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Track Listing
1.Not What You See
2.All Alone
3.Better For You
4.Sea of Faces
5.Let You In
6.Passion
7.Perspectives
8.Treason
9.All the Words
10.Troubled Heart
11.It's Like Me
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Not What You See: Sometimes we forget our place compared to God: How could I ever think to me more than the one who created me...I'm not what you see / Not much more than a slave I wish to be
All Alone: A song from God's point of view, offering encouragement to someone who feels, well, all alone: You're all alone, but you don't have to pretend to cope / There is a brighter way
Better For You: Vague. It's about making a decision...possibly about stopping a relationship before it gets too far? Accepting pleasure now will earn a life of pain...I know it seems to wrong to be right...This way is better for you.
Sea of Faces: There are millions of people in this world but God still cares for us individually: Somehow you still find the time for me...I am not just a man...lost in a sea of faces...because you traded your life for mine
Let You In: A simple "Your Touch"-reminiscent song about needing God: This need is real / in my soul I feel...My heart it screams to open up and let you in
Passion: A movie-related song of Christ's passion: Nail pierced hands, they run with blood / A splitting brow forced by the thorns...yet it's comforting to me
Perspectives: It's so easy to get upset when bad things happen, but you can't look at it from that selfish angle: Can you honestly tell me that no one else can understand...Why can't you see that freedom is sometimes just simply another perspective away?
Treason: Turning back on God should be considered a worse "treason" than anything involving our country: Give me a reason why this isn't treason...I swear I'm back but then it turns out it's only a season
All the Words: A simple worship song: All of the words in all of my life / that could never explain and never describe...so I lift up my hands and I worship / I worship you
Troubled Heart: A slightly altered copy of track #2: Amidst the pain, you're not alone...His eyes of love are staring down / And he feels your troubled heart
It's Like Me: A struggle with evangelism and missed opportunities: So many times that I just never saw the chance / It's like me to never see / When it came, when it went / Now it's gone away
Click to read complete reviews for Sea of Faces:
ChristianityToday.com
JesusFreakHideout.com
CMcentral.com
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My Review
This is not the same old Kutless from the debut CD. It is smoother, cleaner, new and improved---and less hard pure rock.
The music shows vast improvement. The songs feel more structured. There is noticeably more rhyming, less random screaming, and a lot more harmonizing. There is much more keyboard involved, but this is not one piano-fronted ballad stuck at the end of the CD. These ballads are done by the guitars. The keyboards are sprinkled throughout to add to the flavor.
While the music does have a much greater maturity than the first CD, it has been at the cost of raw power. There aren't very many real rock songs on this disk, and "Treason" is probably the only one that matches the intensity of the debut's "Your Touch," "Vow," or "Pride Away." The intensity here is more of a subtler one. Most of the songs still have loud choruses, but they are slower. And the feeble attempt at rap on "Let You In" is nothing compared to the old "Pride Away." However, I think this loss is worth the overall gain. "Sea of Faces," for example, is an awesome slow track that explores God's care for me as an individual despite all of the other millions of faces in the world, and the keyboards and guitars easily outdo the first disk's only ballad, "Grace and Love." This disk contains many powerful guitar-led ballads, including a complete, albeit simple, worship song, "All the Words."
The lyrics are improved as well. I already mentioned that there is a lot more rhyming compared to the first disk, and the harmony is beautiful all the way through. The debut was pretty simply lyrically, not tackling anything deep or saying much that was profound. This CD covers a variety of topics, including encouragement, evangelism, Christ's passion, and treason. On the other hand, it also contains the band's vaguest song to date, "Better For You." It almost sounds like it's about stopping a relationship because it's going too far, but I'm not really sure.
A small lack of creativity lyrically is found by comparing tracks 2 and 10. They are both encouraging songs carrying the same message, that you're in pain but God sees you. The only difference is that "All Alone" is from God's perspective and implies that you're really not all alone, and "Troubled Heart" just outright says "you're not alone." "Perspectives" is a third encourager, but it is from a unique...perspective. The former two, however, are nearly identical. And it has been noted that "All the Words" plays off the somewhat over-used theme of how our words can't accurately describe how great God is.
Overall, though, there is growth, and even the jacket conveys it. The first CD's jacket was rough and edgy, full of rough-looking dark pictures. This jacket has real pictures. The colors are brighter. It's cleaner, smoother, more refined---like the music.
Yes, Kutless has sacrificed some raw power for greater musical production and creativity. While some hardcore fans may be disappointed at the lack of nothing-held-back rock, I think most will appreciate this slight change of direction as growth. I do.
Talent: 10 of 10
Creativity: 9 of 10
Lyrical Value: 9 of 10
Worth Buying: 10 of 10
Overall Rating: A (95%)
CCM Magazine (March 2004)
Reviewer: David Jenison
The Good News: Each song on the 11-track disk demonstrates an affinity for lush musical layers and a perfectionist's drive for detail. Sea of Faces doesn't aim to be the loudest or the wildest rock release but, rather, focuses on balanced arrangements, passionate vocals and warm-sounding tones...Kutless' new effort surely shows a band eager to meet the challenges of individuality.
Grade: B+
ChristianityToday.com
The Bad News: "Let You In" utilizes unnecessary hardcore screaming at the tail end of each of its choruses..."All The Words" is a worshipful mid-tempo number, even if it makes use of the hackneyed idea of human words failing to express our love for our divine Creator.
The Good News: Sea of Faces shines brightly in its strong, memorable melodies..."Treason" in particular catches them at their lyrical peak, comparing our daily choices to treason committed against our Savior...The boys from Kutless are at least showing signs of taking baby steps toward establishing an identity of their own, one that's no longer mistaken for that of a band that was once cherished with arms wide open.
Rating: 3 of 5
JesusFreakHideout.com
Reviewer: Josh Taylor
The Good News: Lyrically, Kutless has matured. The Christian messages are loud and clear, louder than even their first release. They sing of living for God on "All the Words" and our prerogative to take God for granted on "Treason."
The Bad News: Those who have been looking forward to this release for a long time coming might find it a bit disappointing. The hard rock edge is not gone, but it is somewhere lost in the melodies. This is a good release, but I know most Kutless fans are expecting more.
Rating: 3 of 5
CMcentral.com
The Bad News:"All Alone," pulls back a bit into mid-tempo territory, revealing the Matchbox-similarities for the first time. It sounds good, but not really right...I think that some will be disappointed in the musical direction that the group chose.
The Good News: The rock is on a completely different level than on Kutless, due to much more control and contained focus on both the guitars and the vocals. This is Kutless growing up, perhaps?...on the whole, Sea of Faces is a fine rock record that should gain the band as many new fans as they may lose. I'd buy it for the title track alone.
Rating: 83%
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