This review has been a long time coming and I need to apologize to Russ for not getting this written sooner. Alas, life sometimes gets busy.
I like a variety of musical styles: rock, alternative, folk, country, bluegrass, Celtic, and even the occasional hip-hop influenced song (although Beck is about as close as I get to that). My MP3 player reflects this variety, and I have everything from Bob Dylan to Coldplay on there, light to heavy, and acoustic to electrified. Road to Emmaus released by Crossed the Tiber blogger Russ Rentler, fits perfectly within my tastes. One of the reasons is the instrumentation. It is rich and full, like going to a jam session of folk musicians, except in this case, Rentler is so talented, he is doing all the jamming! Yeah, Rentler plays a lot of instruments: dobro, dulcimer, and autoharp, among others. This choice of instrumentation creates a sound that is a good mix of acoustic folk and slight country, falling on the softer side of the spectrum.
This album is perfect for a laid back drive or as background music for a Catholic party. In fact, its mood is such that it could even serve as a backdrop to Scripture reading, prayer, or meditation. I enjoyed the entire album, from the Catholic themes to the acoustic folk style. Below, I will list a few of my favorites from the album.
The opening track, “Late Have I Loved You,” reflects Russ’ style quite nicely, and lyrically is inspired by St. Augustine’s wonderful work, Confessions. This track shows the depth of Rentler’s songwriting ability: he is well-read and steeped in Christian history.
One favorite of mine is Stain Glass Windows, a reflection on the symbols of our faith, in particular the body and blood of Christ under the species of bread and wine. The lyrics suggest that in Catholicism, Rentler has found the fullest expression of the Protestant faith of his childhood.
Nicaean Blues is an entertaining, bluesy number, that is probably meant to be taken slightly tongue-in-cheek. It is certainly the only song ever written to begin with “I heard some people talking trash about the Catholic Church…” The song is a defense of the Catholic Church that explains apostolic succession, the canonization of Scripture, prayers to the saints, and more. It is fun, witty, and bound to lead to some interesting discussions when played among friends of differing denominations. By the way, I normally do not like bluesy music, but the lyrics are so clever and the music so catchy, I overlooked my normal tastes here!
“Whisper” is a quieter, reflective, song, about “whispering in the ear of God,” confessing one’s sins to receive God’s forgiveness. The somber and reflective tone is emphasized by Russ’ use of the accordion (at least I think it is an accordion; honestly, Russ plays so many instruments it could be a sound I am just not quite familiar with!).
My favorite song is the last, “Jewel of the Caribbean,” a story-song about Rentler’s visit to Haiti. The power of his visit is captured by the music and the lyrics. I particular enjoy the strings and vocal harmony (provided by Rentler himself on a separate audio track).
Overall, I would definitely recommend that Catholics check this album out, and Russ’ other music as well. Even non-Catholics can certainly appreciate Russ’ laid-back, acoustic, style and universal Christian themes, although they may find themselves shaking their heads at times. I noticed on Rhapsody (on I-Tunes as well I am sure) that Russ has a Christmas album too. Come Christmastide time, I will be breaking that album out! Be sure to check out Russ Rentler’s site, and have a look around.
Per the great wisdom of our efficient government, I must disclose that Rentler sent me a free copy of his CD for review here, but I assure you this review is honest!
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