BarlowGirl Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
Over the course of several hit albums, Christian girl group BarlowGirl established themselves as a successful crossover trio by mastering a variety of secular pop and rock styles and matching them to inspirational (but not always explicitly religious) lyrics. Often sounding like a radio-ready mix of Avril Lavigne, Evanescence, and Vanessa Carlton, the group appealed to an unusually wide variety of music fans. Love & War finds the Illinois-based act expanding its sound even further, incorporating influences from heavy rock and dance music. The opening track, "Come Alive," is driven by a straight-up disco beat, a driving bassline, and Killers-esque edgy guitars, while "Time for You to Go" finds the singers' smooth vocal harmonies and biting anti-mass media social commentary backed by a nu-metal-ish funky beat and thrashy drumming. "Hello Sunshine" is a horse of a different (bright) color, its jaunty piano, joyful melody, fuzzy lead guitar, and Bach trumpet blasts clearly influenced by Paul McCartney-authored songs from the Beatles' post-Revolver era. A diverse, engaging exercise in several different subgenres of Christian music, Love & War appeals equally to the CCM heart, rock muscles, and pop sweet tooth. ~ Pemberton Roach, All Music Guide
'How Can We Be Silent'
Release Date 7/24/2007
Tracks 10
Label Fervent/Spirit-Led
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What The Critics Say
BarlowGirl might look like a Christian teen pop group on the cover of their crossover-minded third album, How Can We Be Silent, but they sound like a Christian Evanescence, singing harmonies in fifths over dark, roiling riffs and all manners of goth textures. In this brooding atmosphere, such Christian calls to arms like the title track feel ominous, as if nonbelievers should take their faith as a threat. BarlowGirl do this goth rock about as appealingly as Evanescence, but they're a bit more charming when the cloud lifts just a bit, like on the off-kilter "One More Round" that opens with Mellotrons and waltzes into some psychedelic jazz, or when they punch the melodies a little bit harder as on "Take My Chance," a piece of barbed melodic pop-punk that also showcases the trio's harmonies. Although "Take Me Chance" is an anomaly on the album, How Can We Be Silent is certainly more interesting overall than a lot of CCM rock -- and a lot of secular rock in this vein, for that matter. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Another Journal Entry'
Release Date 9/27/2005
Tracks 11
Label Fervent
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