Stockholm Syndrome Review...

... This is hard.

Before I even begin, let me remind you all that I love Derek Webb... so much so that it has become an ongoing joke in our home, although it has gotten kind of old in recent years... Particularly, I love his music. And here I will be as bold as to say that as much as I believe that Caedmon's Call is the greatest band that has ever lived or played, Derek Webb ranks right up there as a songwriter. Of course, much of Caedmon's early music was written by him. It is the kind of music that has followed our family through life. It endures. It's just phenomenal stuff.

The release of Stockholm Syndrome is certainly not the first controversial thing that Derek Webb has done, and my guess is that it won't be the last. I remember when he released his first solo album, "She Must and Shall Go Free," and much of the "Christian" world just about died over the song, "Wedding Dress," because it used the words "bastard" and "whore". I love that song.

Over the years I have collected each of Derek Webb's solo albums as well as his recent work with his wife, Sandra McCracken, and his continued work (though sporadic) with Caedmon's. And in fact, some of the latest offerings he has made on the album, "Overdressed" were just as great as the early stuff. He hasn't "lost it" as a songwriter. That said, while my Caedmon's albums are frequently played in the house... and in the car... with the kids, the Derek Webb solo collection does remain unheard by them. There is no way I could ever explain Grace skipping through the halls of the building church singing, "I am a whore..." Well, anyhow...

But Stockholm Syndrome... last week I bought the digital download in a package that included both the clean and explicit CDs. I don't think I have ever, before, purchased something "explicit"... in my whole life... which is a pretty good testament to the degree to which I appreciate Derek Webb. It took me a couple of days to get everything downloaded to my walkman and to make it to the Y, but I finally settled in on the exercise bike and hit the play button last Monday. And here's what I thought...

First let me make mention of the fact that, "What Matters More" is the track that caused so much controversy that the record label would not even release it on the album. I guess the problem was the language... I guess... I hope... Of all of the songs on the album, "What Matters More" probably had the best theology. I was offended by the language. Webb drops a "d***" and a "s***" into this one, and for that reason alone I am going to send my "explicit" CD copy off to someone else who wants it (if you're that someone, claim it now), primarily because I ask teenagers not to listen to music that isn't "clean", and if my kids ever get their hands on this one, I'm going to have some real issues. So, yeah... the language bothered me, too. But I sincerely hope that the record label had the same problem with the song that I had. The song was, at it's core, about homosexuality and the fact that people who call themselves Christians are sitting in judgment in regard to homosexuals, without giving a crap (my edit) about the hurt in their lives. And I have to agree, Jesus wouldn't like that. I am so sick to death of people who want me to join groups on facebook like, "God hates f***). There's a dirty F word for you. God doesn't hate people... any of them... period. Is "What Matters More" going to get that point across? Sadly, probably not. You have to step back and realize that most of the hateful people who are set on hurting others are also the same people who could never wade through the layers of theology in this song to understand it's meaning. They are never going to get past the surface language. And although I believe in transparency to a degree that is somewhat disturbing to most people, I also recognize that there are... indeed... some things that are best left unsaid...

With that in mind, "What Matters More" did not make or break "Stockholm Syndrome" for me. Just let me throw it out there that there were also a couple of references to Hell that some people may have trouble putting into context, but those didn't really make or break the album for me, either. Here's what did...

Political Propaganda...

Now to be fair, as I was listening to the album I would hear a song and think, "Wow... Derek Webb really hates Republicans!" And then the next track would begin and I would think, "Hey... who knew? He hates democrats, too!" And considering my current take on politics, it seems like I should have agreed with him on most everything, but here's the thing... I am just so sick of political propaganda infiltrating everything in life. Derek Webb has often thrown something from the political realm of life into his albums, so I can't say that I wasn't expecting a little bit here and there, but an entire third of the album seemed committed to this cause. And I'm just not there. Now maybe, just maybe, I do not understand the depths of where Derek Webb was going with this one. I am not going to sit here and condemn the whole thing, though I don't think I can really recommend it, either, but it is possible that I just didn't "get it". I hate to think that, because I kinda pride myself in understanding the depth of lyrics in really great music that reaches much further than scratching the surface. But I'm lost on this one, and it's either because I did get it (and I didn't like it) or because I didn't get it at all.

As a final note, there were a few songs that are worth at least another listen. I think there was some good life stuff in there... some stuff that should make you stop and wonder, if nothing else. But nothing in this album struck me as inspiring, and that was a severe disappointment.

When I finished the album, I immediately switched over to "Overdressed" and worked my way through, "Trouble" (I am not certain that I wasn't singing loudly... ear buds are kind of deceiving). And I thought to myself, "Yeah... I love Derek Webb... he writes some of the greatest music ever... Sure hope he releases more someday..." But "Stockholm Syndrome"... that's not it...

Lisa