The Nehemiah Band is a relatively new band based out of sunny Southern California and has been steadily building a pretty strong buzz over the past couple years. Having only heard a few snippets of their music including their goofy but fun TV show medley, I was intrigued to check out their material when their first full length album Break of Dawn was released at the end of August last year. (Yes, I know I’m late, but get used to it cause the next bunch of reviews are all going to be from around the same time frame) Their style can kind of be summarized as a mixture of Jason Mraz, David Crowder Band, Matt Redman and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Additionally, their music is undoubtedly and whole heartedly inspired by and about the Christian faith. With that said I’m sure this will cause some of you to be more interested, and some of you less. Regardless of religious stance, they have proven to be a capable group of musicians but the question is can they make a good album?
I’ve had a good 4 months to listen to and digest the album and so without further ado I present you with the review.
Words – I really like the musical elements of this track. It’s almost like a more mellow version of Sugarray. By incorporating catchy pop-rock with some scratching and spiritual-minded lyrics TNB seems to have crafted a winning formula and this is a pretty good representation of what to expect on the rest of the album. Only thing I wasn’t feeling is the mixdown of the vocals, it was a bit rough.
Fadeaway J – This track is a continuation of ‘Words’ only sans vocals. Watch out for the drum solos and instrumental breakdowns throughout. Reminds us we are dealing with a group of very talented musicians as well.
To Do it My Way – Mike chooses to mix in some melodic rapping on the verses (think a rougher, slower version of Bone Thugs) along with the more traditional singing for the hook. Once again, soundscape wise this song presents a lot to like, especially the way the guitars are incorporated. The rapping is actually pretty solid too. The whole thing comes off as earnest and real, which is something a lot of songs are lacking these days. The reprise at the end is executed very well, almost reminds me of something Lifehouse would do.
Dream Again – As the vocals once again straddle the line between the rap and singing, the track kind of evokes a vibe similar to what it would sound like if the Red Hot Chili Peppers wrote a Christian praise song. But like most praise songs, the lyrics, although uplifting, are a bit vague. In that way it gives the song more breadth but less depth. It would make a great song for the Church but maybe not quite so much for the individual.
I Can Hear the Sound of a Coming Rain and the Earth is About to Shake – This track has by far the longest title but ironically the shortest length on the album. Clocking in just over 30 seconds it is more of a reprise to ‘Dream Again’. Not sure it needed to be a separate track though it is a great way to close out the previous song.
Closer – This song has a Matt Redman type of quality to it. It’s simple in it’s structure, lyrics and presentation. The electric guitar really brings the track out. I can also see this song being utilized in a Worship type of setting. It’s not quite so much a full song as it is an extended interlude. I did like the lyrics though as it offers a perspective on faith not quite so often expressed in many Worship songs.
To the Fatherless – TNB puts on their story telling hats for this song and do a pretty commendable job. They spin the tale of two individuals in need of affirmation and finding that in their faith. I wished they lengthened the song and explored the character’s more because there’s a lot of potential here that never really gets fleshed out. Instead everything is kind of glossed over and given a “cookie-cutter” answer. Musically the song is well done but lyrically it seems a little incomplete.
I Live – This song is very poetically written but also remains a bit vague, once again I imagine done so for the sake of accessibility. The (Rhodes?) keyboard sounds add such a great touch adding a slight vintage touch. This song is almost like a hymn, updated with a more current sound. Instrumentation is really top notch, but I’m not 100% sure it’s always connected to the writing.
1 Thru 7 – The song starts off with a guitar riff similar to Justin Timberlake’s ‘Like I Love You’. This track is pretty unconventional in structure, writing and arrangement. I commend them for trying something new and fresh that sounds great but is a little heart to completely buy into. There a bunch of exciting elements in here that kind of get lost in the crazy mix.
Triple Reverse Phsycology – I really like this track. I think this is a pretty good example of where all the elements come together seamlessly. The lyrics are a bit thought provoking and instrumentation wise the song hits the right balance of catchy and complex. I really like the chorus as it connects all of the verses (both sung and rapped) well. The rap verse at the end is well written, but mixed in kind of harshly and seems a little out of place, though thematically I can understand why it’s there.
Press Into You – This song is arranged very well. You can tell it’s been really refined and rehearsed over time because its great mixture of beauty and simplicity. This track kind of reminds me of bits and pieces of a lot of contemporary praise songs I’ve heard over the years without borrowing too heavily from any one of them. Most of all it just feels genuine and pure. One of my favorites and a great way to close out the album.
Conclusion:
TNB set out to make a very ambitious album that would allow them to remain true to their eclectic musical style while exploring the often underrepresented nuances of the Christian church and faith as a whole. With Break of Dawn they did an admirable job of accomplishing that feat but did tend to execute the former better than the latter. Admittedly, I think I might be more critical of this release than I am of some others simply because I fully support their effort and mission and believe they have so much potential. From a musical standpoint the album is nearly flawless, offering a great blend of styles that remain engaging yet easy-going at the same time. As instrumentalists, the folks of TNB are extremely talented and they create rich, full sounding tracks. From a lyrical stand point I feel like they were so close yet so far in hitting their mark for spiritual depth and exploration. Although the writing is more than adequate, I don’t think it dove into the subjects nearly as much as it could have, instead only hinting at various themes and aspects of the faith. If they had fleshed out some of the writing a little more, and given their songs a little more room to grow I believe they could have had the excellent, thought provoking, challenging album they likely set out to make. So then how can I sum up Break of Dawn? Don’t get me wrong, I like the album, I really do, and I also recommend it. But I very much wanted to love it, but I’m not quite there yet. I’m looking forward to what their next effort will bring but in the mean time The Nehemiah Band has brought us an album that is great to listen to and presents some interesting thoughts, though they don’t fully see them through to completion.
TNB set out to make a very ambitious album that would allow them to remain true to their eclectic musical style while exploring the often underrepresented nuances of the Christian church and faith as a whole. With Break of Dawn they did an admirable job of accomplishing that feat but did tend to execute the former better than the latter. Admittedly, I think I might be more critical of this release than I am of some others simply because I fully support their effort and mission and believe they have so much potential. From a musical standpoint the album is nearly flawless, offering a great blend of styles that remain engaging yet easy-going at the same time. As instrumentalists, the folks of TNB are extremely talented and they create rich, full sounding tracks. From a lyrical stand point I feel like they were so close yet so far in hitting their mark for spiritual depth and exploration. Although the writing is more than adequate, I don’t think it dove into the subjects nearly as much as it could have, instead only hinting at various themes and aspects of the faith. If they had fleshed out some of the writing a little more, and given their songs a little more room to grow I believe they could have had the excellent, thought provoking, challenging album they likely set out to make. So then how can I sum up Break of Dawn? Don’t get me wrong, I like the album, I really do, and I also recommend it. But I very much wanted to love it, but I’m not quite there yet. I’m looking forward to what their next effort will bring but in the mean time The Nehemiah Band has brought us an album that is great to listen to and presents some interesting thoughts, though they don’t fully see them through to completion.
Must Listen: Words, To Do it My Way, Triple Reverse Psychology, Press Into You
a-Tunes Score: 8.5/10
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