ALBUM REVIEW - MORE, by Boiling Point
Mission Statement:
Eric Bjorklund - "In all honesty, we are trying to provide a message of hope and grace through our music. Sometimes that takes us to a lot of different kinds of venues because we want that message to be available to all. As individual band members, we have all found hope and grace through Jesus Christ and we hope that our lives demonstrate that same kind of love and compassion. At the same time, faith is frequently something that develops over time, so we hope to plant as many seeds as possible with our music. We hope the fruit of those seeds lead to bigger questions about God and faith."
Album Goal:
The theme for this album can be summed up in the lyrics in the chorus of “Leave It All Behind”; “There’s hope, there’s hope, for the lost to be found. There’s a way to fix these holes our souls are leaking out.”
Scripture that inspired Eric Bjorklund with the lyrics for this album:
More – 1 Corinthians 15:57
Brand New Day – 1 John 1:5
Goodbye - Luke 15:11-32
Stay With Me – Romans 8:38-39
Ordinary Girl – Psalm 139
***
Scripture that supports the messages found in the following songs:
LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND-(Ephesians 2:8,9, Romans 3:24, COL. 1: 11-13)
WHEN YOU'VE LOST IT ALL - (Philippians 4:11-13)
ONE DAY - (Revelation 21:1-4)
PUT YOUR HANDS UP - (2nd Timothy 4:7, Phil. 3:14, Phil. 3:12, Ephes. 2:10)
REASON - (Hebrews 4:16, Phil. 4:19)
Members of BOILING POINT
Eric Bjorklund : Vocals/Guitar/Piano, composer and songwriter
Jon Canfield: Lead Guitar/BGV,
Taylor Wilson: Bass/BGV,
Scott Bjorklund: Drums
Others involved in making this album:
Benjamin Judah Kasica, (BMI) (SESAC)
Christian M Seibert (ASCAP)
Publishing:Adam Brown, Pauls Boy (BMI)
"When You’ve Lost it All" - Writers: Red CoCo Publishing ASCAP / Admin by FunAttic Music (PJ Heimerman), Nottinghill Music / Songs of Universal (BMI), KOMusic / Simply Complex Songs / (SESAC). Administered by Music Services, Inc.
MORE Album Review
Wow! What an album to lift the hard adventures, tragedies, and trials off the listener's shoulders, to energize a listener's faith and encouraging a closer walk with the Lord!
BOILING POINT'S debut album; MORE, is a collection of a really energizing, faith-building and comforting songs that are highly entertaining on several levels that a listener doesn't get very often in one album! I haven't enjoyed reviewing an album as much as this one in a very long time, and highly recommend adding it to your Christian music collection.
The pairing of wonderful lyrics with just the right-type of musical accompaniment; from rock to ballads to one prayer hymn, are presented very effectively with both memorable vocals and instrumentation.
Eric Bjorklund's vocals and the band's back up vocals are stellar as well, expressing the meanings of these songs with great diction, great pitch, great tone, great musical, dynamic expression and harmony, all of which bring these songs to life with the spirit they were written in; creating truly inspiring Christian music.
This collection of songs is truly a blessing for the listener to treasure, as a spiritual motivator, and a comforter in times of troubles and painful growth that we all experience in this world.
Song Messages - Written by Eric Bjorklund
What makes the songs so powerful, helpful and uplifting, is that their content messages are, first of all, inspired by real life situations of people experiencing bumps to huge canyons in the road of life. These situations are common human experiences that listeners can relate to readily, and can take comfort in the hope we have in Christ.
The clincher is that the answers to these issues are also inspired by scripture; offering a spirit-filled answer to human pain and difficult adventures, as well as to inspire active participation in the telling the Gospel. The presence of the Holy Spirit flows through these songs.
The song-writing process for this album begins with a spirit-filled inspiration. Eric Bjorklund, the talented songwriter behind the songs, told Christianmusic.com, "I have written songs in many different ways. Sometimes songs come on guitar, sometimes songs come from sitting at the piano and sometimes I just compose songs in my head while doing something else."
"For example, I wrote the song 'Stay With Me' while looking at a friend’s Facebook feed and searching for words to respond to a post showing incredible pain. I didn’t have any instrument in front of me, but the pure emotion of the moment brought the song to my head in nearly its final version without ever playing it on an instrument."
Yes, indeed, the Holy Spirit was working!
Themes of Songs-
Struggles with Self-
(ORDINARY GIRL) - One of my favorites! This is an Acoustic Pop Ballad with a memorable melody. It covers the angst many people go through on the road to happiness in relationships, and self-development/evolving self discovery. This ballad tells the situation of a woman experiencing pain and disappointment in the dating scene; combined with wanting to be someone that she is not, as she doesn't see her true beauty inside that the Lord sees. She is emotionally being tossed around by waves of emotion.
