Artist:  BarlowGirl
Title:  How Can We Be Silent
Label:  Fervent

BarlowGirl has quickly established itself as the Christian community’s premiere female rock band, and How Can We Be Silent adds firepower to its musical cache.

This time each song is a BarlowGirl original, and the girls show their musical chops with a track list that showcases a variety of styles in the rock genre. BarlowGirl is still reminiscent of Superchick and Evanescence, but the trio could easily give Kutless and Stellar Kart a run for their money. Joined once again by producer Otto Price (GRITS, By the Tree), the band creates a collection of fist-pumping anthems and introspective ballads with the occasional playful stroke (“One More Round”). While the young women deliver instrumentally, the bundle of additional musicians behind them on horns and strings adds a pretty depth.

The music holds its own in substance and diversity; BarlowGirl shows maturity and staying power on that count. What’s lacking is the their depth and diversity lyrically. They have worked to unite a generation on previous outings, and there are at least five tracks marked with the same “stand up, go-against-the-flow” mentality that BarlowGirl was already known for.

That said, lyrical potential appears on How Can We Be Silent. Consider “Here’s My Life,” “Sweet Revenge” and “I Don’t Regret” where the band writes personally through its experience. Rather than singing about a perceived battle that a generation should fight, BarlowGirl points to issues (regret, revenge) and makes a point about them. Rather than be silent, BarlowGirl should sink some more teeth into its bite. 

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