This Beautiful Republic

By Melissa Riddle, Senior Editorial Strategist, GospelMusicChannel.com

Toledo, Ohio-based modern/hard rock band This Beautiful Republic grabbed a corner of the spotlight with its 2007 debut, Even Heroes Need A Parachute, in part because the band was label Forefront’s first sign in five years. Expectations were high, and TBR was heralded by some as “the one to watch.”

But its typically the sophomore release, not the debut, that reveals what a band really brings to the table. Perceptions, TBR’s new project ups the ante, delivering more of the depth and innovation expected from the beginning.

“[Perceptions] deals with the idea that there are at least two sides to every story,” Olin says of the project. “Things inevitably appear different to each individual based on their experiences, predispositions, prejudices, or vantage point. When we understand this – that what we see may not be the whole truth – we arrive where grace and love prevail.”
 
Produced by Allen Salmon (Mute Math), Perceptions finds TBR deftly moving from the driving scream-o of “My God” (think POD/Sanctus Real/Jimmy Eat World) to the worshipful, Switchfoot-like “Learning To Fall,” expressing the distinct lines between faith and doubt, between strength and weakness, between what is seen and what is unseen. Other cuts like “No Turning Back” and “For The Life Of Me” are sure to be fan favorites.

While musically a step forward – hard touring has sharpened this band – it’s ultimately lead singer Ben Olin’s vocal work that makes Perceptions the solid effort it is. He’s all over the place, in the very best sense of the phrase, making this more than worth consideration for the modern rock set.

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