Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

JFH Music Review



Out Of Ruin
What I Can't See



Album length: 12 tracks: 44 minutes, 6 seconds
Street Date: April 29, 2008


Newly signed to Vertical Shift Records, Out Of Ruin is a new rock band founded by brothers Gram and Ben Messer. Their Vertical debut, What I Can't See, is merely a rehashing of the band's indie album, Mosaic Soul, with only a slight change in track listing.

The album starts off on a high note with four excellent tracks. "This is We" and "Lifting Me" are midtempo pop-rockers with catchy tunes and nice lyrics. "Broken Pieces" is probably the hardest track of the album, musically speaking, with its crunching guitars, and upbeat feel. Especially impressive is its use of metaphors---God picking up your broken pieces and reforming them into a "mosaic soul." "What I Can't See" is a lighter rock track. While it doesn't quite fall into ballad territory, the song has a slower pace. The middle of the album mostly runs together. A few of the songs are catchy at best, but nothing particularly memorable or special. For the most part, Out Of Ruin's style sounds too similar to fellow pop-rockers Jars Of Clay to produce anything unique. Besides a few certain moments (like "Broken Pieces"), the lyrics seem to fall into typical Christian territory. The songs rarely venture into anything more than typical clichés.

The album picks up again on the last few tracks, but is disappointingly not enough to redeem the whole album. "Alimente El Corazon" is the album's only instrumental song. With a latin-influenced feel, this song gives listeners a break from their now-tired pop-rock style. The other standout, "Only Half," is a catchy ballad that closes the album and is Out of Ruin at its finest.

All in all, Out of Ruin has a good thing going for them, but this album fails to show it. As a whole, the album has been done before, and gets boring after the first few songs. What I Can't See is likable at best, but Out of Ruin does little to develop their own sound, much less, a place in the music industry.

- Review date: 6/6/08, written by Matthew Watson



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

 

. Record Label: Vertical Shift Records
. Album length: 12 tracks: 44 minutes, 6 seconds
. Street Date: April 29, 2008
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. Broken Pieces
  2. Lifting Me
  3. What I Can't See
  4. This is We
  5. Spirit
  6. Step On Faith
  7. Man To Be
  8. Pictures
  9. Numb
  10. Alimente El Corazon
  11. Stand For Something
  12. Only Half
spacer Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 


(JFH Sponsor Spot)

 

 

                 
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

Search JFH




This Friday, November 8, 2024
ALBUMS
Gabby Barrett Carols and Candlelight [Warner Music Nashville]
CXMMXNS CXMMXNS Chapter 1 - EP [Essential Worship]
New Hope Oahu There Is One - EP [DREAM]
Neal Morse & The Resonance No Hill For A Climber [InsideOut]
TAKE Time Bomb [Resuscitation Records]
Lauren Talley A Lauren Talley Christmas [Horizon]

SINGLES
Cory Asbury I Hope You Dance - Single [BEC]
Jordan Kauflin, Laura Story Approach, My Soul - Single [Getty]
Sam Bowman & GLADDEN Misfit Toys - Single [DREAM]
Wavorly Enemies - Single (independent)

VINYL
Michael W. Smith Every Christmas Vinyl [Rocketown]
Stryper To Hell with the Amps Vinyl [Frontiers]
TAKE Time Bomb Vinyl [Resuscitation Records]

DVD
Stryper To Hell with the Amps Blu-Ray [Frontiers]

Next Friday, November 15, 2024
ALBUMS
Dolly Parton & Family Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables [Owepar Entertainment]
The Lore Family Faith Over Fear [Horizon]
Fernando Ortega For All the Saints - EP (independent)
Earnest Pugh Worth is the Lamb
We Are Messengers Rejoice! (A Celtic Christmas) - EP [Curb]
Paul Wright III Reverie [United Alliance]

SINGLES
Big Dismal Here In My Heart - Single (independent)
Hannah Kerr It Came Upon A Midnight Clear - Single [Curb]
Olivia Lane Silent Night - Single [BEC]
Tasha Layton Wake Up It's Christmas - Single [BEC]
Jamie MacDonald A Million Chances - Single [Capitol CMG]
Ronnie Martin On Christmas Morning - Single [Velvet Blue]
Hunter Plake Daylight - Single [BEC]
Jordan St. Cyr Christ is Here - Single [BEC]

VINYL
Sixpence None the Richer Divine Discontent Vinyl [Word]



For all release dates, click here!
 



Check out the new album from Taylor Holland Armstrong!



Listen to the new Single from Second Adam and the New Creations!

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images