Grammatrain's sophomore release, Flying is a significant departure from their debut project, Lonely House. As opposed to their debut, Flying has a lighter, more polished feel to it, yet maintains a Grammatrain sound. The album includes a couple of pop ballads to mark a first for the band, such as "Peace," "Found in You," and the best of the three, "For Me." Pete Stewart's vocals are a lot smoother on many of the tracks, and the rhythm section is as strong as ever, making the songs more melodic and less angry. Although there is a definite change, some songs still rock hard like before with "Pain" being the standout track. "Pain" is probably most reminiscent of their previous album, but this time with a more evident spiritual message, displayed in the chorus, "I find through every ounce of pain I feel / That my mind cannot deny that God is real."

More higlights include "Less of Me" and the title track, "Flying." "Less of Me" is a hard rock song that I believe we all, as Christians, can relate to. It's about the struggle of putting our personal desires aside so we can serve God better. "Flying" is a psychedelic song that paints a picture of a dream that Stewart envisions. The story serves as a metaphor, comparing Christ's sacrifice for us to that of a bird who dies for a child who is attacked by a snake.

Although Flying is almost completely different from Lonely House, it's certainly worth checking out for fans of the first album. Still, it isn't nearly as memorable as the band's incredible debut. Aaron Sprinkle's raw production on Lonely House is sorely missed here, as producer John Hampton over-polishes things a bit. Still, if you like rock but thought Grammatrain's previous record was a little too loud, you just might find Flying a more appealing effort.

- Reviewed by John DiBiase, 1997