Released last December as Greenwood’s debut album, The Hope Dialect offers little in terms of originality and creativity as the five-piece rock band from Tennessee struggles to break free from the norms of amateur Christian music.
Meeting as students on the small campus of Union College in Jackson, Tenn., the members of Greenwood shared a common passion for two things: music and faith. With a unanimous desire to express their faith in God through music, the five members became serious about pursuing their dreams and in 2003 began songwriting full time.
The ensuing collection of 8 songs comprised on The Hope Dialect display a fair amount of potential, however are plagued with mediocre song composition and poor production.
Beginning with the building acoustic guitar power chords of “Save Me” and closing with the distant violin backdrop of “I’m Yours,” the majority of Greenwood’s music lacks a sense of unity and composure. Listening to the album feels like a roller coaster ride of transitions, breakdowns, and rock-outs that seem choppy, sporadic and over-rehearsed.
Lead singer Art Wong’s timid yet raspy vocals show promise at first, yet get lost in the chaos of instruments as the recording fails to capture the dynamic of the band, often blurring songs together to make more noise than music.
However, Wong’s lyrics give the album a darker tinge and provide a much needed push in terms of creativity. From the pleas of “Sing Alleluia” to the professions of “In My Father’s Arms,” Wong’s lyrics are admirable in their confrontation. He is able to address the questions of his faith while simultaneously sustaining a Christian-focused outlook.
At times however, his lyrics are subject to ambiguity and abstraction. In “All I Wanted” he sings, “Finding glo-sticks by the road I wrote my first song with you. We walked where the tealeaves grow. I just want to drink my apple juice.”
Regardless, Greenwood is commendable for setting their minds to something and pursuing it. While The Hope Dialect may be cluttered and jumpy, I’d give them a chance to prove themselves with their live show.
Greenwood will be playing at 3 p.m. March 12 at The Boro. For more information on this show and on Greenwood visit greenwoodrock.com.
