Fire

Album Review

Strive, the nom de group for singer/songwriter/pianist Derick Thompson, has been known on occasion to spell out its CCM leanings (e.g., 2005's The Rock Gospel of Jesus Christ), but more often comes on as a stealth Christian act, never mentioning the word "God" ("He" may sneak in here and there, but usually the substitute is "Love"), and instead presenting the religious viewpoint as a sort of positive philosophy for a world in crisis. After a series of self-releases, Thompson signed with startup GoDigital for Strive's first "global" release, Fire, and he has taken the opportunity to recycle some of his recent material. All four songs from the 2007 Strive EP, three of which also appeared on the 2007 album The Story Before, are repeated among the ten tracks here. ("Nothing's Impossible" has been re-titled "Just a Little More Time Now.") Thompson has added more songs in the same vein, which is to say music in an early-'80s arena rock/classic rock style, piano rock anthems to which he lends his earnest soulful tenor, a voice that seems like a cross between Kevin Rowland and Steve Perry. (Probably Dexys Midnight Runners' "Come on Eileen" and Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" are favorites of the singer's; even if not, he could reproduce them convincingly.) In fact, there may be a few too many anthems. Dialing down the religious specifics seems to have required intensifying the music's soaring qualities, along with all those "Inspirational" lyrics. Still, classic rock fans tired of listening to their old standbys and wondering why nobody makes their kind of music anymore could ignore the implications in those lyrics and swell up with songs like this. And those who understand the code words will enjoy it, too.