Kutless

Four years ago when Kutless released Strong Tower, some may have considered the band to have made a marketing decision, jumping into the worship circle while worship was “hot.” Either way, that decision proved to be a positive one as that album was recently certified Gold, cementing it home as one of the band’s best-selling efforts yet. Now, Kutless is back with another collection of worship covers and originals in It Is Well, an album that seeks to showcase their understanding of worship across the board. So how’s this one fare? Is the band jumping back on the bandwagon?

Well, this reviewer certainly doesn’t think so. While It Is Well isn’t an amazing album, it’s certainly not a terrible one either. From the opening theatrics of the title track to the confessional cries of closer, “I’m Still Yours,” one is hard-pressed to deny the sincerity of these rockers-become-worship leaders. The real question is how this album sets itself apart from the plethora of other worship records out there.

And that’s in some ways where It Is Well falters. With the exception of “It Is Well,” which benefits from a solidly rocking backdrop and the aforementioned theatrics leading in and the impassioned “Redeemer,” the covers fall flat. Tracks like “Hungry,” “God of Wonders,” and “Give Us Clean Hands,” are all good songs but simply fall flat here. They’re good youth group material for sure but truthfully lend little to this album as a whole.

The originals, however, are a mixed bag. Honestly, for a group like Kutless who cut their teeth in the rock genre, this tracks are surprisingly CCM friendly. “Amazed,” for instance, while still maintaining the slightest bit of edge, would stand up easily with something by say, Jeremy Camp, on Christian radio. And on the building crescendo of “Taken By Love” I kept waiting for MercyMe’s Bart Millard to jump in with his own soaring backing vocals.

But because these tracks are more tame that one might expect certainly doesn’t mean that they’re bad by any stretch of the imagination. “What Faith Can Do,” while a bit cliched, is still an honest and open look at the life of faith. “Remember Me” is possessed by a slight 3 Doors Down feel over against a “who am I?” lyric while “You Are Everything” celebrates the virtues of a saving God. And “You Save Me” channels Hillsong United with some throbbing guitars and a fist-pumping chorus while “I’m Still Yours” is a gentle closing track, with acoustic guitar and heartfelt lyrics.

All said, Kutless’ It Is Well is an album that comes across with honesty and passion, if troubled by an uneven song selection and occasional cliches. For those searching for CCM-styled worship, this record will be a pleasing sound in your ear. For those still longing for the rocking Kutless of old, you’ll have to keep waiting.

Tagged as: It Is Well, Kutless

↓ One comment

#1 Aaron B. on October 27th, 2009 at 10:56 pm

I’m glad someone has a set of stones to call out Kutless when they keep spitting out mediocre albums.

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