Leeland - Opposite Way

Producer:  Matt Bronleewe
Record Label:  Essential Records/Provident Label Group
Website:  http://www.leelandonline.com

Not many bands can boast the kind of accomplishments that Leeland has in their first 18 months since the release of the debut record - Sound of Melodies.  The band got to open for Casting Crowns on their sell-out tour, exclusively work with Michael W. Smith on his last album, earn a Grammy nomination and a handful of Dove nods.  Not bad for a new band.  The group’s debut album was a hit with fans and critics - recalling the likes of Coldplay and Travis with a decidedly strong worship bent.  Songs like “Reaching”, “Sound of Melodies”, and “Tears of the Saints” quickly earned the band a strong following.  So, to say that people have been anxiously awaiting the release of Leeland’s sophomore outing - Opposite Way is an understatement.  Matt Bronleewe (Rebecca St. James, Michael W. Smith, Jars of Clay, Steven Curtis Chapman) has again sat in the producers chair for this album - and the results are once again striking.  The album kicks off with the euro-pop of “Count Me In” before drumming right along into even more fantastic pop songs like “Let It Out Now”, “Wake Up”, and “Don’t Go Away”.  Leeland Mooring’s songwriting is just that much stronger this time around - his hooks are more memorable and topics discussed seem a bit more mature.  However, it’s Mooring’s vocals that really catch the listeners ear as his tenor soars on the pop numbers and emotes tender emotion on the ballads - especially on tracks like “Opposite Way”, “Enter This Temple”, “May Our Praise”, and “Thief In the Night”.  Lyrically - the band is less worship and more theme oriented this time around - calling people to live a life of anti-conformity (according to the world’s standard) - this is seen especially on tracks like the title cut, “Count Me In”, “Let It Out Now”, and “Wake Up.”  Probably the biggest gripe among critics and fans will be the lack of musical growth - it’s all a bit predictable musically.  You know what you’re getting this time around - brit-pop in the vein of Coldplay, Travis, or Christian music’s Phil Wickham.  However, that’s not to say that Leeland isn’t excellent at what they do - in fact they’re amazing at it.  Hopefully, the next record will find the band expanding their horizons a bit.  Until then, Opposite Way is as good a sophomore album as you’ll find - and Leeland is one of the brightest moments in Christian music these days.

Purchase Opposite Way.

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