The Rocket Summer - Of Men and Angels
Let me start off by saying that I’ve come to the realization that how I personally interpret an album is highly subjective, so I’ve started a new practice. First listen to an album has to be headphoned and potentially as undisturbed as possible. I managed to pull that off with this album, and I’m glad I did because it’s a pretty superb album.
The musical style of the album is definitely amplified guitars backed by piano, which is how Do You Feel was written, but the intermittent breaks of piano (Avery’s instrument of choice) are nearly perfectly balanced. As well, there is a genuine joy to the album, which I greatly appreciated. Not just happy like the first two albums. And not slightly depressed and confused like the last one struck me. The realness of this album really jars me, because I dig real and I think most other people usually do.
Track by Track lineup:
Track 1 – Roses: This is a song about how hard it can be to believe so deeply in the faithful life, but like holding onto a Rose, sometimes the holding on makes you bleed from the thorns. Metaphorically this song is amazingly rich.
Track 2 – You Gotta Believe: The track “You Gotta Believe” is about sticking to your guns in the face of opposition. It’s a very Rocket Summer sounding song.
Track 3 – Hills and Valleys: As I was two track into the album, I began to think that this album would delve into the poppy roots of Avery’s past. Not so much. What an amazing song from a man to his wife. Definitely one of my top songs from this album.
Track 4 – I Want Something to Live For: The refrain of this song is pretty terrific: “Stop fearing death, I want something to live for”. The song speaks about how fake we sometimes are to our friends and loved ones when if being real is what we want why don’t we do it?
Track 5 – Walls: I’m not sure if this is a song from Bryce to a friend or from Jesus to Bryce it is pretty much one of, if not THE best song from this album. It’s great. “I’ll help you break the walls down, believe you me, you are not alone”.
Track 6 – Pull Myself Together: I could be mistaken, but I’m pretty sure this song was written for Charlie.
Track 7 – Of Men and Angels: If Bryce Avery wrote the book of Ecclesiastes, this song would be in it. The realness of how fame changed his outlook on life is quite tangible in this song.
Track 8 – I Need a Break… but I’d Rather have a Breakthrough: So, this song struck me as the perfect FPU song.
Track 9 – Nothing MattersTo me this song seemed a little bit like a Jimmy Needham song, a little bit angsty but right on.
Track 10 – Japanese Exchange Student.I so don’t relate to this song at all. It’s about how it is hard to be a rockstar that people think they understand about. It’s a good song though, it’s very “Rocket-Summer” sounding.
Track 11 – Tara, I’m Terrible. This song seems a bit like a good song to help one remember the quiet desires of a marriage. Also about how his wife is awesome to deal with him.
Track 12 – Hey! This song is reminiscient of other Rocket Summer songs.
Track 13 – Let you go. I’m thinking this is a breakup song, which is strange to me. I give it a Randy Jackson “It’s just ok for me, dog”.
Track 14 -This is a Refuge. I love this song about quiet patience. Because I typically am neither quiet nor patient.
Track 15 – Light. I think this song is a great way to end this album. It’s really hopeful, but not super obnoxiously high-energy, but it’s a great song about hope. It’s about letting go of the crap we sometimes hold so closely to our chest and allowing God to help us out of a quagmire.
I definitely think it was a great purchase and I would heartily recommend it.
