"When revolution is just a word, that loses more each time it's heard, it won't mean a thing until it hurts." ("This Love")

A powerful record from start to finish, Stavesacre's Speakeasy offers a good mix of poetry, depth, and originality. Songs such as "Gold and Silver" and "This Love' powerfully explain aspects of faith and the human condition, emphasizing our weakness and God's strength. At times prone to what seem to be typical alternative sentiments, songs such as "Sundown Motel" and "St. Ericksplan" seem to contain an unhealthy amount of escapism, the only taint I have found in the album. The lyrics are at times vague, but with some digging there's a lot to be found. "Keep Waiting" and "Gold and Silver" are good examples of this, talking it seems at times of guy/girl relationships, but real power is found when you bring God's perspective into it, which I think is intended, "Under wings of Gold and Silver, sometimes we have to hide."

Musically, I've never heard a band quite like Stavesacre. Their style is somewhat softer than harder bands such as Blindside but edgier than most Christian rock, fitting into that ever nebulous "alternative" genre. Mark Salomon's vocals never scream, but they certainly yell, making for a welcomed change of pace and a balance between the emotionally exhausting screaming and unfeeling pop music that are popular today.

"You Know How it Is" is a powerful worship song full of blazing guitars and Mark Salomon's piercing vocals, "No one move! No one move! I want to keep my eyes on You! Set this place on fire!" "Freefall" is a powerful metaphor of surrender and trust in God. But of all the songs on the record, "This Love" has probably been the most meaningful to me, combining a firm challenge to the Church to wake up with a simple affirmation that: "This Love is real. It's pure. This Love endures in burning hearts... it awakens you."

Review date: 12/17/05, written by James Metelak for Jesusfreakhideout.com