Music Review: Derek Webb-I See Things Upside Down

The previous post's thought was motivated quite a bit by two Derek Webb songs, and some things on my brothers blog, Ezekial's Fire (look at Trickle-Down Righteousness, The Good Galilean, No Room for Redemption, and Justice and Mercy in particular. Besides, my brother is a much better writer than I am, and I find his blurbs challenging.) So I thought I would do a review.

Derek Webb, formerly of Caedmon's Call, has 3 solo albums, all focusing on calling the church to righteousness. He is one of my favorite song writers, my favorite Caedmon's Call songs were written by him. I don't have his third album, Mockingbird, yet.

Derek Webb-I See Things Upside Down

10 Canaries

Track listing:

1. I Want a Broken Heart

2. Better Than Wine

3. The Strong, the Tempted & the Weak

4. Reputation

5. I Repent

6. Medication

7. We Come to You

8. T-Shirts (What We Should Be Known For)

9. Ballad in Plain Red

10. Nothing Is Ever Enough

11. Lover Part 2

12. What Is Not Love

The music on the album is simple and very good. It is mostly an atmospheric blend of electric and acoustic guitar and piano with some keyboard in the background. A couple of the songs are a bit more bluesy and upbeat (T-shirts and Ballad in Plain Red). The other songs are mid-tempo to quiet, but often with a driving steady drum beat or a very quiet fuzz. But it what Derek Webb sings about is what makes the album spectacular. His music is simply background for a prophetic message. (I use prophetic in the Old Testament sense, which is simply telling the Truth of God. That is how I use this word for future reference.) Perhaps that why it is more atmospheric and simple, only wanting to be a vehicle for the message. The first lyric of track 1 is "I've got faith in the bank/And money in my heart." He doesn't back down from there. What Derek hopes we understand from this album is what is written on the inside of the album sleeve: "failure=success; poverty=riches; weakness=strength; foolishness=understanding."

I have tried to start typing this paragraph several times to describe the lyrical focus, but I keep second guessing myself. So I will keep it simple. The first seven tracks Derek focuses on his heart and God's heart and how they are not in the same place. Tracks 5 and 6 are prayers of repentance and cleansing. Track 7 works as an invitation-- It is just over 8 minutes long with the last 6 minutes being a simple mix of acoustic guitar and keyboards, working as an invitation, calling for us to walk down the aisle, lay down our idols, repent, and meet Jesus all over again. Tracks 8, 9 and 10 expose how the church has often too easily accepted our culture's call and forgotten God's call, while still finding ways to remain 'religious.' The last two songs sum up the album through the eyes of people who while struggling, have a deeper understanding of the life that Christ wants for us.

I think I can sum it up best by just letting you read the lyrics of two of his songs on the album.

I Repent

words and music by Derek Webb

I repent, I repent of my pursuit of America's dream

I repent, I repent of living like I deserve anything

of my house, my fence, my kids, my wife

in our suburb where we're safe and white

I am wrong and of these things I repent

I repent, I repent of parading my liberty

I repent. I repent of paying for what I get for free

and for the way I believe that I am living right

by trading sins for others that are easier to hide

I am wrong and of these things I repent

I repent judging by a law that even I can't keep

of wearing righteousness like a disguise

to see through the planks in my own eyes

I repent, I repent of trading truth for false unity

I repent, I repent of confusing peace and idolatry

by caring more of what they think than what I know of what we need

by domesticating You until You look just like me

I am wrong and of these things I repent

T-Shirts (What We Should Be Known For)

words and music by Derek Webb

they'll know us by the t-shirts that we wear

they'll know us by the way we point and stare

at anyone whose sin looks worse than ours

who cannot hide the scars of this curse that we all bare

they'll know us by our picket lines and signs

they'll know us by the pride we hide behind

like anyone on earth is living right

and isn't that why Jesus died

not to make us think we're right

chorus

when love, love, loveis what we should be known for

love, love, love it's the how and it's the why

we live and breathe and we die

they'll know us by reasons we divide

and how we can't seem to unify

because we've gotta sing songs a certain style

or we'll walk right down that aisle

and just leave 'em all behind

they'll know us by the billboards that we make

just turning God's words to cheap cliches

says "what part of murder don't you understand?"

but we hate our fellow man

and point a finger at His grave

(Chorus)

they'll know us by the t-shirts that we wear

they'll know us by the way we point and stare

telling 'em their sins are worse than ours

thinking we can hide our scars

beneath these t-shirts that we wear

(written listening to "Passion"-Peter Gabriel and "In the Company of Angels"-Caedmon's Call)