Band: Ed Kowalczyk (www.edkowalczyk.com)
Title: Alive
Label: Soul Whisper Records
Release Date: 7/6/2010
Reviewer: Rob J
Tracklisting:
- Drive
- The Great Beyond
- Grace
- Stand
- Drink (Everlasting Love)
- Zion
- In Your Light
- Just In Time
- Rome
- Soul Whispers
- Fire On The Mountain
I remember being in high school and rocking out to Live’s albums Throwing Copper and the Secret Samahdi. Still great albums today. Some of the songs were just so infectious that getting them stuck in your head on a near daily basis was simply inevitable. If you’re familiar with the band I’m sure you can relate.
Well, following the bands disbanding in 2009, singer Ed Kowalczyk has struck out on his own with a solo project that is every bit as good, if not better, than his previous career with Live. His first solo album, Alive, was released July 6, 2010 and still is as fresh as if it had been released last week. Musically, I’m probably not going ot say too much because to be honest it’s very similar to what you’re used to hearing from Live, a good alternative rock sound but perhaps with a little more of an edge to it at times with great lyrics. Here’s a few of the parts that really stood out to me.
The album is kicked off with the track “Drive”, which is probably one of my personal favorites on the album. It speaks of a desire for something more than what we typically settle for and reaching out for more by giving God control. Love the line “Here I am standing inside Your love, like a child falling asleep at the wheel of my life and letting You drive, I’m letting You drive.”
I’d heard an interview done with Ed a little while ago where he spoke about the song “Grace”, one of the albums singles. He’d said it was written in a pretty short amount of time and was in a way an answer to seeing things going on in the world like Katrina, quakes, the tsunami in Japan and such and how despite how terrible things look, God is still there above it all and how there is grace available in the most difficult of times. GREAT song!
“Stand” is the most recent single. You know, the one with the “whoa”s that you can’t help but sing along to. The song is a call to unity and how we’re stronger together than apart. Having and actively working towards a common goal.
The song “Drink” is one of the albums mellower tracks and has a guest spot featuring Chris Daughtry. The song is alot like a worship song to me talking about drinking in more and more of God. Reminds me of the Scripture “whoever drinks of this water shall never thirst again.”
Overall: This album seems to be a progression of where Live was headed before they disbanded and that’s a good thing. If you liked them in the past you’ll absolutely LOVE Ed Kowalczyk’s solo album Alive. And if you aren’t familiar with them, this album’s a great start for you. It’s available in stores everywhere and very worth picking up.