Reviews
Reviewed by Robin Parrish, CM Central
Back Home represents the next stage in Caedmon's Call's evolution and it is a change that is at once both obvious and inventive. The formula goes something like this: taking the experiences the seven band members have gained over the years from recording their first four albums, which started with them producing themselves and then progressed into various musical experimentations with different producers, they've now taken the sum of their experiences and gone back to the beginning, producing themselves and trusting their own instincts once again. The result is not unlike Jars of Clay's similar full-circle journey on The Eleventh Hour: an experienced, mature sense of total creative freedom.
Back Home was basically recorded by the septet entering the studio and squeezing their various talents and musical tastes together until the cream rose to the top. Each of the thirteen tracks took on a life of its own, and shows influences from both the group's early days of stripped-down acoustic goodness and the more creative ventures of recent years. Basically, whatever a song called for, musically, is what it got. And what we get is delicious variety.
Perhaps the biggest surprise here is the almost complete absence of songwriting by Caedmon's two lead songwriters: Derek Webb (guess he wanted to save his stuff for his upcoming solo debut) and longtime co-writer Aaron Tate. They both contribute to one track ("Beautiful Mystery"), but the remaining twelve songs come from other band members or friends like Randall Goodgame, Sandra McCracken, Andrew Peterson, Steve Hindalong, Marc Byrd, and others. The result of this influx of new songwriters is perhaps a more pop-friendly sound, but don't worry -- this is still Caedmon's Call. The lyrical landscape is broad and deep, touching on diverse pieces of the Christian life experience, but all based around themes of trying to reason one's way through human existence.
Highlights include the worshipful "Walk With Me" and the captivating "The High Countries," based on imagery from C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce. Both songs were written by Sandra McCracken, and both are sung by Danielle Young, who does a great job with her soft, ethereal vocals. The percussion on "Hands of the Potter" conjures memories of 40 Acres' "Thankful," while Derek Webb crackles his way through the creative key changes and beautiful message of "The Emptiest Day," which is about desperation, and was written by band member Joshua Moore (who makes his presence more known this time, with increased songwriting and various other credits) and band friend Matthew Perryman Jones. Middle Eastern sounds permeate the metaphorical "The Kingdom," another contribution from Moore, about his own reaction to an experience where he first noticed idols he'd built up in his own life.
Yes, it's incredibly deep, but it's remarkably accessible. Perhaps that's Caedmon's Call's greatest talent: bringing highbrow theological concepts to the masses in four-minute nuggets of easily digestible truth. In an age when music is all-too-often cobbled together from artificiality, it's always refreshing to come across anyone dosing out true, genuine creativity and self expression. Back Home will satisfy your need for great-sounding new music while feeding your noggin with tasty, intelligent brainfood. On Back Home, Caedmon's Call epitomizes the level of artistry, intelligence, and maturity that all musicians should strive for.
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