Tenth Avenue North- The Struggle

The third album of an artist's career is probably one of their most important.  It decides whether the artists will go on to have a long and healthy career or fade into oblivion.  This is mainly due to the fact that most artists sign three album record deals and if album #3 does not perform well, they are handed a pink slip.  With the success Tenth Avenue North has had up to this point, there is no reason to think that their label, Reunion Records, would ever consider getting rid of these guys, but from an artistic perspective, The Struggle  is an important statement.  Somewhere between Over and Underneath and The Light Meets the Dark, TAN morphed from a radio band into an art-pop critical darling and expectations are high for The Struggle.  So how to the boys from West Palm Beach do?  That depends on who you ask.  This is not the magnum opus some critics were hoping for but there is obvious growth musically, lyrically, and vocally by the band that will please most listeners.  While some may feel this release is not upbeat enough, or quirky enough, or boundary pushing enough, I think this record is exactly the musical statement Tenth Avenue North needed to make.  One must understand that TAN will always be the band that properly straddles the fence between radio fodder and art.  They are not trying to be Muse or Bon Iver, nor do they wish to be Maroon 5 or Lifehouse.  They are somewhere in the middle and that's a good thing. In fact, they are exactly the type of artist that Christian Radio needs: someone who will push the envelope lyrically and musically all while staying within the accepted framework of CCM radio.  Most importantly, TAN points listeners back to the Word of God as the final authority in our lives, which is a refreshing change from the typical "feelings" oriented music generally found on CCM radio today.

Musically, this album keeps in line with previous releases while adding flourishes of rock ("Shadows"), Gospel ("Losing", "Grace"), and Beatlesque harmonies ("Hostage of Peace").  The Struggle does a great job of balancing the hooks and singability of Over and Underneath with the artistry and lyrical depth of The Light Meets the Dark and should have no problem adding another 3-4 radio hits to their already impressive collection of radio smashes (my bets are on "Worn", "Strangers Here"and "Where Life Will Never Die" and with current hit single "Losing"). What truly sets this album apart though is the use of the "Gang Choir" background vocals on many of the songs.  In a stroke of marketing genius, TAN recorded the choir vocals for this album at various concerts throughout the country after teaching the audience some of their new songs.  One group of concert attendees even make an appearance in in the music video for "Losing".  The cherry on top comes one the inside backing of the CD jewel case (you know, the area behind where the actual CD is fastened) where all "choir members" aka concert attendees' names are listed in 2.5 pt font).  You can bet that 99% of those individuals will be buying this album if only to see their name printed in it!

Lyrically, The Struggle is a concept album that picks up where The Light Meets the Dark left off as it wrestles with the daily grind of the Christian experience.  The album cover is Rembrandt's 1633 painting, The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, in which, while depicting the biblical event, the painter included 14 individuals in the boat instead of the traditional 13 (the 12 disciples and the Lord Jesus Christ).  It is said that Rembrandt, himself, is the 14th individual on the boat because the Dutch painter believed that these Bible stories were applicable and relevant to everyone.  Christ is with us too as we struggle through the storms of this life.  And that in a nutshell is the theme of The Struggle.  In the midst of our pain, shame, and turmoil, Christ is with us, Christ is in us, Christ is for us and Christ is leading us home.  These themes lead the band, as it should all of us, to worship our Savior ("Lamb of God") and confess our dependence on Him ("Worn", "Losing", "Hostage of Peace", "Grace") and our surrender to His Will ("Don't Stop the Madness", "You Do All Things Well", "Strangers Here").   

Over all, with The Struggle, Tenth Avenue North continues to blaze their own trail in CCM as they seek to walk the fine line between radio accessibility and artistry all while holding fast to Scripture and the glorious message of the Gospel and the result is a fine collection of songs that challenge the listener to return to the truths of scripture instead of leaning on their own understanding.

Radio Ready: Losing, Strangers Here, Worn, Where Life Will Never Die, The Struggle, Grace

iPod Picks: Strangers Here, Worn, Don't Stop the Madness, Losing, The Struggle, Shadows, Hostage of Peace