And with songs like Broken Heart, Bittersweet and Escalates getting a lot of airtime, they have done so successfully thus far. They've brought back the sound that allowed Christian rock to explode in the first. Strong electric guitar riffs are the key to these songs. And lyrically,
There are a few songs on the disc that hint at that more pop/rock sound that has become so popular on radio recently. Songs like The Gathering, Arafax Deep, Divinity and Falling In Love are pretty toned down compared to most of the disc. Granted, it is still a bit more rock than what you would expect from your typical pop/rock, and at times on each track they are straight rock. But, in general, these tracks could be considered some form of pop/rock. Lyrically, these songs are good but not amazing. The Gathering leaves a bit to be desired, while Divinity and Falling In Love are written with pretty simple lyrics that just work well.
And on JacksonFive, Falling Up features four different artists. Benjamin J., Paul Wright, John Micah (from Kutless) and Ryan from Demon Hunter all take over this song. And while the featuring of artists on a track is not an uncommon thing, featuring these four on the same track is...interesting, to say the least. The track is good, but you are pretty much rid of any Falling Up singing on the track, left with only their music. That's certainly not a negative thing, because the music is pretty good. But you don't buy a disc from a group to hear a track that excludes them almost completely. Featuring one or two these guys probably would've made this track great. Featuring all four...it's just too much.
In general, however, the disc sticks to just plain old rock most of the time, and it works pretty well. Places, Symmetry and Ambience all stick with the rock stylings that you would come to expect from the singles released to radio. The lyrics are not the most creative lyrics in the world, and they could've been done better in some parts, but overall, they're certainly not hindering the songs.
Overall, this disc and this band are a welcome change from what's been available on rock radio recently. At times, the songs could be stronger lyrically, and that is hopefully something to look forward to from Falling Up's next release. However, the musical aspects need not take any drastic changes. This is quality music. It's worthwhile to check Falling Up out.