Band: Now And Forever
Title: Of Wounds And Blessings…
Label: N/A
Release Date: October 2008
Review By: Scott L
Tracklisting:
01. The King And The Thief
02. Lions
03. The Blacksmith
04. We Make Our Beds
05. Through Glass On Windows
I got saved in 1988. I know, I’m old. Or at least older. Anyway, in the 21 years since I became a Christian, there have been a number of scriptures that have caused me no small amount of concern. Typically these deal with some aspect of the sovereignty of God and His willingness to allow His followers to go through trials in life. One of my theological pet-peeves is the belief that God will never let you go through something that you can’t handle. Sure He will. Regularly, in fact. And the reason for that is so that you’ll learn to rely on Him rather than your own strength and ingenuity. God is all about spiritual maturity. And He’s certainly not afraid to take you past your breaking point. But the balance is this, that with any hardship also comes great blessing.
Now And Forever is a 4-piece out of Minneapolis, Minnesota that plays an emotive brand of indie rock. Kinda like a cross of Texas Is The Reason, Weaver At The Loom, and In Harbour. The music is a nice blend of songs that at times both drifts and cascades from your speakers. Although everything is very well done, there isn’t really anything that lifts these guys above the pack and sets them apart. Pretty much status quo. Which isn’t all bad… just nothing that really stands out as new or original. Their 5-song EP “Of Wounds And Blessings…” is definitely worth a listen, but don’t expect it to pioneer any new ground musically.
Lyrically, the EP is tough to pin down. I think that their attempts at creativity get lost in obscurity at times. While there’s not a lot that’s blatantly spiritual in nature, the songs deal with a range of subjects. Consider “Lions”, which says, “if I took you from the water / what would be left in the sea to hold the oceans in / if I let you look into my head / do you think you’d know who I am / well I’m wondering how well does a lion know her pray / does she at all / do you think she knows him / do you think she guesses / because my beast she doesn’t / my beast she doesn’t look down / for where she sleeps she doesn’t know me / well I am the sickle cell that builds in your veins”. Or how about “The King And The Thief” which opens the EP, “child, I have told you once before / dogs make better men than we do / are you king to me / show me your bloody palms child / Thomas wasn’t the sinner when he wondered / please just wonder / bite your tongue / in the chance that they should meet / the king and the thief might see / that they look the same to me”.
The standout track was “Blacksmith”. This was the one track that I really felt these guys stretch themselves and try to break the mold a bit on.
Overall: Now And Forever’s “Of Wounds And Blessings…” is well worth a listen. Good sound, good production values, good chance you’ll find something here to like. Not the next big thing, but a solid release.
www.myspace.com/nowandforeverband