Kutless - It Is Well

Producer:  Dave Lubben & Brown Bannister
Record Label:  BEC Recordings
Website:  http://www.kutless.com

Let’s be honest.  Kutless has never been the golden child of Christian music critics.  Sure, the band has amassed quite the following and had best-selling records - but they’ve yet to create an album that both the critics and the fans can rally around together.  However, fresh off the band’s recent Gold certification of their worship album Strong Tower - the band is releasing their second worship album - which finds the band really searching for who they are as an artist.  Are they are a cutting edge rock band or worship leaders?  The release of It Is Well helps to confuse things even more.  The good news is this: this is probably Kutless’ finest release to date - but let’s face it - they don’t have an impressive catalog to back it up against.  One thing’s for sure - Kutless seems to have their hearts in the right place - as the band bleeds authenticity on It Is Well.  The album opens with the artistic build of “It Is Well” - which proves to be an album highlight.  Later on, the band tries to mimic the success of that track - and takes things even further with “Redeemer”.  It Is Well is chock full of covers, but also features a collection of originals from the band.  Tunes like “God of Wonders,” “Hungry,” and “Give Us Clean Hands” are nice tributes to the originals, but don’t really do anything different to say that these versions are worth hearing again.  Where the album really succeeds is indeed in Kutless’ original tunes - yet they really lack that crunching rock sound - settling in a more pop/rock radio friendly sound - not unlike what Jeremy Camp, Casting Crowns or MercyMe are currently producing.  “I’m Still Yours” is a beautiful praise tune, while “Taken By Love” has a more epic radio friendly sound.  “Amazed” is a rollicking rocker, but lacks the edge the group has maintained on previous releases.  “What Faith Can Do,” the album’s first single, is not the best track, but it has a nice overall feel as well - one that should be welcome at today’s Christian radio.  Overall, It Is Well is a fine follow-up to the group’s most successful album to date - Strong Tower - and it even succeeds that release by leaps and bounds artistically.  This reviewer would love to see the artistic budding moments (like “It Is Well” and “Redeemer”) carried over to their future mainline releases.  Those songs show the band does have a few creative bones in their body - it would be nice to see those used more often.