Unless a band has the desire to open for Carman sometime soon, they do not write lyrics like this.
“I want you to know/ that the reason we sing/ is to let you know about the love God brings/ and craziest people in the whole, wide world/ he loves the same/ whether boy or girl” These words are compounded in their anomaly when you consider the label this band calls home. Releasing and supporting records from Cush, The Lassie Foundation, and Charity Empressa, bands that are know for their ambiguity and willingness to confuse people’s notion of what a Christian band should sound like or what a Christian band should write songs about, Northern is in fact the polar opposite of anything that Nashville would be propitious of.
On my first couple listens of this long player I took no particular interest in the lyrics, I assumed that they were going to be spiritual in nature, but beyond that I didn’t expect much. After further review and a conversation with my Schlitterbahn pal, I came to the slightly shocking realization that the album contained overtly Christian themes. That was surprising for the reasons I have already outlined and the fact that lyrics like those above usually show up on labels like Sparrow and Word.
The problem is the music quality on those labels is, in a word, poor.
Music coming from CCM labels is disastrously similar (with exceptions) and Jesus per minute quotas are unapologetically filled. This is not that to say that similar situations don’t occur on other labels and other genres manifesting the commercial beast in a different way, but a strong case could be brought against the powers that be in Tennessee for unmentionable crimes against all that is good in art.
The Billions have a pop sound that is classic in its form and structure drawing influences from The Beach Boys, Radiohead, The Flaming Lips, and The Beatles. Although their influences are clear in that these classic pop bands have formed the Billions sound, their sound is completely novel. The Billions will tell you that they are not looking to add to any particular scene and that they wish to produce a sound that is all their own and after three attempts and plenty of flushing out and experimenting, I think they have come close to accomplishing that goal. Sam and Dan Billen do a majority of the singing on the album and both carry a strong falsetto-pop voice akin to a 70’s am radio star or perhaps a Brian Wilson type crooner. “Cure The Sea” reminds me of something that could be on Ester Drang’s Goldenwest, while “Asya” is more similar to Air circa 10,000Hz. “Hey Girl” is a song about, umm, a girl. “Into the Light” uses beautiful vocal harmonies and a gently strumming guitar that fades into the song gingerly and disappears just as easily. Coming right after “Asya,” (one of my favorite tracks on the record) “Another Lonely Day” seems to be lacking musically, but it is rather poignant, especially for anyone who lost a close loved one. Piano, horn and string arrangements are all mixed into the final product to add to and contrast from the regular setup of guitar, bass, and drums. But all this talk about the songs on Never Felt This Way Before and their wonderful qualities seems to be superfluous.
Lovers of pop music unite.
1. I Won't Turn Away
2. Hey Girl
3. My Life
4. Never Felt This Way Before
5. Everybody's Waiting
6. Asya
7. Another Lonely Day
8. Cure the Sea
9. The Reason We Sing
10. Into the Light