Brian Bates Outside the Lines

The gentle pop music of indie artist Brian Bates is pleasantly easy on the ears.

Many of his lyrics shine with intelligence and sincerity, and all of them speak of a deep commitment to knowing the God of whom he sings so passionately. His music brings David Phelps to mind quickly, for he shares the same dramatic vocal turns and like Phelps, much of his music is thick with instrumentation. I also noticed quickly that Bates is a reader; if you listen closely to his lyrics, you will soon hear the influence of John Eldridge.

Bates' vocals are again, quite pleasant, and while that sounds like faint praise, it's not meant to be. It's just that his range is so very easy to listen to, so gently enjoyable. While some of his arrangements lean toward the dramatic, his vocals do not push for attention. It seems he is more oriented toward his message than garnering personal attention, a refreshing change. Standout tracks include the gently jazzy "Step Outside the Lines," the intensely percolating "Eloi, Eloi," and the passionate closer "First Love." By best of all is the Italian/English "Accanto A Me(Beside Me)," the samba-tinged affirmation of God's presence. Nicely done, Brian Bates.