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I like a band that can lead you deep into a position of surrender and still rock while they're doing it. One Foot Forward's self-titled debut will take you there.
One Foot Forward started just a few years ago when founders Nate Dodd (vocals, guitar) and Ken Ott (vocals) started playing worship music for conferences together at Dodd’s home church. When Nate’s sister Liz began playing keyboards for them, and guitarist Brian Wojcik came on board, gigs started opening up. Mike Pett’s drums sealed the deal and last year found them in Nashville recording their first album with award-winning producer Barry Blair. Sounds pretty smooth, doesn’t it? It must have been much tougher living it all out, because One Foot Forward seems to know and sing a lot about surrender. It is the ringing theme of their debut, a warm blend of hooky pop-rockers and piano ballads. Electric guitars are prominent in opener “Lift Me Up,” and the tight vocals make a good first impression. The edgy rhythms of “All I’ve Ever Wanted” caught my ear but it was “Submitted” that really made me sit up and listen. One thing special about One Foot Forward is the way they trade off on lead vocals. Nate Dodd is the obvious frontman, with his warm tones, but sister Liz is equally strong, and when the siblings cut loose and float in, out and through Ken Ott’s vocals, things heat up nicely. Tight, tight harmonies on this luscious song of holy surrender, a real standout track. It is followed powerfully by another song highlighting the beauty of surrender, this time the edgy rocker “Take My Life,” a very nice juxtaposition. “Light of Your Glorious” is straight-up rock with a joyous helping of adoration, followed by the slow burn of “Over and Over,” a piano ballad of gratitude, rich with more of their sweet vocal interplay. I can’t find any credits on this but someone is playing some sweet violin on “Heart on Fire” over more tight harmonies. It’s a swirling pop-rock track that honestly expresses the effects of God’s mercy on our unworthy hearts. “One Foot Forward” closes with another pop-rock anthem, “Other Side,” more fresh vocal wanderings over that tight rhythm section. These New York rockers are not afraid to be honest in lyrics confessing the dichotomy of flesh and spirit. This lyrical candor, their vocal skills, and their heartfelt emphasis on surrender make One Foot Forward worth checking out.
The copyright of the article One Foot Forward: Review in Christian Music is owned by Kevan Breitinger. Permission to republish One Foot Forward: Review in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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