1960

For anyone who enjoys the rock-n-roll side of the Soul-Junk oeuvre, this album is what you've been waiting for. (Those who primarily enjoy the more beat-heavy, hip-hoppy side of his catalog might be a bit let down).
I really don't even know where to start. It's a massive undertaking (as most Soul-Junk records are) ... the lyric for the album is the entirety of Psalm 119 - nothing added, nothing left out... which in and of itself is one of the truly amazing things about the record, and about Glen Galaxy. He can sing/rap/vocalize a static piece of written material and make it sound his own and make it fit perfectly with the music he has composed to go with it. The way he breaks up of phrases not only adds interest, but also seems to amplify the content and expounds upon the subject matter without commentary. Quite a feat.
The music for this album is, for me, Soul-Junk at its finest. Guitar driven, drum heavy, angular, melodic, harsh at times, beautiful at times... it's quintessential... what you might hope to get from culling a "best of" in mix-tape fashion. Daniel Smith (and everyone involved) has done a phenomenal job fleshing these compositions out. Whoever had the idea to bring the cello into the mix wins the prize for single best arrangement idea. The cello features prominently on several tracks, and atmospherically on most. The contrast between the harshness of the drums/distorted guitar with the silky smoothness of the cello is one of the most satisfying elements of the album. It never sounds pretentious, but it adds a definite air of highbrow sophistication to the otherwise almost primal attack of tempo and texture. The other expertly executed balancing act on the record is that of the dissonant and the harmonious. All Soul-Junk work has dabbled in the unmelodic. Galaxy's lineage w/ experimental/noise/free jazz, etc. has always been an integral part of his aesthetic. This heritage has, at times, led to some almost unlistenable passages (for me anyway). But it's a huge part of what make's his work what it is. I think the only other album to approach this level of balance was the 1946 EP, which was also produced by Smith. I'm not sure if it's Smith that brings the more melodic side of Galaxy to the forefront, or if Galaxy saves up this material for when he gets to work with Smith. Whatever the case, their collaboration has led to the most satisfying parts of the Soul-Junk catalog, in my opinion.
At two years in the making, it's clear that they wanted to make extra sure to get everything sounding exactly as intended. The drums are prominent in a fantastic way. Bombastic wouldn't be hyperbole for this album, but neither would subtle. Everything in its right place, this really may be the Soul-Junk magnum opus, but I hope not!

I couldn't agree more with Mike Roy. Of course, it doesn't hurt that I know Mike, even though he's states away in NC, while I'm still in MD.
I think that this is a work of extreme maturity for an already burgeoned artist. Glen and Dan have made something truly amazing here. I hate to judge things in relation to other work, but regardless, I'll say that I think that this stands in the company and at times even above some of the greatest non-scriptural music that is coming out today such as Enon, Beck, Animal Collective, the New Pornographers, Islands, Arcade Fire, and even Radiohead :-o!
While this album may remind us of the glory days of Soul-Junk's more rock-oriented sound (1952-1955), it combines it with the pleasant pop sensibility of the more hip-hop-oriented 1956. Even if you aren't an old fan of Soul-Junk, this would be a great introduction to the band almost akin to the instant accessibility yet back-catalogue faithfulness of Apples in Stereo's "New Magnetic Wonder" or Danielson's "Ships". Just listen to the haunting melodies of "Rudolph", or the peppy power pop of "Screaming Lobster." What can't these guys do? And all of it set perfectly to scripture, no less... I don't think I've ever heard the word "statutes" so many times in rock music... or in any conversation for that matter. You have to give credit to Galaxy for setting such an awkward word to pop music. Glen doesn't just experiment with sound; he writes great songs with melodies that you have never heard or previously conceived of as well as ones that you feel that you've known all your life. Behind it all is a depth of arrangement which mirrors the simplicity of the truth of the Word, but also echoes the depths of God's glory and mystery. This is what music is meant to be.
The shining gem of the album in my mind (though every one of these 20+ tracks are necessary and delightful) is "Forever O Lord Your Word Is Settled in Heaven". This melody will be stuck with you for a long time. It is hooks like these that make you want to start scoring the entire bible with perfect and groovy 70's-sounding pop. I feel like I've known this song all my life, with the warm Rhodes keyboard and the perfectly strummed clean electric guitar. Just wonderful, like "Ride Captain Ride" by Blues Image. I don't know why this makes me think of that, but it definitely does.
Daniel Smith's incredible sense of arrangement is a perfect foil to Glen's sprawling diversity of sound. The focus he provides to the mix is essential, but it is never limiting. I mean, we're talking about the guy who created everything from "A Prayer for Every Hour" to the insanely dense masterpiece "Ships". Here is a producer who knows how to make a little song into a big endeavor while still retaining the structure of a streamlined perfect pop song. In this album, the two go about it masterfully together as one mega-freak pop Voltron unit. Another nice touch is the added vocals provided by Dan's wife, Elin. The steady feminine vocals add a softness to Glen's deep and sometimes shaky croon.
All told, this album is essential to what I call the "indie christian". Beyond that, I feel that the indie community and even the greater pop community of music consumers would enjoy this and benefit from its sound and message. I hope and pray for the success of the people involved in this recording, as I feel they are among the most creative and relevant music-makers of our generation. I can only hope that they continue making music of this caliber for years to come.

