Short means sweet as Scott’s guitar chimes out.



Label: RadioActive
Time: 4 Tracks / 15 minutes  

This EP leaves me in two minds. On one hand it is clearly born from a formula: the big guitar intro on “Great Things” cuts to nothing, then builds up again, all encasing a set of lyrics that walk over ground so well-trodden that there’s barely any grass left. On the other, Scott’s life has radically changed (he was in rehab twice and jail at an early age before coming to faith) and he deserves the chance to celebrate.

Moreover, lead track “Perfect Love” is a job very well done. The guitar chimes, its energy sparks and that hook doesn’t just grab you straight off, but lingers for days.  When the intro cuts back, the bass that remains is very Nirvana. As a bonus, the piece gets an acoustic reprise and the song is strong enough to sustain it.

The EP format works well. Any longer and the quality would probably drop off, as the passable “Shine” shows. The clichés pour out here: “We are redeemed / We are made clean / The righteous will sing” – or take almost any section, for that matter. Those on “Great Things” are not far removed: “We’re children of the King / And he is why we sing / He’s purified our hearts / We are set apart” etc. Yet even for these tracks, the playing is immensely tight and the endings are as crisp and well-timed as a perfectly-cooked cheesy-topped pie.

This highly polished disc wisely refuses to outstay its guarded welcome. Formulaic it may be, but what it lacks in creativity it makes up for in passion and drive.



Derek Walker

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