Verse 1: She falls in love every other Monday and with some luck, it’ll stick someday/ She spends her nights wishing on the stars/she's an ordinary girl with extraordinary heart/She thought her life was just like the movies/a fairy tale with a perfect end/But every time/it's never what it should be, still alone so she tries again//
Pre-Chorus: She’s a dreamer trying hard to light the sparks; in the mirror she only sees the broken parts/She's an ordinary girl, just an ordinary girl//
Chorus: All she wants is all she’s not/she's trying everything just to be/All she wants is all she’s not/she's something beautiful/but she’ll always be/An ordinary girl, just an ordinary girl//
STAY WITH ME Pop Rock Ballad - Builds nicely to the chorus! Covers the personal negative issues that exist inside of people; depression, mental illness, guilt, jealousy, anger, emotional upset, being suicidal. The first person presentation is a friend of the sufferer, offering support.
Verse 1:"We all have demons, I wish you knew the claws that scratched you, well they got me too. I don’t have answers, but learned in time, climbing these hills you’ll find the other side."
Chorus: Stay with me, this doesn’t have to be the end of your story/It’s safe to breathe; you won’t even have to say you’re sorry/Lost, but now forgotten, your world is not an island/Stay with me.
LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND - Acoustic/Rock Anthem; One of my favorites! - Explores what to do when burdened with guilt from past sins. Turn to Jesus Christ in prayer; Our Redeemer, our Savior. Through him, our sins are not only forgiven, but the guilt is taken away, if we are willing to let go of it.
Pre-chorus:
Let love erase the past/let love take your heart back//
Chorus: "There’s hope, there’s hope for the lost to be found/There’s a way to fix these holes our souls are leaking out/Let love, let love break the chains that bind/And wash off all that was, what’s done is done/And we’ll leave it all behind"//
2/vocals: BRIDGE: We’re all trying to break free from the sins of our fathers
There is hope…
We’re all trying to come clean from the sins of our fathers
There is love…
Very painful events that can shake the psyche, self-confidence, and bring painful feelings of loss, betrayal, and discouragement
WHEN YOU'VE LOST IT ALL - One of my favorites. Modern anthem that points to Jesus as a source of comfort and strength. A comforting song about the faithfulness and love of the Lord that can sustain us and see us through any loss, no matter how huge.
CHORUS: "He’s what’s left when you’ve lost it all/Reaching out when you start to fall into pieces/He’s been the star that’s guided you through the night/He's still there when you hit the wall and when you’ve lost it all//
BRIDGE: He is bigger than any mountain and can make gray skies turn blue/
He is stronger than your greatest weakness/yeah/just let Him love you//
GOOD BYE - Acoustic, light pop. It is a poignant, sad ballad with great dynamics, that was first inspired by a loss of a relationship; the death of Eric and Scott's mother. While inspired by personal experience, Eric broadens the experience of loss by also including losses suffered because of loved ones' personal choices that end a relationship. The story of the Prodigal Son was the inspiration for most of the lyrics, telling the thoughts of a heart-broken father.
Verse 1 "Now that you’re gone, I’ve had the hardest time trying to figure out what I can do to make this distance smaller/I’ve given up my pride, fell with these tears I’ve cried, oh what can I do?//
Part of Chorus:"I’ll wait for you, I’ll search every horizon line, I know you’ll find the strength inside.
TITLE SONG: MORE - My favorite song on the CD! LIVELY Rock Anthem that gives strong words of encouragement to keep stepping out in faith, no matter the circumstances. It could've been listed under the category of energizing discipleship, but the Chorus speaks to trials.
Verse 1: No need to worry when the lights, when the lights go out/The dawn is coming/get up/yeah let it show/Sing it out now, sing loud, sing like never before/Come on and live like the world’s standing at your door.
Pre-Chorus:
All we are/is more than scars//
CHORUS: "We were made for more/than to be victims of this storm/We’re gonna come out bent, but not broken, hurt, but still hoping’/‘cause everything’s gonna change and we will be restored."
BRIDGE: Salvation’s so much more/it opens hearts it opens doors/gives us reason to believe/That from these bitter pills/from this life that steals our will/Hope's still bursting from the seams
REASON - A meaningful prayer piano-based hymn, asking for faith and endurance to get through the painful trial that is being experienced. Great song to end the album!
Verse 1:"Every time I cannot see/You give me the faith that I need to believe/When all of the questions that I have they turn my heart away"
Chorus:Help me find the reason/the meaning of this mystery/Help me in this season of reason find a faith that can believe//
Other songs joyfully energize the listener to step out in faith AND HOPE we have in Jesus Christ, calling the listener to discipleship; participating in healing and changing the world through Jesus.
