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Delirious? – The Mission Bell

December 24th, 2005

Even having heard a few songs from their newest album at Soul Survivor this summer, “The Mission Bell” still managed to completely take me by surprise. If it wasn’t for the unmistakeable voice of Martin Smith, I would have had a hard time telling that this is indeed the work of Delirious? – and I’ve been following the band for the last almost ten years. Don’t get me wrong – I think it’s absolutely fantastic, the guys have managed to brilliantly reinvent themselves in many ways while still keeping that “special something” that makes their music so unique. Probably the best thing I’ve heard since “King of Fools”.

The thing that probably struck me most, apart from their fresh, sometimes daring new arrangements, is the lyrical depth of the new songs. Past albums have always seen a mix of a few songs going deeper and most never leaving the shallow (with the exception of “Glo” and the “Cutting Edge” compilation, but those were made for a different market) – this time, there is absolutely no doubt what the guys are singing about. And they are not afraid to take on today’s “hot topics” – “Our God Reigns” for example talks about abortion, HIV and our vanity culture. I love the honesty in some of the songs – there seem to be a lot more questions than answers this time.

Musically, the songs range from just great to bordering on brilliant. A song like “Solid Rock”, with guest vocalist Tobymac speaking the lyrics of a 19th century hymn to the very edgy backing loops is just something so totally unexpected that I had to listen to it twice to even recognize it as a Delirious? song. And my absolute favourite, “Miracle Maker” is sending shivers down my spine (in a very positive way) when I just think about it.

If you liked Delirious? before, this one is for you – but be prepared for some new twists and enjoy the freshness of their sound. And if you didn’t like them very much before, give them another try, you might be in for a positive surprise!

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Entry Filed under: Christian Music