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Media/Arts
Aug. 17, 2006
Sing all the Truth but sing it slant
By Andrew Junker
The Catholic Sun
In a genre that can sometimes seem repetitive, Matt Maher’s latest Christian rock offering “Overflow” (Spirit and Song) is musically diverse. Moving effortlessly through genres, the local Catholic musician shows an expansive taste and interest in musical styling.
Maher shows that his songwriting talent is beyond question. Nearly all of his melodies are interesting and engaging.
Each song is distinct from the others, with the album encompassing a great variety of music, from catchy rock songs — like “Resurrection Day” and “As it is in Heaven” — to softer, Southern influenced songs, to the tasteful orchestral arrangements gracing the record throughout.
His tight song structure, with little filler or meandering, and excellent production help bolster the quality of tunes, but the greatest strength of the music lies in the little things Maher does.
A deceptively simple guitar line and cello arrangement transform the Bob Foley standard “Come to the Water” into a new song entirely, at once both meditatively repetitive and surging.
The background whirrs and clicks that begin “Timeless” grant the song an immense space in which to reside, a space appropriate for the infinite nature of Maher’s subject. Maher understands that these little things matter in recording a song, and uses them to his advantage.
Most popular music has two components: the music and the lyrics. In secular music, the lyrics are not nearly as important as the melody or chord progression. The Beatles’ “Love, Love Me Do” sold not because of its words, but because of its catchy tune.
In Christian music, there is more at stake. The message of the song — its words — is the whole point.
The Truth’s superb surprise
Writing about faith is tricky. The Truth of Christ and His mission approached head-on by an artist can overwhelm the audience so greatly that much of the stupendous meaning is lost.
Emily Dickinson advised artists to “Tell all the truth but tell it slant — / Success in Circuit lies.” In other words, approach the Truth from the side, getting as close as possible by showing it to the audience — by narrative or metaphor — rather than merely telling them what it is.
If “Overflow” has any defects, it is that too often Maher tells us instead of showing us. It is one thing for him to sing over and over “Everything I am is for Your glory,” or “You are mystery / You are eternity.”
It is another thing entirely to show us how those statements are so. “Mystery” and “eternity” are not comprehensible when approached head on. We need a circuitous route towards them.
When Maher does engage slantwise representation, as he does in “The Rivers of Babylon,” the effect is powerful.
Over a beautiful melody and vocal performance reminiscent of Rufus Wainwright, Maher tells the story of a modern day exile juxtaposed against the Biblical story.
The listener gains a better understanding both of the Biblical narrative itself and the pertinence such a narrative has for someone living in a culture that has exiled itself from God. The source material is imagined anew and reinvigorated through a four-minute pop song — no small feat.
Likewise, in “Here and Now,” Maher shows us a vision of the Second Coming filled with striking paradoxes: “The cross is happening / The world is ending / Dead and alive / We are beginning.”
A dark guitar line lingers over the track’s throbbing percussion, which evokes a feeling of immediacy.
These two tracks especially show that though great difficulty arises for someone writing faith-filled songs, with Maher’s musical talent and some slantwise storytelling, success is not impossible. The standout songs on his record suggest that a Christian artist’s success truly does in “Circuit” lie.
Junker is a staff writer for The Catholic Sun.
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