Search - Luminous :: Exposing the Dark

Not available? Unbelievable. Terrific alt rock Christian mus

Mir | North Miami Beach, FL USA | 06/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

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EXPOSING THE DARK by Luminous is one of my fave albums in the last year. I acquired it in 2006, though I gather it came out the year before. I had never seen press for this group. No, I came across them through the tribute album for Wes King (a good tribute record whose profits go to a worthy cause, and I think you might wanna check it out).



No here, is a record that gave me thrills, with a terrific lead vocalist. The band backs her up creditably (only occasionally almost drowning her out). Here and there, a moody piano plays. Here and there an echo of Coldplay. Here and there a touch of U2 guitar work.



There is a gorgeous atmosphere here, young and fresh and earnest. The lyrics are thoughtful and emotional and spiritual.



How did this album just fall below the radar and disappear? I mean, there are so many boring acts on Christian radio that I simply tune out, but a cool act like LUMINOUS just, what?, vanishes? It's perplexing.



Ever since OUT OF THE GREY sort of faded away (and man, I loved that duo), I haven't come across a combination of artsy hipness and accessibility and cool lyrics like with LUMINOUS. (Okay, Barlow Girl is great fun, and Nichole Nordeman and Sarah Groves give us personal girl spiritual power. But BENJAMIN GATE went kaput, and CHASING FURIES went bye-bye, and this band finally fills the cool shoes of B.G. and C.F. for me, and I like them immensely.)



Someone needs to get this band some airplay on CCM stations. They're just too good to disappear.



If you like CCM with a more modern flair (ie not old-timey or dull and predictable the way praise music can be since it's intended for anyone to be able to sing), find this cd available, snap it up.



Playlist:



WHO AM I?--starts out with this interesting bit of clanky percussion then ramps up, then calms to allow Natalie to sing in a semi-rappy singing style. And the chorus rings out with passion: "Who am I to make up the rules, to judge anyone, when I'm the one to be judged?" 4.5/5



FALLING FOR YOU--U2 homage in the opening, insistent bass drum, tinkly piano accents, and a low-key but not unemotional vocalizing. "You've changed my thinking, how I see myself...I'm starting over, I'm moving forward...I'm falling for you...I feel I'd do anything, even go anywhere with you by my side, my dreams are awakened, chances must be taken...Chances must be taken..." 4.5/5



BURN--My favorite song on the album. I'll wail this one around the house on REPEAT: Opens with some nice cymbal moody tinkling and atmospheric guitar work rising, falling. Then a bouncy tune with some interesting echo and buzzing. A cool driving/strolling sound...then Natalie: "Burning with love is the fire I feel for you, undying passion through and through. Melting, mending, changing me to gold: I willingly submit instead of being told. Stir this fire in my soul. Stir up the coals of indecision. Break through the icy chains that have held me down. And I'll burn for you... I wanna burn for You. I wanna burn so hot that my enemies will turn..." 5/5



UNAWARE: Not one of my faves. Bouncy, a touch of electronica, another nice strolling sound, but the vocals are a bit tired feeling. Only the chorus really is fun to me: "They look, they stare, totally unaware of who I really am..." But it gets much better toward the finale, the vocals get some life. 3/5



CHOOSE: Spare opening and vocals with a touch of ennui: "Echoes of my past they haunt me to say, it's just another day. Nothing's new. You never change...I have a choice. I choose You now." Unfortunately, in spots, we lose her voice... 4/5



THINK: This feels very girl-power-pop. Energetic drumming, super bouncy rhythm. It makes me want to put on a mini-skirt and do a New Wave jump. Good energy, good vibe, a bit more of the "lost voice" issue, but youth groups could love this. "One life to live...once chance to give...Generations come and go..." 3/5



EMOTIONS: Sassy stop-and-go, hip-hop manipulations with a slower tempo. "You're everything to me. The only one that stays the same through it all. In this battle, you call my name. Let me know you're love's the same." 4/5



ON AN ON: Clanky percussion opener moves into an atmospheric geography, some techno touches, very light, but add a nice accent. The vocals are clearer, and the guitar comes in nice and unhurried, strum, strum. Layered vocals come in and it grows into a pleasant, moody piece. "Your love goes on and on when I see the darkness all around, your love goes on and on and on despite my circumstances." The guitar does some nice bits later on, too. Never getting in the way. They did a great job of setting a mood that feels like a long, long horizon..on and one and on. 5/5



AT THE WELL:Okay, I kept expecting Elton John to start singing. Piano playing a repetitive set of chords, then a simple: "How can this be, that you're in love with me?" Just a sort of interlude. About a minute long. 3/5



EPILOGUE: Nice moody piano opening, sort of like a suspenseful set of notes. "Can't take what I've done back, the weight is heavy but I"ve got to move on and repent, not resent, I'll repent, not resent..." She does a great job of singing the chorus, and that continual set of piano notes carries on this sort of driving sense of a need. That suits the lyrics. This is another of my faves, though the arrangement is sort of minimal, it does wind up towards the end--guitars rushing in, drums waking up--and is just a cool song, period, with a great message. 5/5



SPEECHLESS: INSTRUMENTAL: piano with some nice strings accompanying. Feels like a piece of a nice film soundtrack.



SEARCH ME: A fabulous praise song. Piano is clean, nice and vocals are earnest: "I bow low in Your presence, in the holiness of Your throne room. You gently lift my chin as I gaze into Your eyes." "Search me, O God, and know my heart. Test me and know my thoughts, so I'm set apart. Shine your light on me, and set me free. Let nothing hold me back from knowing You." "I submit my life to you. My dreams, my questions, my heart to you. You gently grab my hand, and you smile at me, you're in control." The piano is gorgeous. And toward the latter half, a bit of guitar strumming comes into play, and there is a crescendo with strings, just before it gets mellow again. But the piano and voice rule the day. Perfect for any worship gathering. Beautiful, full of longing. 5/5



LUMINOUS has a MySpace page that offers some of their songs for your enjoyment. They also have an webpage. I really hope they put out another album and become better known among CCM enthusiasts.



Big thumbs up.



Mir of Mirathon blog







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