I think that this is a work of extreme maturity for an already burgeoned artist. Glen and Dan have made something truly amazing here. I hate to judge things in relation to other work, but regardless, I'll say that I think that this stands in the company and at times even above some of the greatest non-scriptural music that is coming out today such as Enon, Beck, Animal Collective, the New Pornographers, Islands, Arcade Fire, and even Radiohead :-o!

While this album may remind us of the glory days of Soul-Junk's more rock-oriented sound (1952-1955), it combines it with the pleasant pop sensibility of the more hip-hop-oriented 1956. Even if you aren't an old fan of Soul-Junk, this would be a great introduction to the band almost akin to the instant accessibility yet back-catalogue faithfulness of Apples in Stereo's "New Magnetic Wonder" or Danielson's "Ships". Just listen to the haunting melodies of "Rudolph", or the peppy power pop of "Screaming Lobster." What can't these guys do? And all of it set perfectly to scripture, no less... I don't think I've ever heard the word "statutes" so many times in rock music... or in any conversation for that matter. You have to give credit to Galaxy for setting such an awkward word to pop music. Glen doesn't just experiment with sound; he writes great songs with melodies that you have never heard or previously conceived of as well as ones that you feel that you've known all your life. Behind it all is a depth of arrangement which mirrors the simplicity of the truth of the Word, but also echoes the depths of God's glory and mystery. This is what music is meant to be.

The shining gem of the album in my mind (though every one of these 20+ tracks are necessary and delightful) is "Forever O Lord Your Word Is Settled in Heaven". This melody will be stuck with you for a long time. It is hooks like these that make you want to start scoring the entire bible with perfect and groovy 70's-sounding pop. I feel like I've known this song all my life, with the warm Rhodes keyboard and the perfectly strummed clean electric guitar. Just wonderful, like "Ride Captain Ride" by Blues Image. I don't know why this makes me think of that, but it definitely does.

Daniel Smith's incredible sense of arrangement is a perfect foil to Glen's sprawling diversity of sound. The focus he provides to the mix is essential, but it is never limiting. I mean, we're talking about the guy who created everything from "A Prayer for Every Hour" to the insanely dense masterpiece "Ships". Here is a producer who knows how to make a little song into a big endeavor while still retaining the structure of a streamlined perfect pop song. In this album, the two go about it masterfully together as one mega-freak pop Voltron unit. Another nice touch is the added vocals provided by Dan's wife, Elin. The steady feminine vocals add a softness to Glen's deep and sometimes shaky croon.

All told, this album is essential to what I call the "indie christian". Beyond that, I feel that the indie community and even the greater pop community of music consumers would enjoy this and benefit from its sound and message. I hope and pray for the success of the people involved in this recording, as I feel they are among the most creative and relevant music-makers of our generation. I can only hope that they continue making music of this caliber for years to come.