White Flag (CD)

In a rock & roll world that is often swagger over substance, Shaun Groves chooses to spotlight a sermon—nuggets from the Beatitudes—on his latest release White Flag.

The result is Shaun’s best record to date—sure to plant a few seeds and spawn a few hits.

From the get-go, Shaun comes out swinging with “What’s Wrong With This World,” an explosive number with Jimmy Eat World written all over it—which would have set the tone for the whole record, were it not for the second “Sad Song”—a slower ditty that sounds like he took a nap on his piano (a sequencing mishap).

That’s OK, though. “Amen” kick-starts the party again while “White Flag” and “Crave” help the record find its groove—upbeat, up-tempo guitar-driven songs that are radio friendly and well-produced, yet not overly so. This is Shaun’s first outing as skipper—and it suits him.

The lion’s share of these songs are good—yet the lyrics are better, suggesting a gift for teaching on Shaun’s part. The liner notes can function as a crutch for some of these songs, which are not easily digested on a first listen. There’s no spoon-feeding here. And maybe that’s good.

The record ends on an acoustic note and adds a sensitive touch to an uncompromising message.

In short, White Flag is more of a debut than a renaissance. And regardless of how well it does on the charts, Shaun’s career as a Bible teacher seems to be on the upswing.

WILL BANISTER

Review Provided by CCMmagazine.com