ONE DAY - Easy ballad about believing in what is not seen; a world in the future with the coming of Jesus that is without trouble or trials, a world of peace and tranquility. Verse 2:If we have the Lord in the center of our lives, we can has his peace, despite the chaos around us.
Verse 2:
Run around in circles, can you catch a glimpse of this race you’re in?
At the center or all motion is a picture of this life you’re looking for, yeah, yeah
Pre-Chorus:
I believe when you said, one day…
Chorus: One day, one day, I’ll see the world as it was meant to be one day
Someday, someday, I’ll sing a song that never has to end
One day
BRAND NEW DAY - My second favorite song on the CD. A spirited anthem that is a call to express our faith and love of the Lord through action; showing our beliefs through love and courage.
Chorus:
This is our time, this is our time
To make a new tomorrow
/This is our call, this is our call
/Can you hear the sound of change?
Kick down doors, tear down walls, bring light to the shadows/It's our way out, can't turn back now/We'll never be the same, it's a brand new day
//
Bridge:
Will you join me in the streets, living out what you believe?
Cause it's who you're meant to be, yeah
Will you love a broken world, till the people are restored?
And His truth is reigning?
PUT YOUR HANDS UP - Another one of my favorites; Dance around the room song! A spirited rock anthem that really encourages stepping out in faith in His will. Lyrics are brought to life by powerful vocals, and the energetic, enthusiastic musical accompaniment.
Verse 1:There is no tomorrow, there is only today/We live from every moment/sandcastles struck down by the waves//
Chorus: Put your hands up, put your hands up, come on, put your hands up,
Are you ready to go? 2x//Bridge: This is our time, this is our place, we’ve come too far we cannot wait/2x
ABOUT THE MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT
The listener may wonder how the music that supports so well these important lyrics is written. Other members of Boiling Point each offer valuable gifts to the music found in this collection of songs.
After the lyrics and melody are written, fellow Boiling Point Band members: his brother, drummer Scott Bjorklund, lead guitarist Jon Canfield, and bass player Taylor Wilson, all use their considerable musical gifts to fill out their parts for their instruments in Eric Bjorklund's songs, working as a team with Eric, to add meat and substance to the melody and rhythm, producing just the right composition for each song on the album.
Eric explains to Christianmusic.com, "I(Eric) am the songwriter and lyricist, but after I’ve written a song we all collaborate together to come up with the best parts for each of the instruments. It’s a fun process, where something that started as a melody in my head takes shape and becomes a full-blown song."
I would say that they have succeeded beautifully in creating musically interesting songs, that are uniquely different. Besides Eric's considerable musical ability, the inspiring musical skills of Jon Canfield on Lead guitar and Taylor Wilson on bass, are most impressive in their precise, energetic dynamic delivery in the variety of meters found in this songs.
Whether providing driving underlying rhythm support;(ONE DAY), main melody;(MORE * PUT YOUR HANDS UP) or counter melody support; (BRAND NEW DAY * STAY WITH ME * LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND), or offering precise and exciting rock guitar rifts in some of the more lively songs;(PUT YOUR HANDS UP), they are very skilled in providing tight musical support, that moves along with energy.
These two musicians not only know their way around their guitars but offer strong back-up vocals, adding a wonderful support to the main vocals.
The rhythmic glue that keeps the energy and joy alive, in the variety of meters on this collection of songs, is the fantastic drumming of Scott Bjorklund, also well-schooled in the importance of dynamics, meters, and how to support the melody without overwhelming the compositions.
To bring these meaningful lyrics alive, and easy to remember, the melodies are catchy and memorable, rich in dynamics, so well expressed by the vocals and instrumentation. The use of an acoustic guitar to start a song off quietly;(LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND), or to quiet down the dynamic sound of some songs was quite well done for a very nice effort; (ORDINARY GIRL * GOOD BYE). Piano based songs; (REASON* WHEN YOU HAVE LOST IT ALL), brings a solemn mood to both this prayer hymn and this anthem.
Musical interest is kept by using different meters, effective rhythms, and changing the melodies in pre-chorus and chorus sections and the bridges as well.
This results in engaging, and interesting compositions that keep the interest of the listener, while providing the musical punch line to the main messages of these songs! I especially enjoyed the fully engaging, dynamic bridge sections in the songs, that have the most enjoyable dynamics; (PUT YOUR HANDS UP * MORE * LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND). These bridge sections are the icing on the cake, to drive home the message of these compositions.
CONGRATULATIONS are in order to Boiling Point and all who helped to get this album out and available on the Christian Music market. The music provides a great way to be entertained and moved to action at the same time; Depending on the Lord for our needs, spending prayer time with Him, and following his will for our lives.
Reviewed by: Julie Carr for Christianmusic.com
