Upon hearing the opening of the first track, the formula for Maher’s success is obvious: the “driving rock” feel of the music, along with excellent piano playing and passionate vocals, can only inspire images of legions of loyal fans and people thirsting for a closer relationship with Jesus Christ through song. Indeed, influences from gospel, jazz and country, as well as a wide range of instruments, are heard throughout the album, and the songs themselves vary from stadium anthem to power ballad to love song.
The Love of “Heaven and Earth”
While all of the songs on The Love In Between are very good, there are a few standout tracks that must be mentioned. The first song on the CD, “Rise Up,” is a powerful, inspirational prayer that asks the listener to have faith and trust in God, and helps set the tone for the entire disc. The very next track, titled “Turn Around,” speaks of the struggle that followers of Christ must endure every day, as well as the perseverance that is required to survive, all done with a distinctively folk-like, country feel to the music.
Perhaps the best song on the album is the sixth track, called “Heaven and Earth,” which is also where the CD gets its title from: the piece is filled with beautifully done instrumental work, and it is a reflection of the search we as humans have for meaning in our lives, as well as our desire to be rescued and return home to our Holy Father. However, my personal favorite song on the entire disc is the final track, “The Spirit and the Bride,” which discusses the importance of faith in marriage and for all those in pain to allow God into their lives.
My “New State of Mind”
To be completely honest, I didn’t care for this album the first time I listened to it: my first impressions and thoughts were that it was “too country” and too different from his previous efforts. I actually was dreading listening to the CD more than once, since I felt I had heard everything I needed to hear the first time through. However, I then remembered I had a similar experience with Linkin Park’s Minutes to Midnight album: I thought it was a drastic change from what I believed they were supposed to sound like, and I was cursing myself for paying over $20 for the special edition of a CD I was hating. Thankfully, I allowed myself the courtesy of letting the album grow on me, and after multiple listens, I can now say it is one of my favorite Linkin Park CDs.
Maher’s The Love In Between is definitively in the same style as his previous albums, but with additional influences beyond his traditional musical spectrum. Overall, it is a worthy inclusion to his CD catalog, with multiple tracks meriting the repeat function on your disc or MP3 player, and Maher’s faith is never in question.