Crosswalk.com

Rush of Fools

reviewed by Russ Breimeier
Sounds like … worshipful pop/rock somewhere between Chris Tomlin and Building 429, with some similarities to By the Tree, Downhere, MercyMe, and Starfield.At a glance … fans of the anthemic worshipful pop dominating today's Christian radio will appreciate Rush of Fools, and they offer some refreshingly straightforward lyrics, but this album is more a formulaic studio creation than a defining debut.Track Listing Undo
We All
When Our Hearts Sing
Your Love
Fame
Peace Be Still
All We Ever Needed
Can't Get Away
For Those
Jesus Hurry
Already

Emphasis on the "rush" in Rush of Fools, considering the Birmingham, Alabama band only started performing together in October 2005. Six months later, they won the first annual Band with a Mission competition, drawing the attention of several record labels. A year after that and they're already one of 2007's buzz artists, having scored their first #1 single with "Undo" before their self-titled debut has even released. Talk about overnight success.

In fact, the band is so green that, according to their liner notes, Rush of Fools didn't even record their debut. Wes Willis and Kevin Huguley sang their vocals, but producers and studio musicians handled all the music—two of the members were finishing high school during the recording process. At least they write their own material, and of course, they do perform live.

But it demonstrates how the album is less a bonafide debut than a studio creation tailor made for today's Christian radio. It's not hard to hear why listeners have quickly embraced the band's worshipful pop approach; at times, Rush of Fools comes across as a younger Chris Tomlin. But others (including myself) are growing increasingly weary with the sound—am I wrong to think much of this album resembles Building 429 three years ago?

Yet I'll readily admit "Undo" has a refreshing openness in its prayerful confession of sinful nature, and this straightforward look at grace carries into other tracks like "Fame" and the ambient ballad "Your Love." Though it relies on the familiar "every knee will bow" worship theme, "We All" benefits from a strong melodic hook in its shout along chorus. And simplicity works in favor of the ballad "Already," centering on how we can do nothing to earn God's love—we have it.

Deriving their name from 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Rush of Fools shows potential for five young guys driven by music ministry. But time will tell what kind of staying power they truly have—especially once they actually record as a band.

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