Bebo Norman- Lights of Distant Cities Album Review

Radio Ready: The Broken, The End of Me, Sing of Your Glory, Lights of Distant Cities, Just a Glimpse

iPod Picks: The Broken, World Gone Dark, Outside Her Window Was the World, Go With You, Lights of Distant Cities, Just a Glimpse, Daylight Breaking

Let me just say this from the start: I love Bebo Norman!  His 2006 album Between the Dreaming and The Coming True was a revelation to me and an album that I continue to return to time and again. What makes Bebo so great is that he has found the delicate balance intimate folk music and radio pop.  While his first couple releases were heavy on the folk sounds and his last two releases relied a bit too much on the radio-ready worship-pop, Lights of Distant Cities finds Bebo properly balancing both styles while also treading through new sonic territory. 

Folk is back en vogue with Mumford & Sons, The Civil Wars, Gotye and their associates racing up the mainstream charts so it seems that the timing is perfect for Bebo to return to his roots.  Of course, CCM is still a bit behind on the folk trend so he cannot fully abandon the radio fodder either and the balance of both sounds on Lights is what makes it so successful. Beyond this balancing act, even on his most typical sounding tracks, there seems to be a much stronger desire this time around to bring some fresh sounds to the mix- whether it be a hammer dulcimer on the epic carrier single, "The Broken", a prominent electronic programming presence on the title track or even a fresh melodic approach to Norman's patented guitar picking acoustic ballad as evidenced on "Daylight Breaking" and "Collide".  The biggest departures on Cities; however, are "World Gone Dark" and "Outside Her Window Was The World".  "World Gone Dark" is a very natural progression for Bebo into the sounds of folk-rock kings Mumford & Sons with a driving beat, quirky instrumentation and a bar tune sing along type melody.  Vocally, Bebo channels Stanley Climbfall-era Lifehouse lead singer Jason Wade and it works well on this album highlight.  I do wish that Bebo would have gone further down the Mumford path and included a few more folk instruments on the track (I could totally hear some mandolin, dobro, dulcimer, and cowbell on this one).  I mean, if you're gonna go Mumford, you might as well go all the way!  On the other side of the spectrum, the intro to "Outside Her Window" immediately brought back memories of epic 80's programming that were used on everyone from Journey to Twila Paris.  With a cool minor key rock melody and a rare usage of what sounds like an electric guitar, this is easily one of the most upbeat, rocky and hook-laden songs of Bebo's career.  Personally, I can hear a great dupstep remix of this one (come on Capital Kings- make it happen!)

While Lights of Distant Cities doesn't feature a definite hit single like "Great Light of the World", "I Will Lift My Eyes" or "Nothing Without You", there are plenty of tracks that deserve radio attention, starting with the carrier single "The Broken" which, much like previous hits, is a plea for divine intervention; this time set to a more upbeat, sweeping musical backdrop than a typical Bebo single.  If given a chance, this song could have a big impact.  The title cut, "Just a Glimpse" and "The End of Me" also have potential.  "Sing of Your Glory" checks all the right boxes for an Inspirational Radio hit but I can't help but wish more attention was paid to the production and that the track had a tighter drum beat and more modern sounding programming. 

Lyrically, this is classic Bebo Norman.  Bebo has always lived his life as an open book through his music and as usual, transparency, hope and at times heart-wrenching honesty are the foundations of these songs.  While the tone is confessional, Bebo knows how to turn a phrase so that the song not only properly expresses his own circumstance but can also be translated to any listener's personal struggle.  In the midst of the turmoil, Norman points us to the hope we have in Christ and the glory that is to come.  

In the end, Lights of Distant Cities will probably not go down as the most definitive album of Bebo Norman's storied career (that still remains to be either Myself When I Am Real or Between the Dreaming and The Coming True) but it is a discography highlight and probably one of his most balanced efforts in years.  In an era when truly excellent singer-songwriter styled Christian Music is in short order, Lights comes in as a refreshing piece of confessional art that hits you right between the eyes and sinks deep into your heart.