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JFH Music Review




Red Umbrella
Wishing For Boardwalk



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 13 tracks: 48 minutes and 19 seconds
Street Date: April 25, 2006


Take The Afters, U2, the Killers, and Downhere, put them in a blender, and out will come 7 Spin's new Canadian band, Red Umbrella. The band's debut album, Wishing for Boardwalk, is thirteen tracks of melodic rock that is spiritual without being cliché.

The album begins with the mid-tempo, "Storm Warning." It is here listeners are first exposed to the band's use of imagery that runs throughout the album to express spiritual content. The album's second song, "Straight Jacket," turns up the volume and shows the band knows how to rock while "Already Won," reminds believers that the spiritual battle they face has already been conquered. The song is catchy without ever being too trite. Other subjects the album addresses are selfishness in "What About Me," having a changed life in "Run," and grace in "Saving Grace." The band chooses to be more indirect and poetic when expressing their faith in songwriting, a move that could help them catch the attention of secular markets. However, with lyrics like, "I wish life wasn't pain and I could learn to pray, oh Lord please teach me how," in the album's title track, "Wishing for Boardwalk," it is obvious where the band places its hope.

I must confess when I first listened to Wishing for Boardwalk, I did not know what to make of it. The vocals take some getting used to, and there is a retro feel to the album. However, it's an album that improves with each repeated listen. Red Umbrella is different from many Christian rock bands out today. Although some of the band's influences are obvious, they possess a distinct, consistent sound throughout the album without the record being boring. Red Umbrella is not afraid to be unique, and that is a trait many bands in Christian music could benefit from acquiring.

- Review date: 4/24/06, written by Laura Nunnery




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. Record Label: 7 Spin
. Album length: 13 tracks: 48 minutes and 19 seconds
. Street Date: April 25, 2006
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. Storm Warning
  2. Straight Jacket
  3. Already Won
  4. Home
  5. What About Me
  6. Run
  7. Trade Your Dreams
  8. Elevator
  9. Wishing for Boardwalk
  10. Slide
  11. Broken Hearts
  12. Saving Grace
  13. Tonight
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This Friday, June 27, 2025
ALBUMS
7eventh Time Down We Praise You [BEC]
The Browns 25th Anniversary: Better Days Ahead [StowTown]
Franni Cash Wild Child - EP [Capitol CMG]
Matt Crocker interlude [Anotherland]
Jimmy Fortune Songs of an American Dreamer [Gaither]
Roxanne Grace Road Trip - EP [DREAM]
JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise The Live Reunion: Washington, DC [James Town]
Kutless The Seventh Seal - EP [BEC]
Evvie McKinney It Ain't Over - EP (independent)
Rusty Shipp Capsized Empire (independent)
SEU Worship A Forgiving God [Provident]
The Shimmering Carnelians The Doorway (Version 2.0) (independent)
We Are Messengers A Thousand Times - EP [Curb]

SINGLES
Anchor & Braille Rattlesnake - Single [Equal Vision]
ANTHNY imposter syndrome - Single [Provident]
Blanca Right On Time - Single [Curb]
Landry Cantrell & Elenee sunshine & rainbows - Single [DREAM]
Eddie Clark Never Content - Single [Syntax]
Colony House Atomic - Single [Roon]
Megan Danielle Preachin' To The Choir - Single [Provident]
Drea LP & OnBeatMusic Don't Try Me (DTM) - Single [Syntax]
ELI GABLE Glory Bound - Single [Capitol CMG]
Joseph Habedank Running to Me - Single [Daywind]
Lonnie Hunter Flow (Like A River) - Single [Uncle G]
Kashh Kade HELP - Single [Syntax]
KB x KEANU Keanu's Song - Single [Provident]
Tasha Layton Singing In the Dark - Single [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard The Hand That Keeps Holding - Single [Motown Gospel]
Claire Leslie Thank God I'm Not Alone (from Claire's Phone) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Tim Lovelace Celebration of America Medley (feat. Charlie McCoy) - Single [StowTown]
Lecrae Tell No Lie (feat. Jackie Hill Perry) - Single [Reach]
LO Worship The Perfect Love of Jesus - Single [Integrity]
Patrick Mayberry Thank The Lord - Single [Provident]
Michael Monroe John The Baptist (feat. Chris Renzema) - Single [Provident]
Alexander Pappas A Great Awakening / Un Nuevo Despertar - Single [Integrity]
PEABOD Summer in Seattle - Single [RMG Amplify]
Rave Jesus Walk On The Water Remix (From The Chosen) - Single [Provident]
The Rocky Valentines Nat Song - Single [Velvet Blue]
Tommy Royale, gio. Like Dat - Single [Capitol CMG]
Saints In Exile & Cutright My Dead End (ft. Jeannie Ortega, Luc DiMarzio, Jericko) - Single [Syntax]
Emilie Weiss Take Care (Studio Sessions) - Single [BEC]

DVD
Jimmy Fortune Songs Of An American Dreamer DVD [Gaither]

Next Friday, July 4, 2025
ALBUMS
Chad Cory America [DREAM]
Tenielle Neda The Way Of Love [Wings]

SINGLES
Christian Back Now - Single [DREAM]



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