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Future of Forestry serves up the first of their long-awaited EPs, a six-song travel-themed collection. The first is vintage FOF: spacey, masterful, and confident. Front man/mastermind Eric Owyoung wrote, played, recorded, and produced every track, addressing the tensions of living on earth while heading to an eternal home. Owyoung and company were never ones to shrink back from creative exploration, and fans will find more of the artful, atmospheric soundscapes they’ve come to expect from these compelling journeymen. Think Sigur Ros without the falsetto, in the spirit of Jon Foreman’s recent solo work. Each track is dense with layered ambient sound, the production clean as a whistle. Opener “Traveler’s Song” offers delicate yet complex hooks, while the rollicking tempo of “This Hour” supports its message of immediacy. A lot of twinkling note-bending goes on in the esoteric “Colors In Array,” but I found the captivating ballads “Close Your Eyes” and “Closer To Me,” with their rich string permutations, more satisfying. These are two of the more melodic tracks, still containing the epic splendor that is uniquely FOF. I have to admit I found debut Twilight more cohesive, but FOF on their worst day is still more interesting than much of what the genre offers. This one is for all you sonic adventurers.
JARS OF CLAY Never confined to the same musical style for a long period of time, Jars of Clay has continued to push themselves with each record; whether it’s an album filled with hymns or simply a rock effort. Some of their albums, however, build off of their previous styling and exaggerate the desired outcome even further. This is the case with their 10th studio album. Titled The Long Fall Back to Earth, Jars of Clay’s latest record builds off the music of their previous album, Good Monsters. Taking an alternative rock approach, the band is now combining pop with ’80s electronic rock influences, such as on upbeat songs like “Heaven” and “Don’t Stop.” The influences feel reminiscent of Death Cab For Cutie, Depeche Mode, Arcade Fire, and perhaps even some Tears For Fears. Jars of Clay is a perfect example of how a band should approach the creative process. They aren’t afraid to try new things, yet they always are still identifiably themselves. It’s impressive how much thought and detail is put into the album’s many layers, some of which can only be discovered with headphones. Make sure you pick up The Long Fall Back to Earth.
It’s already been quite a ride for Mat Kearney. Since then, he’s seen radio success with songs such as “Nothing Left to Lose” and “Undeniable,” plus his singles have appeared in multiple TV shows, including Grey’s Anatomy, NCIS, and Scrubs. Now Kearney has released his sophomore major album, City of Black & White. Any doubts Kearney can create another solid disc will be removed after listening to the first few tracks off his latest effort. Kearney has a knack for writing accessible music that’s bold in its radio friendliness. Its laidback and acoustic driven nature is distinct, while still feeling similar to artists such as Dave Matthews, Counting Crows, and Snow Patrol. Vocally, Kearny sounds especially similar to Chris Martin of Coldplay, with a little less in the falsetto department. Fans looking for a solid pop-rock record should give Mat Kearney’s latest offering a spin. With complementing keyboards and acoustic guitars to assist in its Brit-rock influences, City of Black & White is incredibly easy to get lost inside.
The Newsboys have seen many changes since they first formed over 20 years ago. Many members have come and gone, but the one who has been there since day one is the charismatic Peter Furler. That was until recently, however, when Furler announced he was retiring as lead singer and dc Talk’s Michael Tait was taking his role. Furler will continue with the band through songwriting and production, and will make occasional appearances on stage. In The Hands of God marks the final album with Furler as lead singer. Tracks such as “The Way We Roll” and “No Grave” boast heavier and aggressive guitar influences. Meanwhile, songs such as “This Is Your Life” and “Dance” feature synth elements within their soundtrack. Of course, an album isn’t distinctly Newsboys without some of their signature tongue-in-cheek lyrics, like those found in the verses of “My Friend Jesus.” It’s the end of an era for the Newsboys with Furler stepping down as the lead singer. For this reason alone, In The Hands of God is a must buy for fans of the band’s recent material. But with its bouncy upbeat tracks, synth influences, and worship ballads, there should be enough for everyone. 
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