Melissa Greene

In the age of digital downloads, some might question whether the album concept is relevant. Why bother crafting an LP when users can pluck tracks from the tree and arrange them at will on their MP3 players? Well, you can’t just throw furnishings and accessories and paint chips into a room and expect a designer showcase, and the same principle applies to music: there is artistry in the selection of the elements, the juxtaposition of themes, and the execution of the concept. And if Melissa Greene’s solo project, Next Step, was a layout in a glossy, high-end home magazine, it would be a showstopper.

Mixing wildly divergent styles is difficult in home decoration, and the same is true of musical genres, but this collection, which includes elements of dance, pop, worship, hymn, crossover country and R&B funk, somehow flows effortlessly from room to room without jarring the listener whatsoever. From the title track’s dancing energy, to the bouncy praise of “Wonder,” to the sugary vocals on a bed of funky nails of “Too Far,“ it just works.

The album’s strongest unifying element is Greene’s voice, easily recognizable to fans of the band, Avalon, with whom she still tours. Greene has a liquid glass tone, with the clarity and power of country music stars like Faith Hill. If she had a smidgeon of drawl, “Long Road to Forgiveness,” with its third-person lyrics and languishing guitar solo, could easily be a crossover country hit.

With a few exceptions, these are complex songs with sophisticated structures and oddball chords, primarily composed by teams of co-writers, including Matthew West, Cindy Morgan, Greene, and others. “Army,” written by Justin York and Betsy Walker, is exceptional in that the verse (as opposed to a chorus) has a strong identity with a lovely, distinctive chord sequence. The ballad, “Revelation Song,” was nominated by one Soul-Audio reviewer as one of the year’s best worship songs.

Inspired and shaped by the untimely death of a relative, Greene’s message of overcoming obstacles helps the songs enhance each other. “Deep in your soul there’s a strength just to face one more day / Just take the next step” (“Next Step.”) “…and hope is the language we all learn to speak” (“Imagine.”) “But she‘s finding part of growing up is learning to let go“ (“Long Road to Forgiveness.”) “I can already feel your glory, but I still have far to go” (“Too Far.”) “I saw an army strong and mighty, chariots ablaze / I saw an army fighting for me, making a way / Making me brave” (“Army.”)

However, this album is anything but morbid; although the lyrics are poignant, the arrangements are downright cheerful, with the noted exception of “To Trust You (Jody‘s Song.)” Stripped down to raw vocals and spare piano, this track is a prayer set to music. “I can wrestle when life is not what I thought it would be / I can wish that all this pain would simply go away / But at the same time I can choose / Lord, to trust You” (“To Trust You (Jody’s Song.))” Towards the conclusion, when the piano drops out altogether and Greene sings a few lines of the hymn, “’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus,” the weight and beauty of the artist’s grief is overwhelming.

In some ways, Next Step is paradoxical. It addresses grief and brokenness, and yet the overall sound is decidedly upbeat. It combines a lot of diverse genres, and yet the tracks flow together. It showcases a wide range of Greene’s abilities, and yet retains the silky sound of Avalon. A masterpiece of congruency and diversity, this album is a winner.

Tagged as: Melissa Greene, Next Step

↓ 2 comments

#1 grace s. cartwright on March 13th, 2009 at 11:24 pm

go cindy! nicely written, my friend.

#2 Melissa Greene “Next Step” reviews | Ganns Deen on March 26th, 2009 at 12:37 am

[...] at Soul-Audio.net, the review says “Mixing wildly divergent styles is difficult in home decoration, and the same is true of [...]

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