Forget And Not Slow Down
Mono vs. Stereo
4 Stars

For most people, the only encounter they’ve had with Ohio natives Relient K is “Be My Escape,” the band’s almost unavoidable hit single from 2005. The mainstream success did bring more attention to the band, though they seemed to fade from sight after the hype died down. However, the band is still together and has just released their sixth full-length studio album, Forget And Not Slow Down. While some potential listeners may hit the highway knowing the band is indeed a contemporary Christian act, it might be worth giving the album a chance. Sure, there are moments it’s extremely obvious what the underlying message is (and that is the band’s right, though it might not be what some listeners want to hear), but the songwriting is rather good and many of the tracks are fairly catchy.

The album begins with the title track and listeners immediately get a sense of the pop-rock onslaught that’s to come. Lead singer Matthew Thiessen’s earnest attitude comes through loud and clear and the squeaky-clean brand of rock is radio-friendly and rather innocuous. The song isn’t too blatantly Christian and if you don’t listen too carefully it would be easy to miss. “I Don’t Need A Soul” is slightly reminiscent of the type of tracks Andrew McMahon would write with some clear emphasis on the piano melody. While the sound of the song itself is appealing, the lyrics might be too perky and upbeat for more jaded listeners. Lines like, “Cause the sun still burns the shadows out, and there’s nothing to complain about now… you and life remain beautiful,” have the possibility of becoming irritating, maybe more of this attitude is necessary in the world today.

“Candlelight” is one of those ambiguous songs, it could easily be a completely secular topic or perhaps it’s more in a religious vein. Regardless, the melody, conceit and general feel of the track are good, clever and may even encourage toe-tapping. Whether you like it or not, “Candlelight” makes it clear that Thiessen is a solid song writer. “Part Of It,” like many (if not all) of those on the album, continues that unusually upbeat attitude as seen in “I Don’t Need A Soul” which makes the track a little hard to swallow at times.

“Over It” is a much needed shift to a slower tempo and slightly more average mood. While Thiessen’s lyrics are still on the side of looking at the best in a situation, it still allows one’s teeth to get a rest from the saccharine bombardment. “Oasis” acts as an uninspiring lead-in for “Savannah”. “Oasis” itself is little more than a drawn-out repetition of the word “Savannah” with little in the way of real melody or instrumentation. The song “Savannah” does make up for this lackluster beginning and is essentially an ode to the southern city. The imagery in the lyrics is pretty and the song takes another break from the constant quick and upbeat approach on most of the other tracks.

Overall, this isn’t a bad album. It might be a little grating to those that aren’t particularly religious, but at the same time it must be understood that many of the songs aren’t beating listeners over the head with the band’s beliefs. Sometimes the intensely upbeat feel is a little tiring, but Relient K does throw in some much needed variety to easy the sweetness of the sentiment. It won’t appeal to everyone, but longtime fans of the band will enjoy their latest release. –EVELYN MISKA

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