The Saving One

Album Review

The contemporary Christian music world needs bands like Starfield to balance the oversimplified nature of today's modern worship. Led by brothers Tim and Jon Neufeld, Starfield's mature, modern worship rock tackles the complexities inherent in modern faith — dualities far too often glossed over by other artists with featherweight "We love God" choruses. Consider, for instance, the implications of the incredibly vulnerable falsetto in "Something to Say," which acknowledges a doubt in the existence of God coming from a pure believer — dualistic, indeed. Other tracks, though more straightforward, are no less earnest. The first single, the peppy "Rediscover You," contains everything that's right in modern worship — an immediately recognizable, singalong chorus, boastful guitar work, a call to action, and a personal plea for grace, all wrapped up in Ian Eskelin's glossy production work. "Top of My Lungs" represents more of the band's ready-for-congregation style, reaching to the rafters with Delirious?-esque arena rock. The album works just as successfully as a whole as it does as individually packaged songs, delivering a well-crafted, highly personal collection to impact congregations.