BarlowGirl

By Debra Akins, contributing writer, GospelMusicChannel.com

Since the release of their self-titled debut in 2004, BarlowGirl’s Rebecca, Alyssa and Lauren Barlow haven’t shied away from bold proclamations of faith. And their latest release, Love & War is no different, except that the girls take an even bolder, more aggressive stance.

“There’s just an urgency to this album,” Alyssa explains. “We’ve always wanted to raise the banner and to really let people know who God is, what He’s doing and how He’s moving. It’s always been something on our hearts, but with this album there was this underlying current of ‘the time is now!’”

That current ripples through the project on quick-paced rockers like “Running Out Of Time,” “Time For You To Go,” and album opener “Come Alive,” all of which manage to successfully marry the music’s intensity with the thematic battle cry of the project as a whole. Mid-tempo pop/rock numbers “Our Worlds Collide” and “Hello Sunshine” provide a fresh twist with catchy melodies, complete with bouncy piano riffs and strings.

The album’s highlight may indeed be the lead single “Beautiful Ending,” a vulnerable ballad that showcases the trio’s vocal blend while communicating a personal message about the fear of falling away from God. Its emotional weight is matched only by “Tears Fall,” a piano ballad about the tragedy of abortion.

As this trio of sisters has matured over the past few years, so has their music. And Love & War is a great next step in the progression of this band’s career.