In 2003, Seventh Day Slumber released their third album, Picking Up the Pieces. Compared to the 2005 hit album, Once Upon a Shattered Life, Picking Up the Pieces is a letdown and a novice effort at best. Although the band is very talented instrumentally, the majority of the songs don't blend well together and certain instrument combinations made them difficult and almost frustrating to listen to. Along with instrumental confusion, the vocals sounded slightly off key on more than one occasion. Lyrically speaking, the word choice was also rather poor. On a few of the songs, the lyrics did not quite fit the tune, and sometimes the descriptions were weak. You can tell that the band tried to think of insightful things to say, but they seemed to have a bit of difficulty putting those thoughts on paper.

Despite the negatives, the band really did have some good messages to get across. "I Know" talks about how difficult and hopeless life can seem sometimes, but also that there is more than what our eyes can see. Life has deeper meaning, and that meaning is Jesus Christ. "Something" talks about a person who is fighting to stay alive. After the world left him hurt and empty, he is broken and down on his knees, crying out to God; now realizing his dependence and need for Him, the only fulfiller and satisfier in this life. Songs like that presenta good message and many of them mirrored the incredible testimony of the band's lead singer Joseph Rojas, who dedicated his life to Christ after a nearly life-long addiction to drugs almost killed him. Musically, however, there was a lack of variety, and the album doesn't offer much to warrant repeated listens.

Picking Up the Pieces sounds more like a couple of guys messing around in their garage than the well-known Christian music artists Seventh Day Slumber have become today. Even though this album was a nice try, their 2005 release, Once Upon a Shattered Life, was considerably better in every aspect of the word "quality."

JFH Reader Review: written by Mary Leimgruber, 1/29/03, for Jesusfreakhideout.com