Flyleaf - "New Horizons"

Flyleaf - New Horizons
2012, Octone

1. Fire Fire
2. New Horizons
3. Call You Out
4. Cage on the Ground
5. Great Love
6. Bury Your Heart
7. Freedom
8. Saving Grace
9. Stand
10. Green Heart
11. Broken Wings

It's very rare that I'm able to form an opinion about a new release so quickly. However, upon listening to New Horizons for the first time I thought to myself, "Um... what happened here?" The album starts off really well. The three opening tracks are unique and full of passion. "Call You Out" reminds me a bit of "Breathe Today" from the debut. Unfortunately, after a strong start the album falls apart. It reverts to this standard Christian modern rock sound that feels tired and uninspired. Subsequent listens have not changed my mind any. My wife says I'm being too hard on them but I disagree. Both the debut and Memento Mori were both really good. They had a nice intensity about them that New Horizons lacks. If this is the "new horizon" to which the band is headed then I may have to get off at this stop because it's not very interesting.

Useless Fact: This will be founding vocalist Lacey Sturm's last album with the band. The story goes that after the band's former producer was killed in a car crash, Lacey had a "Memento Mori" moment. Realizing she wanted to spend more time with her new baby and husband, she decided to leave the band. They've got a replacement but she sounds kind of generic in the samples I've heard. Though, to be fair, it's a little too early to judge.

Flyleaf - "Remember to Live"

Flyleaf - Remember To Live
2010, Octone

1. Justice & Mercy (Violent Love Version)
2. Okay
3. Amy Says
4. Dear My Closest Friend
5. Light in Your Eyes
6. Believe in Dreams
7. Arise (Ben Moody Mix)

Well, well, well... what do we have here? My wife and I were getting groceries at Walmart and I saw this little EP that had apparently been released without telling anybody. New songs too! Well... old songs actually. From what I hear a majority of these tunes were from the band's catalogue back when they were known as Passerby. I was surprised at how mellow this is. It's nowhere near as intense as Memento Mori. Also, I hate to say it, but it's kind of boring. I like "Justice & Mercy," "Okay," and "Amy Says." I also dig the techno-industrial pop version of "Arise" that Ben Moody did. The other three tracks just lack spark for me. They also sound very similar so they kind of run together. I don't necessarily regret buying it, but it's definitely for hardcore fans only. I would suggest casual fans download the tracks they like.

Useless Fact: The liner notes feature the musings of the daughter of the commander whose notes were in Memento Mori. No lyrics either. My wife and I would like to have both please.

Flyleaf - "Memento Mori"

Flyleaf - Memento Mori
2009, A&M

1. Beautiful Bride
2. Again
3. Chasm
4. Missing
5. This Close
6. The Kind
7. In the Dark
8. Set Apart This Dream
9. Swept Away
10. Tiny Heart
11. Melting (Interlude)
12. Treasure
13. Circle
14. Arise

I've got to hand it to Flyleaf. They had a lot of commercial success with their debut album, but even with all the success they never compromised their Christian stance. It takes some brass ones to put out an album like this these days. It's far bolder in terms of Christian themed lyrics than the last one. Take the first track "Beautiful Bride" for example: "Beautiful bride/ Body of Christ/ One flesh abiding/ Strong and unifying." Their attitude seems to be, "Yeah, we're Christian - deal with it." I can't tell you how much I respect that! Thankfully the music is backs up the lyrics just fine. Lacey's vocals have improved even though she doesn't do much growling, unfortunately. The band as really refined their sound into a swirling whirlwind of guitars and emotional, pleading hooks. They have a low end to their distortion that straddles the line between the crushing force of Korn and the groove of King's X. Yeah... I said King's X. If you're not moved by the combination of music and lyrics in songs like "Missing" and "This Close" then you have no heart. That being said there are a couple tracks that I could have done without - I don't even remember how "Circle" goes and for some reason I've never cared for "In the Dark." I will also say that the production seems a bit on the noisy side to me but that could just be the speakers in my car.

Another thing I wanted to comment on was the album's theme. The liner notes do not contain lyrics but notes from "The Commander" to the "Passerby Army" detailing their struggle with the "Dread Army" and his personal struggles with his daughter. It's cool, creative, and well-written but I kind of wish they would have printed the lyrics too. Still, this is a great record. Hopefully it won't take them four years to do another one!

Useless Fact: There's a special edition of this disc available that Walmart didn't have when I went to get it. That edition has some extra tracks on it. Shouldn't be too hard to find if you don't live in some podunk town like I do.

Flyleaf - "Flyleaf"

Flyleaf - Flyleaf

2005, Octone

1. I'm So Sick

2. Fully Alive

3. Perfect

4. Cassie

5. Sorrow

6. I'm Sorry

7. All Around Me

8. Red Sam

9. There For You

10. Breathe Today

11. So I Thought

I originally accused this band of being perceived as better than they actually were. I though that the female vocalist was really all they had and that their music wasn't very substantial without her. I think I was wrong in that assessment. Flyleaf is a great modern hard rock band. Vocalist Lacey Mosley sometimes sounds like a pissed off Leigh Nash (Sixpence None the Richer)... oh, and she can growl. You'd think a little tiny girl growling would sound silly but she pulls it off! The rest of the band combines guitar effects and drop D power chords to churn out some pretty compelling rock songs. "Cassie" is about the girl who was supposedly martyred at Columbine.

Useless Fact: They took the growling out of "Cassie" which was present on their first EP. I wonder why? I liked it!