Album Review-- Churchill's "Happy/Sad"

This is gold. Buy it. Okay, I'm done.
Haha. Just kidding.

I don't remember ever having heavily anticipated an album before. The only one that comes to mind is Paramore's brand new eyes, and I wasn't quite a full blown Paramore fan at the time that came out. I wasn't just DYING to have that CD.

I was just dying to have this CD. For real.

For a breakout album, this is INCREDIBLE. I don't know that there is a single song on the album I don't like. I'm on my ninth go-round and I bought it less than forty-eight hours ago. I got started on Churchill a couple of months ago with their EP (available on iTunes, also amazing) and became an instant addict. If Lady Antebellum's epic harmonies and the Avett Brother's lyrics smushed together and were simultaneously sprinkled with joy and happiness, the result would be Churchill. I can't wait to see these guys succeed. Keep an eye on 'em, everyone. They're gonna hit the big time.

I'm gonna go straight into track reviews or this is gonna take forever with my ranting. Haha.

1. "In My Hands"-- I could write a paragraph just about Tim Bruns' beautiful voice. Oh man. I... I can't come up with a description. It's just perfect. I also love the guitar on this song. It's a unique melody. Lovely. Good album opener.

2. "Miles"-- They released this as a single a while back and I bought it. And I bought it again on this album. And it was worth the two dollars I paid for it. This is where the mandolin kicks in. Yes. Mandolin. The Avetts got me stuck on banjoes and now mandolins. Why don't I live in the South? Anyways, this is an indescribably beautiful song about how love is a journey. The way the momentum builds is incredible. Favorite quote: "You know I'm a dreamer with some lazy hands, wrapped up in futures and my worn out plans. But maybe someday I'll come through in a fire." Isn't that gorgeous? (This is an intensely quotable band. And you know me and quotes.)

3. "Burn It Down" -- The harmonies in this are beautiful. Now I get to rant about Bethany Kelly's fantastic voice. She's got this uniquely sweet quality to her voice that, again, I can't really explain. But it's incredible. If voices can be soulmates, hers and Tim's most definitely are. They sound so beautiful together.

4. "Loud" -- I hadn't seen this side of Churchill from the five songs on the EP. I like it. Tim's voice has more of an edge in this song and the guitar is edgy too. It sounds outlaw-ish. :) But you get to the chorus and Tim's voice just swells and you still have the inescapable Churchill beauty.

5. "Stubborn Love" -- This may be my favorite song on the album. It's adorable. It's so classic-- the whole "I love you even though we're totally and completely incompatible" thing. Again, the mandolin is just sugary sweet (haha. That sounds like I think the mandolin is a fruit or something), and the voices are beautiful. This song just makes you happy inside for no good reason. "I know you know I'm not me without you..."

6. "Think It Over" -- If I have a least favorite song on this album, it's probably this one. It's not that it's not a good song, but it just seems a little non-descript to me. Tim's voice is still beautiful. The guitar is still pretty. The lyrics are good. Yeah. That's kinda all.

7. "We Used to Be Happy" -- This may be the saddest song I've ever heard. I'm glad Bethany has the lead on this song, because her voice has just the right wistfulness and grace for it. There's just nothing about this that's not perfect. "I overheard you on the phone with your mother, you said 'I'm so tired of being alone'..."

8. "Thank God" -- This is a great song. (Are you sick of hearing that yet?) First, I'm happy that the first lyrics are "And I thank God that I'm alive." Glad they know how to use the phrase "Thank God". This holds a special place in my heart because of all the references to God and His plans for your life, but at the same time it's a love song. Good stuff. And when Tim sings "You know me too well, you know me better than I know myself..." he could be talking about the girl, or about God. I like the double entendre.

9. "The President" -- This song... reminds me of Spiderman. Haha. There's a lyric that says "Every politician knows the value of a well-placed lie/ So if you asked what it's like to be me I'd say it's an easy life." And at the beginning of Spiderman Peter Parker says "If somebody told you I was just your average guy, not a care in the world, somebody lied." I think I just have Spiderman on the brain. But that's what I thought of. Anyways, the song. It's good. The whole time the melody just feels like it's teetering on the edge of something and if you knock it the wrong way it's all gonna fall apart. And that's basically how the speaker is feeling. Way cool.

10. "The Only One" -- If "Stubborn Love" isn't my absolute favorite, this one is. It's jam-packed full of delightfully gorgeous and yet simple metaphors. My favorites are "I was a county jail holding you part time, trying to lock you up" and "I was a junkyard dog tied to a truck tire, hopin' you'd setting me free." Bethany and Tim's harmonies are beautiful, the mandolin is beautiful, the drums are perfect, the whole song is just wonderful. It has the combined effect of making you want to cry and making you want to sing all at the same time.

11. "Happy Sad" -- This is wonderful, especially as an album closer. If they could roll all the emotions of the whole album into one song, it would be this song. Which is probably why they called it "Happy Sad." I are smart. But for real, this is wonderful. The idea is basically life's hard, but you have to take it all together and hold on for the good. "I'm not giving up... no, happy and sad are not enough..." Perfect lyrics. Perfect voices. Perfect mandolin. Yes. Lovely. Lovely lovely lovely.

In conclusion, BUY IT. Buy the whole thing. Become an addict. Feed the success these people deserve! Haha.

Thanks for reading, friends. I know these aren't my best written pieces, but I try to make them interesting. Much love, bloggers. Happy listening. :)

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