Rush Of Fools - Rush Of Fools

Reviewed by Peter Ould

It's hard to put this album, by the Birmingham, Alabama band, into a particular bracket. One moment it sounds like a homage to early Jars Of Clay, the next Green Day at worship (there's a thought...), the next ramped up Michael W Smith in the mid '90s. Predominant on the piano when it's gentle, vicious on guitars when it's hard, this album leaves no mistake of the musical abilities of the boys. But getting past this, I was left wondering where I might play this CD. Some of the earlier tracks ("We All", "When Our Hearts Sing") might easily lend themselves to church worship, others like "Peace Be Still" (which to be honest loses its atmosphere a bit when the guitars kick in) are best heard sitting back and letting it drift over you. I guess my issue ultimately with the CD was that while every track was musically robust, I kept thinking "That's like . . . . . ." (insert particular CCM artist). I'm just not really sure that there is a specific Rush Of Fools sound in the same way you can instantly hear other artists and say "That's RSJ" and the like. Whether that's a bad thing I don't know. I'm going to stick it in my car stereo and see whether it lasts a full play or two. It's good, but it's not Yfriday. . . And if "All We Ever Need" doesn't have the same opening chords as Vicky Beeching's "Yesterday, Today And Forever" then I'm a hint of hair on Peter Furler's head.