LABEL: INDEPENDENT
RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 30, 2010

“If all Christian music was like this, the genre would be surely less maligned.”

lthough I’m quoting someone else’s review – those are my sentiments exactly. It is rare that I get so excited about a group that truly deserves every success. Husband-and-wife duos are two for a penny; vocal combinations like these are priceless. Americana folk is big business – but rarely do you find albums eschew all the normal trappings of their genre.

Faint Not is the third full-length studio release of Tyler and Jenny Somers and it undoubtedly one of the greatest releases of  2010, albeit one of the lesser recognised. I’m struggling to articulate how incredible this album is. If I ramble on… forgive me.

It is difficult to pinpoint what exactly sets Faint Not  apart – is it the passionate delivery or the hope that Jenny’s pure voice inspires? It could be the shivers you get when those ridiculously good harmonies come around or the thoughtful, evocative lyrics… or possibly it is elements of all of the above. Even without knowing what their mystery ingredient it is, even the most casual music listener will recognise that this duo share something exceptional.

The album opens with a love song -“Song For You”. It is a beautiful love song from God to us. Whilst this concept often is susceptible to an overabundance of clichés, this song thankfully includes none. It is an undeniable strength of the couple, they avoid the usual saccharine sweet vs. sombre melancholy potholes that many other artists crash into. They don’t ignore the ups-and-downs that make up life – they rise above the need to resort to emotional blackmail, choosing instead to let what is unsaid speak for itself.

The title track is truly convicting. Inspirational songs flood the Christian music markets nowadays – truly convicting tracks are harder to come by. Hard as it is to preach a sermon, to melt it down into a song must be harder. Yet the emphatic lyrics, the driving piano bass, the compelling bridge all work together to create an unforgettable mini life lesson.

Psalms were meant to be sung, and with “Psalm 46” the reason becomes apparent. It is low-key, laid back song of worship, taken straight from the Word of God. Musically, it relies solely on an acoustic guitar – but stripped of all distractions, praising God becomes the focus of the song. Needless to say, the harmonies between Jenny and Tyler are exquisite.

There is something so completely unpretentious and unaffected about the way Jenny and Tyler share the vocal arrangements. Vocals make or break a song. Faint Not is full of vibrant, creative, alive vocals. You can get carried away on their voices alone.  We go from a slight gruff Tyler-led “Holding On To Hope”, but in the following track “Carry Me”, Jenny’s untainted voice takes the fore. Their voices add to the richness of the words. The musical composition also uses an eclectic of genres and styles, from the unusual mandolin and tambourine to more traditional guitar/piano combo, the album effortless glides from one sound to another.

Faint Not is a music lover’s delight. Full of passionate, relaxing, stirring, honest, real music, this album is a tremendous piece of work. Music like this is soul-food. Jenny & Tyler speak about life as they know it, and that in turn speaks to us. From the beginning, to the quirky ender (“I hope you know this is a joke”…),  they deliver cool Christian music with impressive harmonies and God-centred lyrics.