The Lund McVey Group’s self-titled release came through the Pulse office about a year ago, and I was half-expecting another jazz/fusion album upon realizing co-leader Matt Lund also fronts the band Rescued Souls. Instead, the band’s self-titled debut is a 12-track contemporary rock album—Christian rock, that is—that both packs a punch and revels in soft, acoustic-driven tracks.
Other members of Rescued Souls include Shonna Lund (vocals and keyboard), Jeremy Cote (guitar), Craig Jordan (bass) and Justin Abraham (drums). The album, which consists of 12 original songs written by Matt, was recorded by Jimmy Mansfield at Murfreesboro Recording Studio and mixed and produced by Lund. Together, the five musicians transform Matt’s lyrics into songs resembling a style and sound very similar to bands like Casting Crowns and Hillsong, both of which the group credits as influences.
Although Matt and Shonna both provide vocals and often harmonize throughout the album, Shonna takes the lead on the majority of tracks. In fact, one of the most memorable moments comes on the rattling opener, “Cast My Cares,” which Shonna makes her own by her resounding voice alone. In contrast, “The Reason That I Live” is a roughly seven-minute acoustic-driven track sung by Matt, with more predictable worship lyrics such as You are wisdom, you are grace, You are power, truth for all my days and You hear the prayers of my heart, and when I feel like I’m falling apart.
This brings me to my only complaint. Too often the songs sink into a conventional lull, and the vocabulary doesn’t always hold up for a memorable hook. That’s not to say there aren’t times when tracks shine lyrically, but, as a whole, the instrumentation is what really drives Rescued Souls in the right direction. Whether it’s the keys, guitar, bass or drums, these musicians clearly know their craft. As noted earlier, the album occasionally packs a punch, but most of the songs lean toward softer rock with the occasional spark of electricity.
Find more on Rescued Souls at ReverbNation and CDBaby.
