- Introducing
- Madmen
- Part One
- Stay With Me
- Praise and Adore (Some Live Without It)
- Endless Day
- Sleeper
- A Summer's Song
- Time I Understood
- Forgive and Forget
- How Have We Come This Far
- Twenty Twenty
- Tale of the Dragon's Defeat
- The Defeat
Back in my youth group days, there wasn't much in the way of Christian bands that really knew how to rock, aside from Petra, White Heart, and Stryper. The musical landscape has changed considerably, though now it's difficult to keep up with all the new rock bands on the scene. The problem is that most of them seem like they're cut from the same cloth with interchangeable sounds and styles.
Those tired with more of the same can rejoice. Conquering the Fear of Flight, the debut album from Flicker's new band Wavorly, is decidedly left-of-center without becoming pretentiously artsy in the process.
Instead of relying on overly familiar melodies and song structures, not to mention been-there-heard-that lyrical sentiments, these Mississippi natives quickly make an impression with the opening strings of "Introducing" and "Madmen," a theatrical rocker that sets the stage for the band's eclectic style. That sense of drama is punctuated further with a sound reminiscent of The Killers and Panic at the Disco!, as well as gorgeous string arrangements, for "Part One" and "Stay with Me."
Also intriguing is the band's unconvential approach to songwriting. For example, the stellar "Tale of the Dragon's Defeat," ultra-catchy "A Summer Song," and the timely "Forgive and Forget" all take inspiration from C.S. Lewis' classic The Great Divorce. Music that's enjoyable and educational? Now there's a rarity in rock.
More accessible is the band's brief foray into worship—and radio single—"Praise and Adore (Some Live Without It)." A cynic might dismiss it for the relatively simple lyricism, but the song is actually much smarter than the title lets on—a reflective pause that ends up balancing the album with more diversity. Which is precisely the reason why Conquering will keep boredom at bay for anyone wanting a rock album that's exciting enough to crank up in the car this summer, and thoughtful enough to reflect on over repeat listens.