MP3: Isolation Years - Frosted minds
I didn't care much for Isolation Years' second album "It's golden" when it first came out. The lead single "Open those eyes" was a huge departure from the mid-tempo folk/rock sound of "Inland traveller", the debut. Not to mention the increased promenince of religious imagery in the lyrics. Needless to say, I just wasn't having it. Still, I never quite gave up on it. Good thing too, since it's now one of my most favorite albums. I believe I have mentioned the story before a long time ago, but I was on vacation doing a long drive through the woods of Northern California listening to "It's golden" and all of a sudden, it clicked. The scenery, my laid-back frame of mind - whatever it was, it made me reevaluate my entire outlook. Yes, it's still quite different from the debut, but you know what? That's not a bad thing at all. They're both great albums in their own separate ways and I really think that just goes to show how good of a band Isolation Years is. I know it's common for folks to shy away from bands that flirt with notions of 'Christian rock', but listen: you're missing out. And besides, the Bible has been providing fodder for quality songwriting for ages. It's not going to change anytime soon, so stop being so damn afraid of it. I'm no Christian myself, but I know that passionate people make passionate music. I won't lie - a lot, nay the overwhelming majority, of Christian rock sucks. It's watered-down garbage. But most pop music sucks too, come to think of it. Now, I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea and start thinking that Isolation Years are purely a Christian rock act. That's wholly unfair and would be totally selling them short. They're about much more than that. It's just that I recently finished reading "Body piercing saved my life" by Andrew Beaujon, an excellent look into the world of modern Christian music and have been thinking a lot about it. It's such a strange segregated society, coexisting almost in parallel to the secular world. What's interesting is when the two meet. But enough of that tangent, listen to this Isolation Years song and enjoy one of my favorite bands and read that book to learn more about the weirdness of Christian underground society.
Isolation Years - Frosted minds