By: Kevan Breitinger
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After The Chase
Make Me New
Independent
Folk
01-01-2008
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SCORE
90%
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After The Chase is Californian husband-wife singer/songwriter duo Nathan and Jenna Strong, and their 2003 self-titled debut already had me in their corner when I picked up sophomore effort, Make Me New, produced by Nate Sabin. The five years have only added to their thoughtful folk-rock charms.
The percolating rhythms of opener “Without Your Love” immediately draw you in, and the buoyant hooky chorus keeps your interest easily. But it’s the potent lyrics, with their underlying exuberance, that really sink a hook deep into your mind. Songwriter Nathan Strong’s desperately honest lyrics resonate quickly: “I need to live away from my sin/away from myself/ I want to be somebody else/ to be somebody new/ the person I want to be is who I am with you.” If you haven’t faced this desperate longing at some point, you haven’t examined your own heart.
I like the slight Mid-eastern vibe injected into the lush and light-filled “I’ll Be a Fool,” as well as the sweet strings of the title track. Jenna’s tracks tend to be a bit moodier and ambient (“In This Place”), but always deeply expressive (the quietly acoustic “Second Chance,” notable also for its achingly moving violin). But the duo’s clear strength is found in their focused, godly perspective and powerful lyrics. The soft vocals and glimmering guitars of “We Wait,” a stunner powerfully expressing honest desperation and surrender, will stop you in your tracks. The bouncy “Apple of My Eye” rides thick organ riffs while lyrically laying out the giving heart of the Father in heart-rending clarity.
The thoughtfully arranged closer “No More,” at over 7 minutes the longest track, comes across as a poignant plea for peace. Its attentive placement, along with that of the upbeat opener “Without Your Love” is only one indication of the Strongs’ potent gifting. They know their way around a studio. Make Me New will expose you to a rich and thoughtful perspective of modern day faith.
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