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

JFH Music Review


Dustin Kensrue, Please Come Home EP
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

Dustin Kensrue
Please Come Home EP



Artist Info: Discography
Genre(s): Country / Indie / Rock
Album length: 8 tracks: 29 minutes, 40 seconds
Street Date: January 28, 2007


READER RATING:   


The difference between listening to Thrice's 2001 debut, Identity Crisis, and their seminal 2005 album, Vheissu, is the difference between listening to teenagers sounding like teenagers and men sounding like men. Part of this was due to the band's transformation from SoCo hardcore punk into an artful expanse of modern rock and post-hardcore; the other part was due to vocalist Dustin Kensrue's natural evolution into a sturdier, gruffer singer (an evolution that would continue for years to come). However, the first true curveball Kensrue would throw at his fans came with the release of his 2007 debut solo record, Please Come Home.

California might not seem like a logical place for someone to develop a southern drawl, but that's precisely what Kensrue convincingly displays on this short-and-sweet country record. With an old-fashioned track list of only 8 songs, some of which contain little more than acoustic guitar, Please Come Home plays out like an age-old collection of parables. The heartbreaking title track is itself an adaptation of Jesus' parable of the prodigal son from Luke 15, except adapted here to be from the father's perspective. This is a winning lyrical turn, perhaps bested only by the opening track, "I Knew You Before," a scathing critique of a culture that destroys the self-worth of women by forcing them to constantly be beautiful: "I knew you before you were beautiful, back then / You could be beautiful again."

Elsewhere, blues enter the mix on the ode-to-faith "I Believe," and the show-stopping "Blood and Wine," an unforgettable 2-minute experience of stories strung together by the over-arching theme that when a person gives into sin, the human heart's only solution is to sin more and more in a downward spiral of dissatisfaction. In spite of the song's dark themes and brief allusions to drug use, theft, and adultery, the chorus melody, "Now that I've tasted blood, this wine seems too thin," is bound to take a permanent spot in listeners' memories.

While the album as a whole is an authentic country-storyteller experience, it's not without weaker moments. The melody of "Consider the Ravens" uncomfortably resembles fellow troubadour Jack Johnson's "Banana Pancakes," and the lead single "Pistol," dedicated to Kensrue's wife, has a harmonica solo that brings the mood close to cheese.

The closing track "Blanket of Ghosts" might also call into question one's interpretation of Romans 7--(it's worth noting that Kensrue wasn't as theologically careful and astute on this album as he would later be on the 2013 worship album, The Water and the Blood)--but otherwise, the organ-drenched ballad does a beautiful job of bringing this 8-song experience to a warm and solemn close. With suitable production from Thrice guitarist Teppei Teranishi, each fine-tuned song is memorable and enjoyable, not a single track containing more harmonies or instruments than it needs. Please Come Home ultimately works on many levels: it was a great start to a solo career for Thrice fans and non-fans alike, while it also prepared the Thrice faithful for the stylistic diversity the band would divulge in with future releases.

- Review date: 11/18/15, written by Chase Tremaine of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Purchase Original Art Prints, Drawings, Buttons, Stickers, Bookmarks and more from JFH's own John DiBiase! Save for the holidays with code JFH20 at checkout!

 

. Record Label: Equal Vision
. Album length: 8 tracks: 29 minutes, 40 seconds
. Street Date: January 28, 2007
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: Amazon Music (MP3)
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. I Knew You Before (3:55)
  2. Pistol (3:44)
  3. I Believe (2:45)
  4. Please Come Home (3:41)
  5. Blood & Wine (1:59)
  6. Consider The Ravens (4:15)
  7. Weary Saints (4:08)
  8. Blanket Of Ghosts (5:13)

 



Leave a Comment

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 


(JFH Sponsor Spot)

 

 

                 
Purchase Original Art Prints, Drawings, Buttons, Stickers, Bookmarks and more from JFH's own John DiBiase! Save for the holidays with code JFH20 at checkout!

Search JFH




This Tuesday, October 29, 2024
SINGLES
Pipe Bomb Hate Club - Single [The Charon Collective]

This Thursday, October 31, 2024
ALBUMS
Neon Horse Habit of Creature - EP [Velvet Blue Music]

This Friday, November 1, 2024
ALBUMS
AWZY Sinners and Saints - EP [DREAM]
Forrest Frank Child of God (Deluxe) [river house]
Future of Forestry Symphonic Christmas (Live) (independent)
Influence Music It's All About You (independent)
The Kingdom Heirs No Better Time [Sonlite]
Limoblaze Young & Chosen (Power Pack) - EP [Reach]
Paul & Hannah McClure Christmas Morning (Re-Release) [Bethel]
Planetshakers Winning Team: Songs For Church (Live) [Venture3Media]
Skillet Revolution [Atlantic]
Sam's the Hero Charlie Cox - EP [Small Step]
Jim "Soni" Sonefeld Light of Joy - EP [Vere]
Ivan Theva Waiting Here for You - EP [Descendent/Provident]
John Van Deusen Anthem Sprinter [Tooth & Nail]
Phil Wickham Hallelujah! It's Christmas! [Fair Trade]
YWAM Kona Music Missionary Anthem - EP [Integrity]

SINGLES
Ayo Shamir, YP aka Young Paul Aaron Judge - Single (independent)
Gabby Barrett O Come, O Come Emmanuel (feat. The Piano Guys) - Single [Warner Music Nashville]
Brennley Brown Mary, Did You Know? - Single [Provident]
Lauren Daigle Then I Will - Single [Centricity]
Dreamers The Reason - Multi-Single [DREAM]
EJ Swavv I Hate Lucy - Single [Syntax]
Jess Ford This is My Jesus - Single (independent)
FYR FYTR So Simple - Single (independent)
Michael Monroe Pour It Out - Single [Provident]
Seph Schlueter We Sing (Joy To The World) [feat. Leanna Crawford] - Single [Provident]
Skye Peterson, Ben Shive Keep the Feast - Single [Getty]
SNT. VINCENT Confession - Single [Syntax]
Cyndi Thompson Silent Night - Single [County Line]
Thrive Worship Hark - Single [Integrity]
Tauren Wells Making Room - Single [Capitol CMG]

VINYL
Skillet Revolution Vinyl [Atlantic]

Next 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]



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