The Echoing Green: "Supernova"

Title: Supernova
Category: Dance/Pop
Artist/Group: The Echoing Green
Rating: 4 / 5
I became a fan of The Echoing Green (EG) with their 1998 CD The Echoing Green. Ever since then, I was on the lookout for the latest EG disc in Christian bookstores, but it was hard to come by (this was before I was aware of their website). This CD is well worth the wait. But before I get to the music review itself, let me tell you a few things about Echoing Green's founder, Joey Belville ('Joey B'), as I was curious about Joey B, the person, and his motto "Defend Your Joy".

EG began in the spring of 1991 by Joey Belville ('Joey B') with Aaron Bowman. Aaron departed the following year, and Joey B has been the creative force of the band ever since. Current members include Chrissy Franklin (vocals), Jesse Dworak (programming) and David Adams (drums, programming).

Joey B describes his music as "aggressive smile-pop." A relentlessly cheerful individual, he's been cranking out his unique brand of electronic music close to a decade, gaining EG an extremely large and devout following.
Joey's cheerful demeanor did not always come easy. His mother passed away when Joey was seven years old, and his father moved around a lot to find work. Joey spent weeks at a time with family friends, and wound up living on a boys' ranch for his junior high and high school years. "This was hard for me," Joey recalls, "because I thought the things that I was going through weren't supposed to happen to 'normal' people. I resented God for taking my mother away. But, the angrier I was, the more He revealed Himself to me."
Joey says he had to hit rock bottom before he could recognize that God wanted to help and not hurt him. "I realized that only Christ could quench my insatiable thirst for purpose in life, as well as provide a reprieve from the aches of my past. I had some incredible people praying everyday for me to get right with God. One night I went to a Foursquare Church in Albuquerque and laid it all down. It was rad."

The title track is called "Supernova" and it delivers in its attempt to bring a space age intro to the CD, perhaps what the movie sound track to "2001 Space Odyssey" should have sounded. True to it's title, the song later kind of "explodes" and really kicks in. The visual theme of the CD is also in line with the title cut. It's a giant radar dish, a hugh listening post pointed to the stars (like a giant ear), waiting expectatantly for the answers. "There's a piece of my mind that tries to fathom the stars; or to contemplate the divine; don't need to look very far; when You bring me the reasons just to believe; You bring me answers I can't conceive; how can I bring You doubt when; You bring me the sky?" The music on this CD can be characterized as techno-synth-pop rock, a cornocopia of sampling and programming, sometimes with echos of childhood innocence, othertimes mature hard edge rhythms.

The space age theme continues in the CD in the form of space anntena menu selections, radar 'beeping sounds', etc. This CD is further "enhanced" with: a music video, poster art, lyrics sheet to all the songs, an interview, and many others. This is a necessary trend. We now have better computers, DVD's, PM3 players, minidisc players, and so on. Artists have to give incentives to get people to BUY their CDs -- as opposed to one individual buying one CD and then burning them for "ministry purposes" for distribution to small group members.... I guess you can tell where I stand on this issue....Die Napster! Die!

The video on the CD reveals Joey B, the man: slightly over-weight, kind-of-plain-looking (sorry, Joey B). This is not the image of a hip Contemporaty Christian Artist. Not really a marketable face/body-type. Could this be the reason why EG is not signed to a major Christian label? Hmmm.... Let me know what you think on the message board.

Back to the music.

I'm probably revealing my sapping side, but one of my favs' on this CD is "Waterfall", featuring melodramatic sounding (re: 80's sounding) keyboards. Sappy, yes. But it's also simple and clean. It's refreshing. It's the gospel. It's about how the good news offers forgivness and hope. "You replace my sorrow; with a hope of tomorrow; and the coming of light...Your whispering grace; the tears on Your face; filling this sea of forgiveness."

Finally, there IS a relationship between EG and 'Anything Box'. "Jubilation" , written by Claude S (a member of Anything Box), proves it. Re-mixed, but still very recognizable, it's been given a harder edge by some heavy guitars.

Over all, a good electronic rock CD. Musically not as daring as their 1998 release, The Echoing Green, but very satisfying. I give it a 4/5.

On a side note: EC's website, EchoCentral.com, (as well as the CD cover) is pure eye candy, and allows fans to listen to their new releases before they hit the stores. If you're an artist without a major record company distributing your music, this is the way to go. May your website "live long and prosper, and enjoy many hits." Also check out EG's MP3 site for free downloads and streaming.

Discagraphy:
Defend Your Joy, 1994
Aurora 7.2, 1995
Science Fiction, 1996
Hope Springs Eternal, 1997
The Echoing Green, 1998
Eclectronica, 1998
If I could, 1999
Glimmer of Hope, 1999 (Live)
Evergreen Collection 1999, (Greatest Hits)
She's Gone Tragic, 2000

Mark
Kim
3/18/01

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