of music you’d expect out of Aussie or Kiwi churches.  It has a sense of urgency to it, the vocals are all quite intense, the bands are just that bit sonically thinner than most and live really does seem, well, live!

     With leaders out the front like Chris Quilala, Kim Walker Smith and Kristene Mueller, you’ll hear less than predictable pop voices.  There’s no wall of sound vocal approach here - the band even seems too small for the modern palate - but perhaps that’s why it works for so many listeners.

     There’s a distinct lack of pretence here which honestly makes their music much easier to like or dislike. It actually sits outside the Christian contemporary music radio world nicely and therefore allows itself to fit into a genre that’s much smaller than the radio praise and worship. It’s probably indie-rock really, but really, it’s just something, well, different. Different is good. Right? 

     JUSTIN MICHAEL listens to the Bethel Live's Here Is Love... | more... |

NEWSBOYS BORN AGAIN AMID THE MEMORIES OF 1997

I think I’ve been to this gig before - it was 1997, there was a band called newsboys and a band called DC Talk. One was bouncing about with alien ears asking "Take me to your leader", the other was introducing the idea that being a Jesus Freak could be a good thing. And suddenly 2010 brings it all flooding back. 

     We’ve seen the tour, heard the sound, understood the melodies are bigger than the members and the ministry continues. The back cover of the Australian release disc features a pic of the newly appointed lead vocalist, DC Talk’s Michael Tait, out front of the newsboys in Toowoomba, Australia, rockin' the Easterfest crowd.  Basically, for these boys it’s business as usual. No more Peter Furler out the front, a newly refurbished vocal harmony set, some curious rock dissonances reminiscent of something Supernatural and the show goes on.

     JUSTIN MICHAEL finds the newsboys' latest reminiscent of the concerts past... | more... |

A 'NEAT' DISC FOR OSTEEN FANS

If you’re an Osteen fan you already own this album, if you have no idea what an Osteen fan is you still may have a case to own this album. No, Joel and Victoria don’t sing on this one, this seems to be more like a companion disc to the rest of church's output.

     Writers like Chris Tomlin, Israel Houghton (This Is His Church), Peter Furler, Steve Taylor and even Bill and Gloria get a gig on this one (that’s Gaither for the uninitiated).

     It’s slick, well-produced modern church tunes led by voices that are very familiar these days in Cindy Ratcliff and Israel Houghton. Don’t let the ‘slick’ thing worry you though - it’s just the kind of thing the US does well, very accessible, poppy and yes, even honest!

     JUSTIN MICHAEL enjoys Lakewood Church's Hope For Today Worship... | more... |

FOR MORE PAST MUSIC REVIEWS... | more... |

It's a new feature to add another dimension to your Sight experience. Sight Soundbites are small audio files that you can download to hear interview excerpts and our contributors talk on a range of subjects.

      Click the link to hear JUSTIN MICHAEL talking about his top five albums for 2006... | more... |