If your craving is pure, no-doubt praise and worship music, Half Mile Marathon just might be your band.
This is quality rock all the way. The vocals are crisp and clear throughout their debut CD, “Listen,” and without any of the common gimmicks like breathiness and melismata. This five-song EP has enough life to satisfy any rocker, without irritating the easy listening fan.
“Dance” opens the CD with lively movement-motivating praise of how wonderful God is and how it makes one want to dance. Musically, it’s very similar to Allan Lorton’s “Simply Irresistible”. “Reveal Your Glory” presents a more-of-You-and-less-of-me theme. The style touched on Celtic folk, at least in the vocal harmonies, and even has a good but not over-done rap line. “To Our King” is a song of thanksgiving. The verses are soft and the chorus rocks a bit harder and again with the Celtic folk harmonies. These songs remind me a bit of Burlap to Cashmere.
“All I Need” opens with a sound like a distant ethereal soprano chorus of angels. The repeated fourteen-words in the song are an acknowledgment that Jesus is all any of us needs. Throughout the song the angels always seem to be present, though not always obvious. “All I Need” is as close to an anthem as the CD gets. “Listen” closes with a song of questioning and praise. “Closer” asks, “How can your love be real?” The pondering of this rhetorical question can’t help but bring us closer to God in a totally awed childlike manner.
A truly likeable aspect of Half Mile Marathon is the vocal clarity. They’re all about their message of praise to Jesus. Too often, the music is the center of attention. Half Mile Marathon puts the attention where it needs to be.
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