InFocus: The Answer to the Question

“He is the answer to the question. He is the cure for the infection. He is all He says He is.” The title track of Tree63’s The Answer to the Question sort of defines what this album is all about, especially when lead singer John Ellis belts out “I’m so tired of a mouth shut tight, all I want to do is tell the whole world about the Man sitting at the right hand of the One in heaven.” This sums up Tree63’s mission, a mission to declare the truth of the one and only savior and glorify His name. This album, perhaps more than earlier releases, is a straight up rock & roll praise album. All but one of the ten tracks is an original work of the group, and all revolve around the central theme of praising God. The only love songs on the CD are the love these three South Africans have for their Lord.
The opening guitar rift on the first song, “King”, is perhaps one of the best little rifts Christian music has seen in awhile, reminiscent of Guns ‘n Roses’ “Sweet Child of Mine” but that is besides the point. The song “King” was a hit single, and for good reasons as it provides a great start to the album. The second song, “Blessed be your name” is a cover of Matt Redman’s song, but really was the first recording to put the song on the map, so to speak. The song went on to be number one on many charts and lead to many other spin offs, including an excellent rendition by the Newsboys.
The overall sound of the CD is rock, with a couple subdued numbers, including “Blessed be your name” and “Let your day begin.” But the group’s sound rings best on the track “But now my eyes are open.” The crunching guitar and great riffs are amazing, and bring taste to the often bland Christian music scene.
The last song on the record, “Overdue,” while clocking in at less than three minutes, contains a couple of musical bridges that prove Christian musicians can be creative when it comes to sound and not just lyrics. While most Christian musicians mainly focus on their lyrics, which is vital, they sometimes ignore putting creativity in their music. Music alone can be used to glorify God, and Tree63 makes use of their talents and give us a look at the other side of Christian music.
Overall, the CD is tremendous, with other standout tracks including “I stand for you” and “You only.” If you are looking for some praise music with a little kick and originality, look no further.