Showbread "Who Can Know it?"

Showbread's new album "Who Can Know it" in every aspect is typical

"Showbread", and what I mean by that is, ask any Showbread fan

what kind of sound is Showbread?

what "scene" would you throw them in?

It's hard to define Showbread

because frankly every album is different,

they don't stick to a certain "shtick"

they bring a new flavor and variety

through their work.

Now I realize to some this can be annoying,

specially if you were digging what they were doing on a certain album and expect more of the same.

I absolutely loved "The Fear of God" screams and all,

however when I heard Josh Dies say..

"there would be no screaming on the new album." I was a little taken back,

as every album so far has had some variant form of "screaming".

Rest asure though the new album,

which by the way is ABSOLUTELY FREE,

yes free! as in you don't have to pay anything for it,

it's a free download!

it's a great album! there...i'm done...thats the review..it's great!

go buy it..erm

I mean go download it for free! yes...right now...go...seriously go!

ok fine, I'll give you a little more info.

It's kind of strange reviewing a FREE album,

and the "Cliche" you get what you pay for,

well can't really be used because you

are not paying a thing.

I thought maybe with a free album it might be 4 songs?

maybe 6? and I figured it would be lack luster,

and even the quality of the songs would be horrible,

thankfully I was wrong on all aspects! first of all

"Who can know it" which is taken from..

The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Jeremiah 17:9

Has ten tracks which are as follows..

1. A Man With A Hammer

2. I Never Liked Anyone And I'm Afraid Of People

3. Dear Music

4. Deliverance

5. The Prison Comes Undone

6. Hydra

7. Myth Of A Christian Nation

8. You're Like A Taxi

9. Time To Go

10. The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things

The sound quality is not lacking whatsoever, and the lack of screams?

who freakin cares? the album is still SHOWBREAD, and still

very much ROCKS. Just as with "The Fear of God", Showbreads

"Who can know it" brings quality sound, and quality meaningful

rock that is very lacking in the Christian music industry, specially

the Christian mainstream. The songs and lyrics, as with most Showbread songs, make you think, it challenges your relationship

with Christ(in a good way), some might say the album questions

the existence of God, but to me that would be somebody who is

not understanding the lyrics or what Josh(And showbread) are questioning, which isn't God, but questioning the theology

of most Americans, it's questioning American Christianity,

which truthfully is more about prosperity and Blessings and

a belief in a God who only blesses America, which would be

NOT God at all.(Which to that point I can agree with)

Showbread always seems to challenge their listeners to actually "Think", yeah imagine that, and they seem to bring controversy, or maybe I should say people who just don't get it, bring the controversy. The most "Controversial" songs

would probably be "A Man with a Hammer" and

"Myth of a Christian Nation" the latter being probably my favorite

on the album. "Myth of a Christian Nation" has a great tempo and really is a stand out track not only for the lyrics but because of

the "raw rock" it creates. "Myth of a Christian Nation" (which is taken from a book written by Greg Boyd with the same name) will rub

a lot of people the wrong way as "un patriotic" but really

if you listen to the song, and actually "think about it" where

should your loyalties as a "Christian" be? to country? or to God?

what KINGDOM are you to be "Patriotic"/"Loyal" to? the worldly

kingdom of a country? or the Kingdom of God? Does God put America above all other countries? These are

the questions that Showbread brings and others through-out the album. While I don't

agree "Theologically" with everything Showbread says and does, and specially with Greg Boyd

and his theological conclusions, I don't believe there

is anything wrong with healthy debates and questions that Showbread tends

to bring up through-out their albums. (that is of course if you take the time

to really listen and research what they are saying, which I tend to do with everything

I listen to, when the artists challenge me to)

If I were to describe the sound of this new album to Showbread fans,

or name older Showbread songs that this album sounds like,

I would say the title track from last album "The Fear of God"

and their extremely popular song from

"No Sir, Nihilism is Not Practical" called "Matthias Replaces Judas" would be a good start,

I suggest to everyone interested in this new effort from Showbread

to check this song out, and if you like this song(as most do) you will love the new album.

"Who Can Know it" is full of songs with desperation, desperation

to live in the image of Christ. It's a wonderful thought provoking album that you shouldn't miss, some of the stand out tracks

include "A Man with a Hammer" "The Prison Comes Undone" "Hydra"

"Myth of a Christian Nation" and a song that seems to have some

NIN influence "The Heart is Deceitful above all things". I give the album a

4 out of 5

Showbread "The Fear of God"-Review

Showbread, one thing I really respect about the band is they do what they do

and don't care what anyone thinks, and it's usually judgmental

Christians tearing them down, which makes no sense seeing

as they are Christians and their lyrics affirm that.

"The Fear of God" is great on many different levels.

If you are wondering what Showbread sounds like,

first of all I'd say they are very original, specially in the Christian

music scene. The lead singer sounds like a mix between

Marilyn Manson and Billie Joe Armstrong(lead singer for Green Day).

Showbread calls themselves "Raw Rock" maybe a play on "Shock Rock"?

I really don't know, but I can say they are all over the place, and

I really couldn't label them as a certain type of music.

They got a Goth/Punk flavor to them but bottom line

I find them to be refreshing..

