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 | Mockingbird By: Derek Webb
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Our Comment Average Customer Review: 3.66666666667 out of 5 Rating: 5 Review By: clint wells I'm no Don Miller or Jars of Clay band member, but as a guy who really likes music and a guy who really struggles with what it means to both wait on Jesus' Kingdom and at the same time be part of the process of bringing it here, this record was an absolutely refreshing bit of art. I guess if there is a theme to the record as far as content goes, it would be social justice, or the lack there of, in the American church. As usual the indictments are aimed not just at the wider church but also at Derek himself and his own community...which always makes his harder messages more accessible to me. It is a very political record, sometimes calling out the right and sometimes calling out the left. As far as politics go, trying to follow this record is a lot like following Jesus, you find yourself among both camps...not just one. The music of the record is pretty sparse compared to the last record. Mostly 12-string acoustic guitars, piano, cello, and french horn. There is definitely an Elliot Smith/Beatles vibe about the arrangements. The parts are great and compliment the tracks well. Everything seems to be in it's right place. All in all, another fantastic record from Derek Webb. Rating: 3 Review By: rich I'm a huge fan of Derek Webb, and I like a lot of what he's done with this album, but in several cases, his thinking (in this album) is completely unbiblical. I don't want to believe it, but all the wrong people are recommending this album. How can Derek criticize the death penalty without leaving Scripture behind as his epistimelogical source? For someone whose music is so rooted in the Bible and it's themes, it was saddening for my wife and I to listen to this record. I'm fine with the whole "God is not a Republican" thing, but anyone could have written some of these songs. This is in large part merely a re-creation of currently popular themes, not of Biblical ones. If you want to be right in the eyes of the world, then celebrate this one with McClaren, etc. If you want to believe God's words, rather than the Vanity Fair's, then enjoy this one, but think critically about it. It does not seem to be the courageous truth-speak that I am used to from Derek. Rating: 3 Review By: dan glover There is some good stuff on this albumn, but overall I must agree with Rich's review. "Mockingbird" is a mixed bag. For a much richer albumn (musically and lyrically), check out Webb's "She Must and Shall Go Free". That is a far superior albumn in my estimation. |