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 Both
sides of The Debate That May Never End now have new evidence to
support their claims. The question arousing so much discussion in
Mormon bookstores from coast to coast is a familiar one: Does LDS
music finally sound contemporary?
The
obvious answer after listening to "Stand in the Light - EFY
2004" is "yes," but a proper assessment of current
LDS music offerings needs further review. As far as inspirational
LDS music has come in production and songwriting quality in the
last 10 years, we still have to ask if it has been far enough. If
this is the best of the best (it doesn't see too far-fetched to
suggest that Tyler Castleton and Staci Peters represent the most
polished stand-outs in the LDS songwriting community), is it enough
to compel youth to fork out $18.99 a pop?
Interestingly,
one look at Tyler's name in the credits quickly polarizes listeners.
He has drawn legions of fans to his crystal-pop sound, but not everyone
goes for it. The popularity of the Halestorm movie soundtracks is
ample evidence; they are favorites among alternative music lovers.
The head of CES Youth and Family Programs once said that producing
an EFY album is a nearly impossible task because of the daunting
threat of trying to please tens of thousands of youth who have very
different musical tastes. Stake dance deejays have the same challenge,
but at least they can spin tunes for three hours.
EFY
collections have always been more difficult to review because of
their sentimental ties. Youth save up their summer cash to spend
a week feeling the spirit and meeting life-long friends. The music
is one of the few tokens they can keep to evoke those memories year
after year. I'd be hard pressed to comply if you asked me to objectively
evaluate EFY collections from the years I attended - Sharing the
Light, Return With Honor, Living the Legacy, et al. They're classics
to me, but similar-sounding collections from later years barely
register on my radar.
Regardless,
it's fairly easy to say that this album is closing the gap between
the sounds of contemporary LDS music and pop music in general. I
happened to listen to the 2004 Grammy Nominee CD this afternoon,
and a handful of tracks on "Stand In the Light" sound
very similar to what's on the "secular" airwaves today.
It's
nice to hear some new voices, even if there's a good indication
that at least two of them are directly related. Mindy and Dustin
Gledhill take turns singing two of the more reserved piano ballads,
"Child of Light" and "One Voice." Michael Webb
takes lead vocals on the title track, a sing-along with smooth synth
beats. "His Love" by Jake Rau is barely distinguishable
from a host of acoustic guitar ballads of years gone by. It is equal
parts Doug Walker and John McVey.
April
Messervy picks up the pace in the shockingly-pleasant-but-hardly-creatively-named
"The Light." It's peppy and filled with hooks, making
it difficult to ignore as a highlight of the album. Webb's second
number, "I Was Made," slows the pace back down to ensure
that the album remains appropriate for Sabbath listening. Relative
newcomer Rachel Thibodeau shares another touching piano ballad in
"Here to Be." Katherine Nelson shows why her voice is
synonymous with the word "hymn" in her rendition of "Abide
With Me, 'Tis Eventide." Jericho Road takes the baton from
Messervy in the danceable "See the Light."
It's
a treat to hear veteran Hilary Weeks lend her passionate vocals
to "Follow the Light," a Savior-centered ode co-written
by Don Stirling and Sam Cardon. Jericho Road-ite Dave Kimball goes
solo on "Calling You," which sounds remarkably like Michael
W. Smith's warm ballads from the early 90's. Jenny Frogley concludes
with the poignant anthem "These Are the Days."
Speaking
on behalf of both the faithfully devoted and the hopelessly cynical
is impossible. At times I am in both camps. I don't know how well
I represent the hundreds of thousands of Saints who enjoy contemporary
LDS music. I tend to feel both ways when listening to an album like
this. I want to tell the producers, songwriters, performers and
all others involved that they put together a solid CD that represents
a snapshot of today's LDS inspirational music with some authentic
gems. And I don't have the heart to follow that comment by admitting
that it is starting to gather a rather copious layer of dust on
my shelf.
------------------------
Jared
Johnson
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