Song to the King (Bonus Track Version)

Album Review

This modern worship debut from Texas-bred Pocket Full of Rocks has few missteps. The sextet conveys its faith in the same style as FFH or Casting Crowns. Michael Farren's rich vocals recall the tenor of Clay Aiken and shine best on deeply personal ballads like "Falling" and "This Is the Life." "Now I Sing" kicks up the tempo and gives them one of their only rock tracks. Then there are generic contributions like "Bigger" and "Closer to You" that tend not to say anything memorable. Of course, it's difficult to attribute that to the songwriting or to the worship genre itself, which by definition prefers substance over originality. After a decade of innovative worship artists like Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin, though, PFOR seems to suffer slightly from a lack of identity. The glaring mismatch throughout the album is the combination of watered-down lyrics — which typically appeal to teen audiences — and a sophisticated, adult contemporary sound. Still, the group shows potential with Farren's vocals and lush, melodic arrangements that could find their place with a more contemporary sound.