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JFH Indie Review

JFH Indie Music Spotlight Review

Mainframe

Mainframe
Burn the Boats

Street Date: April 13, 2018
Style: Punk / Rock
Buy It: iTunes
Buy It: AmazonMP3



Burn the Boats is a call to action. While lacking in production values, Mainframe is still able to produce a punk album with a great message that manages to stick with you. The album cover depicts four soldiers making a plan on foreign shores and the album's title gives away its message right away. Throughout history, there have been times when a commander forces his soldiers to burn their boats upon arriving on foreign shores -- effectively eliminating any means of fleeing the battle short of victory.

In the Christian life, God has demanded loyalty from His followers and Burn the Boats is both a reminder and encouragement to believers. The lyrics throughout the album are excellent and thought-provoking. The tracks "Burn the Boats," "Undivided Devotion," and the cover of Value Pac's "Don't Look Back" are all reminders of Paul's exhortations for us to "run the race" of the Christian life well (Acts 20:23-24). "Stately on the Shore" is a song rejoicing the life of one who has "fought the good fight" (2 Timothy 4:7). In the track "Shrink Ray," which alludes to Matthew 19, Mainframe sings about how the most important thing worth "all our time and money" is our dedication to Christ. Other tracks on the album focus on adjacent themes such as the song "Peter," which is about the life and perspective of the apostle looking at his own faith during the ministry of Jesus, and it concludes with "We love you Lord! Made us reborn!/Into a living hope through your resurrection"; "Dog and Pony Show" is about letting go of what the world wants from us and sticking to our "higher calling."

Musically, Burn the Boats is similar to 90's style punk in the vein of early MxPx, but is more melodic and sticks to more major keys. Unfortunately, the album suffers from poor production which varies from vocal tuning issues to some poor timing in the instrumentation to a global mixing muddiness to the entire project. Even while lo-fi production is a hallmark of the genre, this stands out as being particularly weak. Regardless, its flaws weren't enough to stop every song on this album from being an earworm that would play in my head repeatedly well after listening.

Burn the Boats presents itself as a pep talk to push you further in your Christian walk. The lyrics are rooted strongly in spiritual truth and the choruses are likely to get stuck in your head immediately. With this album, Mainframe has lovingly crafted an album that, while not executed perfectly, feels heartfelt and genuine.

- Review date: 7/6/18, written by Mike Knipp of Jesusfreakhideout.com



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JFH Indie Spotlight Review . Record Label: Indie Vision Music
. Album length: 7 tracks: 31 minutes, 49 seconds
. Street Date: April 13, 2018
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: AmazonMP3

  1. Burn the Boats (5:12)
  2. Undivided Devotion (3:30)
  3. Peter (4:19)
  4. Don't Look Back (2:37)
  5. Dog & Pony Show (5:23)
  6. Shrink Ray (3:58)
  7. Stately on the Shore (6:50)

 

 

 

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This Friday, June 13, 2025
ALBUMS
Coqui Death to Your Ego - EP [DREAM]
iNTELLECT, Philip Anthony The Commission - EP [Polished Arrow]
King's Hammer To Speak In Tongues - EP [Rottweiler]
Brandon Lake King Of Hearts [Provident]
Gileah Taylor I Call This One - EP [Velvet Blue]
Gileah Taylor I Call This One DEMOS - EP [Velvet Blue]
War of Ages Eternal (15th Anniversary Edition) [Facedown]

SINGLES
Alexxander Suma - Single [Reach]
Gracie Binion Not Our First Dance - Single [BEC]
CalledOut Music Worthy of It All - Single [Integrity]
Chosen Road You’ve Already Won - Single [Thoroughbred]
Drenae Ride Or Die - Single [Syntax]
EJ Swavv Deep End - Single [Syntax]
Equippers Worship Garment of Praise - Single [DREAM]
Will Kellum Joy - Single [Syntax]
Keyodis Georgia's Only Son - Single [Charon Collective]
Mainstream Worship Near - Single [DREAM Worship]
Steven Malcolm One You (feat. Parris Chariz) - Single [Curb]
New Christian Order, outr.cty & Prodi Da Prodigal Violence (ft. International Show & Q-Flo) - Single [Syntax]
No Vain Glory A Psalmist's Prayer - Single [Syntax]
Of The Land You've Met Me - Single [BEC]
Hunter Plake Circles (feat. Ryan Ellis) - Single [BEC]
PRXM & Kei Harris No Parts - Single [Syntax]
Red Rocks Worship Faithful Father - Single [Provident]
Jeremy Rosado Keep Holding On - Single [Capitol CMG]
Jordy Sam Dramatics - Single [Syntax]

Next Friday, June 20, 2025
ALBUMS
Dan Bremnes The Hero - EP [Curb]
Dan Dean More [StowTown]
The Swirling Eddies Let's Spin! (Collector's Edition CD) [Girder]
The Swirling Eddies Outdoor Elvis (Collector's Edition CD) [Girder]
The Swirling Eddies Zoom Daddy (Collector's Edition CD) [Girder]
Dr. Edward Daniel Taylor The Miracle Faith Telethon: 35th Anniversary Ed (Collector's Edition CD) [Girder]

SINGLES
bodie GOOD OLD DAYS - Single [Provident]
KingsPorch You Can Have it All - Single [BEC]
Rhymes in Harmony In His Presence - Single [Syntax]
Jordan St. Cyr Circles (feat. Riley Clemmons) - Single [BEC]

VINYL
IRONWRATH Master Storyteller (Double Vinyl Gatefold) Vinyl [Girder]



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