The Fear of God starts out with I'm Lost

which is really just a lead into the real first song which is called

"Nothing Matters anymore"

"Nothing Matters Anymore" is a great song and opens the album with a bang,

this song alone stands for so much. I really enjoy it on a lot of different

levels, I'm personally one who enjoys lyrics that are not overly simplistic

and make you think, and that is what this song and most

of this album does.

The world is a husk to be peeled back and torn

My body a shell that now breaks

How I long to escape from the chains that I’ve worn

And hasten my greatest escape

And when I breathe my very last, don’t shed a tear for me

Discard the body that once was my prison, for I’ll have been set free

And when the trumpets call us home and I’m no longer bedded by pain

Our tears will be forever dried, for the author of life knows my name

So we trample the hoards of the pointless and blank

We will die for the truth in our hearts

No force that exists will tear us from His hands

Nothing will tear us apart

Though the mirror is dull, the reflection obscured

We look beyond the obtuse

And the world weighs down, beating us to the ground

But her efforts are of little use

The Anointed One has purchased our souls

Death is battered and lifeless before me

The truth rains down for the children of Christ

And the truth has set us free

And through it all we rise when we fall

Though the road grows more narrow before me

Though we ache, though we cry, never break, never die

The one truth there it sets us free

Great song to open up the album for sure.

The next song is called "Lost Connection with the Head"

which has a very catchy rhythm and chorus, and a

pretty cool guitar solo starting at about 1:54.

No drop off here from the perfect opening song..

"Regret Consumes Me"

has a very "alternative Electronic" feel, very similar to

a Nine Inch Nails song, which isn't completely out of

left field as Josh Dies(Lead singer) is a big fan of

Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails. brings a little bit

of a different vibe then the first two songs but it

is another good song.

"Out of My Mind" follows and has some good moments,

and the chorus is good but it doesn't jump out at me as a

great song, more like a filler song.

"Vehement" is the sixth song(fifth if you don't count the opening)

and is one of my favorites on the whole album. I love the

meaning behind the song, which isn't hard to see

what they are talking about at all. I wont spoil it, i'll

let you figure it out =)

"The Great Emasculation" continues the Raw rock assault,

but it's kind of like "Out of my Mind" as it just doesn't

really appeal to me and is usually a song I skip.

Next comes "Shepherd, No Sheep"

which slows it down a bit but it's better then

"The Great Emasculation" and "out of My Mind" as it is

worth listening to. It seems to be directed towards the critics

and people who tell the band they should do it this way or that way.

Then comes "Let there be Raw"

which is kind of one of those anthem songs, and has

some cool moments guitar wise, but to me

falls short. and I usually skip, and that might

be mostly because the next song is my

favorite on the album.

"I Think i'm going to see you"

Is Showbread at it's best, and I love everything about the song.

I think it is probably the song to listen to...to see if you

will like this album or not. this verse followed by the chorus

is freakin sweet..

The more the world puts in my mouth,

the more I feel like throwing up
I’ve found the way to freedom and I’m opening the door
The more they tell me how to care,

the more and more I’m giving up
Afraid of God and life and death, I’m not afraid anymore

There’s a hole in the fabric of my sanity and

it’s getting big enough to see through
And on the other side of losing my mind I think I’m gonna see you

The next song is called "Precursor" which is all over the

place vocal wise, and at one moment is fast and hard

then slows it way down towards the last 30 seconds.

another filler song in my mind..

next comes the title of the album "Fear of God"

which is another slow song but is fantastically written

and sung. It is for sure a shining moment on this album

and a favorite..

Dear God, what went wrong?

We hate ourselves, we hate our brother

We so desperately want to find our way,

and all You say is "love one another"

And little babies starve to death, emaciated, out of breath

Unfaithful wives make vows untrue, husbands beat them black and blue

Junkies vomit in the streets, writhing, twitching in their skin

Sell themselves to die some more, rotting from the outside in

Parents steal the innocence from their children, scared and shaking

Drink away the guilt at night, brings quiet to the endless aching

And evil men boast on TV, swimming in a sea of wealth

While misery beds honest men, and lonely people kill themselves

And everyone cries out Your name, as the world is raped by selfishness

And no one knows the way to heaven, we only know the emptiness

And the storm it rages in my heart, and the endless empty roars in my ears

My world is coming all apart, I’ve no strength left to dry my tears

And through it all I hear Your voice, breaking my heart, breaking my will

Calms the storm inside my soul as You whisper "peace, be still..."

The last song on the album is called

"Until We meet again" is another slow song, and is very much

obviously a slow send off. The album may not end in a bang...

but through-out the album Showbread raw rocked your face off...

and touched your heart with the slower songs.

"Until We meet again" probably shouldn't have been the last song

but I can understand the symbolism of it being the last song,

and while it's pretty much a totally different style from

everything else on the album it is good.

In the end Showbread is a band that I've really been searching

for in the Christian music scene, and haven't ever found

until obviously now. "The Fear of God" is something new...

and brings a breath of fresh air. I seriously could give this album

a 4 just for the originality alone, but while there is much to like

about the album there are some things to dislike also, and it isn't

perfect by any means. If you are looking for something different...

then I suggest you pick it up

Showbread "I Think I'm Going To See You" Music Video from Showbread on Vimeo.