STYLE: Rock RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 127664-19652 LABEL: Reunion 602341016322 FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1 RELEASE DATE: 2012-08-01 RRP: £9.99
Reviewed by Tony Cummings
Florida's Tenth Avenue North have established themselves as one of the most popular new acts to emerge in CCM in the last few years and this, their fourth full length album, shows they've lost none of their winning ways with memorable pop rock hooks. There's a nice blend between the atmospheric (especially on the intros to the songs) and the energetic (those guitars) while the lyrics leave no doubt as to the object of the band's devotion. Musically there are some great touches here, particularly the work of keyboard whiz Brendon Shirley while the best tracks include "Losing" with its theme of needing to forgive those who have done us wrong, and the closer "Lamb Of God" which is as good a piece of congregation-stirring modern worship as you'll hear. The fact that a total of five tracks have been selected for Cross Rhythms radio play says much about the album's quality and shows Tenth Avenue North are a band still able to connect with a large crowd of churchgoers.
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Product Description
Tenth Avenue North's third album - recorded live on tour - explores themes of forgiveness, redemption, and grace. Says lead vocalist Mike Donehey. "We are free to struggle, but don't need to struggle to be free. It's about the permission to struggle but also a challenge not to stay there."
After two highly acclaimed albums, Tenth Avenue North takes a bold creative leap forward on The Struggle. Recorded live in cities along the band's tour route, the songs explore themes of forgiveness, redemption and grace.
"We really fostered the dance of both the music and the lyric while thematically unpacking the idea of what it means to struggle" says lead vocalist Mike Donehey. "We are free to struggle, but don't need to struggle to be free. It's about the permission to struggle but also a challenge not to stay there." With The Struggle the band offers up lyrically substantive songs people have come to expect from Tenth Avenue North.