Avalon - Reborn

Producer:  Ian Eskelin & Barry Weeks
Record Label:  E1 Music
Website:  http://www.avalonlive.com

The Christian pop super group Avalon has seen their fare share of ups and downs.  The group has been a consistent hit maker over the past 13 years - cutting their teeth on the now-pop classics “Testify to Love,” “Can’t Live a Day,” “I Don’t Want to Go,” and “Adonai” among many others.  The group has also won a handful of GMA Dove Awards and an American Music Award to boot.  However, the vocal ensemble has also seen its disappointments as well.  The group consists of only one original member (Janna Long) and had yet another personnel turn over this past year (the group welcomed Jeremi Richardson’s wife Amy earlier this year replacing Melissa Greene).  The group has now found a renewed sense of who they are and - much like the title of their latest release - are finding themselves reborn.  Reborn is significant in many ways.  In addition to it being Amy’s first recording with the group - it is the first for their new label home E1 (formerly Koch Records) and with new producers Ian Eskelin (All Star United, Francesca Battistelli, Stellar Kart) and Barry Weeks (The Imperials, Krystal Meyers).  Using these new producers and a label that gave them free reign - Avalon set out to put out an album full of songs with a refreshing sound.  Reborn does just that.  From the first strains of “Reborn” - you can tell this isn’t your typical Avalon recording.  Reborn features a fresh, up to date pop sound - straddling the line between their old, tried and true “been-there-done-that” Christian AC radio sound and a more modern, Top 40 friendly style not unlike the likes of Kelly Clarkson and Natalie Grant with shades of Euro-rock like Coldplay or Leeland.  Reborn finds the pop vocal group now turning the heads of those fans that left the group for greener, more mature musical pastures with this release.  “Arise” sounds like a Top 40 hit, while “Holy” is more reminiscent of the worship stylings of today’s top worship leaders.  Weeks’ influence is also readily apparent as the vocal arrangements have a more up to date sound and don’t have the typical Christian vocal band approach.  Lyrically, the group keeps things pretty straight forward as usual - “Alive” tells of a renewed vision, while “Stay” is a call of encouragement to believers.  The biggest drawback to Avalon tackling this new sound is that some of their trademarks are all but lost - such as the typical Janna Long powerhouse ballad (a la “Can’t Live a Day,” “Reason Enough” or “Orphans of God”) - but that’s only a minor complaint.  Reborn is a welcome recording in what was appearing to be Avalon’s lacking discography of the last couple years.  This is a record that the group can be really proud of.