Evans, Darrell - "Freedom"

Evans, Darrell - Freedom

1999, Word

1. Trading My Sorrows

2. So Good To Me

3. Freedom

4. I Am In Love With You

5. I Know

6. You Bless Me

7. When I Pray

8. You Are My Portion

9. Your Love Is Extravagant

10. I Lay Me Down

Freedom is a bit more commercial I think. In fact, I think this was one of the first albums to really start the whole "worship is now a defined style of music" nonsense that I completely despise. I don't think the collection of songs here is nearly as strong as they are on Let the River Flow. "Trading My Sorrows" was the biggest "hit" I guess you could say as it has been played in just about every church's contemporary worship service. This also makes me pretty much hate it by this point. Also Darrell gets a little rowdy...well as rowdy as "worship" is allowed to be with "When I Pray" which is kind of a rocker. Rockier than the rest of the album but with someone who has Mortification, Megadeth, and Devin Townsend in his music collection, "When I Pray" is just turned up a bit louder (like turned up to 6 instead of 5) and Darrell hit the "overdrive" switch on his amp. I do like "Your Love Is Extravagant" though. Actually, at the time I pretty much loved this disc but now I can't listen to it without thinking about how worship doesn't really mean "being consumed with God's presence" anymore as much as it means "light rock music with Jesus romance lyrics."

Just an aside... it wasn't too long after this disc came out that everyone was doing worship albums. Since worship was the cool thing, worship bands started getting record contracts. "Worship," as I've said, has transformed into something you do to a style of music with a very specific sound. What's funny is that all these new songs have permeated the church and have almost become new hymns. Okay, I'll stop ranting now. Seriously, this isn't a bad disc, I just have issues. It's me... not Darrell. Okay everybody? :-)

Useless Fact: I think Darrell stayed on the worship scene for awhile but I don't know if he put out any new albums. I also haven't really cared to look him up and actually see if he's done anything else. Though I did see him on one of those Songs 4 Worship commercials so.... he ain't dead or anything.