Building 429 - Iris to Iris
I found a few minutes in between diaper changes to get a new review online! I'm looking forward to getting back behind the guitar this weekend, thanks again to Stan for pinch hitting these past couple weekends.
Building 429 has always brought a smile to my face when I hear their music. Their instrumentation and musical styling is often very powerful and has a way of getting at your emotions. The words are for the most part inspiring and worshipful.
It has been just a little over a year since their last release "Rise" and now already we have a new batch of songs on "Iris to Iris." Usually when a group releases another full length disc within a years time it signals one of two things; the new disc is a collection of songs that have been in the can for a while or it is a rehashing of previously released material. This is not the case with "Iris to Iris."
This CD is different from the previous two and those two are different from each other. "Rise" had a much heavier sound to it while this newest offering has more of a modern worship feel (think Tomlin, Crowder, Hughes, etc).
Jason Roy (lead singer) has always impressed me with his vocals. They are gruff without being overly raspy and can emmote a lot of passion and feeling to the already inspired words.
On the topic of vocals/lyrics (hey, it can't be all great) Roy tends to get a little repetitive and redunant. For example an excerpt from the song "Incredible" he drones on; You have made the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the wind, and the fire, and the rain, it’s so beautiful Yes, yes, yes we get it already.
For fans of the first 2 releases which contained songs that were pretty straightforward rock, this disc might be a bit chewy.
Some of my initial favorites are; "Singing Over Me", "Amazed" & "Waiting to Shine". "Grace that is Greater" is a great remake of the hymn.
Have a great rest of the week, see you in worship!
