BenLueders.com

Much like the band in my last review, I have not historically been considered a big fan of the artist in this review.  This is not because I had any particular vendetta against Derek Webb personally, or even that I had never heard any of his music.  I simply had not "gotten to him" yet.  Derek, of course, is famous for his involvement with Caedmon's Call, a very influential christian band in my life, and home of another influential artist in my life: Andrew Osenga.  Friends of mine had gone to Derek Webb concerts, I'd watched a video of him with Rich Mullins on YouTube, and I had even performed a song that he and his wife Sandra McCracken had arranged, for offertory years ago.  (Come Thou Long Expected Jesus)

 But probably the most influential Derek Webb moment in my life, came from an interview on his internet podcast.  In the podcast, he condemned trying to be a "christian artist".  Instead, he said that christian musician's should first seek to be "good artists", and then when people discover that their a christian, their music will lend credibility to their faith.  Unfortunately, he reasoned, so many artist are so bent on being a big "christian artist" and they aren't very good.  This hurts the credibility of their faith in the eyes of the listeners.  In the podcast he also endorsed being a musician as a blue-collar job.  Get up in the morning, write a song, play a show, network with other musicians, sell a few albums...being a musician is a nothing but a fun job to have...or so he reasoned.  This really got me thinking.

But that was a long time ago.  At the time I was too busy being distracted by all of Derek's "Andy" friends.  Andy Peterson, Andy Osenga and Andy Gullahorn.  I planned to "get into" Derek, but I didn't have the time or money, so I kept putting it off.  

Finally, a few weeks ago I found his acclaimed album, "The RInging Bell" on a cool new website called "NoiseTrade".  After giving "NoiseTrade" three of my friend's E-mail addresses, I had myself a free CD!  I could hardly wait!  Would Derek live up to expectation?

I wish I could say that I hated the album.  That would make things much more interesting on this blog.  So far I have absolutely loved all the CDs that I've reviewed, and that has probably gotten to be very annoying.  But unfortunately, I fell in love with "The Ringing Bell".

I mean, you've got to love an album that starts off with a song called "The End", right?  How original.  If I were to pick a song for the beginning of an album, I would probably pick a song with a name that sounded more like "In the Beginning" or something.  The next song is even more daring.  It's called "The Very End".  These first two songs are probably the most confusing songs on the CD.  Here's a sample of Track 1:

here's another story about the invisible knives
the elephant in the room trumpeting these lies
the slow hate, the hesitating voices in the dark
here's another story about the invisible wives

My first guess would be that Derek was on drugs at the time that this was written.  But this cannot be the case, because I have heard from reliable sources that he holds to reformed theology.  The next song, "The Very End", is slightly less mystifying, but still confusing:

you are the anti-curse
death going in reverse
and I'll love you to the very end

As far as I can tell, Track 2 is a song about loving Jesus to the end.  Only Jesus could be described as the "anti-curse" and "death going in reverse".  However there is a line in the song where Derek sings:

cross my heart, hope to die
you are my firefly

I'm sure that there may be some artistic way that Jesus might be described as a "firefly", but this may be taking too much liberty.  I doubt this is what was in mind when Jesus was referred to as the "Great Light of the world".

The next song "A Love Stronger Than our Fears", puts you in uncomfortable places and demands answers.  This is uncommon with much of christian music.  The song starts with a gun being put to your head, and a lie being demanded from your lips.  The song is all about whether the ends really justify the means..in the end.  Here's a powerful sample:

what would you do
if someone would tell you the truth
but only if you torture them half to death
tell me since when do the means justify the ends
and you build the kingdom using the devil's tools
can time be so short?

The Album quickly turns to a lighter note in the song "I wanna marry you all over again".   In this light-hearted trek through his courtship with Sandra McCracken, Derek gives us not only fun, and thoughtful lyrics, he also gives us an awesome, antique groove.  And that reminds me of something that I don't want to miss:  the musicality of this album.  Derek should not only be known as a deep and provocative lyricist, but also an adventurous and original musician.  Many of the songs on "The Ringing Bell" have a lot of oldies influence, that is mixed with just enough modern flavor to create an entirely new flavor...entirely.  

Probably my favorite song on the album is the song entitled "I don't want to fight".  Unfortunately, I like it almost entirely for it's style.  It has the feel of a Johnny Cash Ballad from the late 70's or early 80's.  I especially like when the strings begin to come in on the second chorus, but particularly when they come in on the third chorus.  (In between, there is an awesome bridge that brings Derek's voice way up high...it's awesome)

Also check out the sounds on "I for an I".  The strings and guitars work together in an awesome and original arrangement that just works...really well.  The lyrics are probably really important, but the music is just so cool.  I should also mention that I love Mr. Webb's voice.  It is original, powerful and clean.

Well, I guess his voice isn't always clean.  Derek includes a political blues song entitled "A Savior On Capitol Hill", where his generally calm and soothing voice breaks with inflection on almost every down beat.  The effect works better than you might think, and you're so busy listening to the important words to wonder if it sounds too forced.  "Savior" is a song lamenting the fact that all of our politicians are a bunch of sinners, and wishing that Jesus would run for election.  Here's the second verse:

you can always trust the devil or a politician
to be the devil or a politician
but beyond that friends you’d best beware
’cause at the Pentagon bar they’re an inseparable pair
and as long as the lobbyists are paying their bills
we’ll never have a savior on Capitol Hill

The closing song is gripping, powerful and very serious.  It is an acoustic, stripped-down anthem about all of the evils in the world and how God will somehow make all things right in the end.  Here's the last verse from "This too shall be made right":

I don’t know the suffering of people outside my front door
I join the oppressors of those who i choose to ignore
I’m trading comfort for human life
and that’s not just murder it’s suicide
this too shall be made right

Anyone who has the courage and faith to include a song praising the goodness and sovereignty of God during such dark circumstances as genocide, war and starvation, has my vote.  The Ringing Bell is both fun and thought-provoking.  I recommend it to everyone.  Now I need to get all of his other albums and get up to speed.


P.S:  My buddy Andy Denekas went to a Derek Webb concert a couple years ago, and at the concert Derek said he didn't mind if people copy and share his music "illegally".  Derek has even given away most of his music for free at times on the web.  All this to say...Andy is putting all of his Derek Webb music on my thumbdrive right now.  

About The Author...

Ben Lueders is from Hawaii but he lives in Nebraska now. He's married to a cute girl named Megan. He does music, graphic design, Twitter and stuff.

Favorite Links