Tenth Avenue North

One of the more interesting phenomenon’s taking place in music today is the many musicians who started out leading worship in local churches who end up becoming national acts. The music produced by some of these groups is making inroads into places never expected by the industry. Artists like Casting Crowns and Lifehouse have shown that the genre is a powerful incubator that can birth exceptional talent, talent that sometimes ends up having an impact well beyond the four walls of a church building, or Christian gathering. Tenth Avenue North may be another group headed in that direction. If their debut album is an indicator of the high quality these four young men from West Palm Beach, Florida will be bringing us in the years to come, then there is little doubt that they have the potential to take their music well beyond the Christian sub-culture.

Perhaps it’s the very roots of the music that helps solidify the sincerity and honesty that projects from the eleven songs on Over and Underneath. Clean, but energetic; emotional, but soothing; these guys have found a good balance of sound that is recognizable yet fresh. Though there are countless indications of a wide variety of influences in their music it will probably be classified as pop/rock by most. At its heart it’s all about praise and worship, a fact that their live performances bears out as well. However, they will probably transcend such a specific label, at least more so than groups like the David Crowder Band or the Michael Gungor Band. They appear to be developing more in the spirit of Lifehouse, without purposely aiming toward a more secular audience. It should be interesting to see how they are received in the broader market, as their style and production methods are more naturally conducive to pop secular stations. In other words, they don’t really come across as being typically “Christian” in their sound although they would be a good fit on most contemporary Christian stations as well.

This album is not heavy on overproduction, yet it comes off as warm and full, with virtually every note finding its proper place in time and space. Still, one is struck most of all by the clear focus that these recordings have on developing a deeper relationship with Jesus, along with the struggles, doubts, and growing pains that come with such a lifestyle. The album starts out strong with “Love is Here,” an emotion-filled, melodic tune of hope that encourages us to accept the fact that we are already whole, complete, and fully loved in Christ. The following songs continue in basically the same direction with titles like “By Your Side,” “Let it Go,” and “Break Me Down.” Perhaps one of the best tracks is the lightly produced “Time.” Seasoned with more of a folk rock flavor, and unmistakably identified by a catchy cadence during the last half of the song, it ends up being a real stand out track.

“You Are” is a powerful song of surrender with an infectious melody line: “I give you all of me for all you are/Here I am/Take me apart, take me apart.” The second to last track, “Satisfy,” has the potential to become a commonly heard song in times of corporate praise, with a soaring chorus that cries out to God to become our sole source of satisfaction. And finally, “Hallelujah,” gives us an even stronger offering in this vein, clearly aimed at being a standard on Sunday mornings, or anyplace Christians come together and worship.

It’s exciting to see groups like Tenth Avenue North looming on the horizons of the music world. Hopefully the increasing presence of such artists is an indicator of a growing spiritual influence in our culture.

Does it Resonate with you?

Name (required)

Email (will not be published) (required)

URL