The Progress of the Album: The Sound (Chapter 5)

I’ve had a few people ask me, “What is this new album about?” and “What will it sound like?” I’d be glad to answer these questions, but I’m going to speak broadly as I don’t want to completely spoil the surprise.

The Lyrics
First, I’ll begin by saying this is not a rap album. It is instead a modern rock album which springboards off of my last project Backstage Pass, yet delves into some heavier topics, including depression, addiction, self-esteem, troubled relationships, and a variety of other tough subjects. The 13-song album is filled with stories of struggle (many of which are struggles I’ve observed in the lives of others, and some of which are struggles I’ve dealt with in my own life). Amid these candid stories of struggle is an overarching purpose of pointing the listener to the purpose and hope we can only find in Christ. However, this doesn’t mean every song ends happily. Some songs end with resolve, while others end with some tension (as is common to the Christian experience). Scripturally, the album draws a lot from the books of Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes (but there is some New Testament inspiration as well). I guess you could say this project offers hope while remaining honest about the tensions of life.

The Music
The overall sound of the album will be a good bit darker and at times heavier than Backstage Pass, and instrumentally, it will rely even more upon the piano. Some musical influences include The Fray, ColdPlay, Daughtry, Switchfoot, Muse, Keane, U2, and RadioHead, to name a few. In addition to piano, you will hear plenty of drums, guitars, strings, and synths. I will also be using a different set of musicians for this project which will help to vary the sound a bit.

More To Come
I plan to release the title of the album in the next several months, and will also share some lyrical and musical clips as we get closer to the release date (early 2011). In the meantime, keep checking the blog for new entries, not to mention photos and videos (including some from our first Nashville trip, tentatively in June).

Thanks for following along!

Up next… “Preparing for the first Nashville session.”