Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
I stumbled upon Citizens and Saints for the first time this year, as I saw a review of this album by my favorite music review site, JesusFreakHideout. I looked into this band, and realized that they were part of the worship genre. Now, as I've said before, I am not a big fan of the worship genre, as I feel most artists under that genre put themselves into a rut. But this group really surprised me... and it was in the best way possible. "A Mirror Dimly", the band's third album, combines electronic and alternative styles, along with worship focused lyrics. How does this combination turn out? Well, it ends up giving us one of the best albums of the year.
The album starts out superbly with one of its biggest highlights, "Crown Him". The song shows exactly what this album is all about: creating songs which start off as subtle and quiet, but build up to a really great pay off. This is actually one of the bigger feeling songs on the album though, as the electronic elements are instantly present. Zach Bolen's vocals then come in, and when I first heard them, I was amazed. This guy has serious talent, and a very beautiful voice which works for this electronic/alternative style. His voice also has a lot of raw emotion in it especially when he says with real passion "Chris the King is Lord, crown him/Seated on his throne, hail him". This song is simple in its worship elements, but it feels sincere. What really works in this song is how the chorus is repeated, and the backing elements keep on building off of the repetition. The song eventually reaches a huge explosion, and the synths give the emotion of the song at that moment instead of Zach's voice. It works incredibly well, and makes the song feel all the more like a worshipful, euphoric experience. "Madness" follows, and is a very upbeat and fun track. Lyrically it talks of how hard it is to really comprehend who God is ("Your ways are not my ways..."). The bridge of this song is what really makes this song work though, as there is another big buildup which leads to an excellent instrumental section.
The album continues with more gems. "Faith", which is lyrically is pretty standard in discussing in having faith in God. But the song is so upbeat and fun with Bolen really sounding like he's enjoying himself. The funky guitar riffs make for a fun song, and the chorus is undeniably catchy. But "Relent" is really the track that needs to be talk about, as it is one of the best songs I've heard this year. It is a compelling and passionate track about surrendering everything you have to God. The emotion Bolen gives off in this song is raw, and made me feel emotional as well. When I first heard this song, I couldn't help but join along and have a powerful moment with God as I was listening to it. The song does what "Crown Him" did (with the whole song being a build up), except in this song, the build up is even more powerful, and it lasts the rest of the song rather than just the end. The lyrics of this song are some of the best I've ever heard in a worship song: "I relent/There is nothing for me here/You can have it all, my life is not my own/You give life/That is worth the loss of mine..." Those last two lines in particular hit me really hard. At the very least give this track a listen, as it is musical and lyrical perfection, and is easily one of the best songs of the year.
Another funky track appears in "Kids". This song has a unique pop/rock flare to it. While the chorus is a little cheesy compared to the rest of the lyrics on this album, much like "Faith" the song is still so much fun. I can easily see everyone dancing to this one in a live setting. "How Majestic" is probably one of the more musically simplistic songs, not having any major buildup until the very end. But that is what makes this song one of the best tracks, as the simplicity works in its favor. The whole song is a simple lift up of praise to God. It works beautifully and is a track which I feel could work especially well in a corporate setting. The two ending tracks both follow the trend of the rest of the epic tracks on the album, with "My Joy is Complete" being more upbeat but for all the right reasons, and having an ending that feels musically gigantic, with the guitars and drums absolutely dominating the scene and creating a musical masterpiece. It makes for quite the dynamic song, and another highlight. "Doubting Doubts" ends out the album in a big way, feeling like an absolute victory song with lyrics like "And now that my eyes are open/I can see that I am a stranger broken/You're the mystery that I put my hope in/The more I seek, the more I find". It ends the album in the best possible way. The only negative on this album for me is "Day By Day", which at six minutes feels like it meanders for a little too long. The lyrical content and musicianship also don't pack the same punch as the rest of the songs on the album do.
"A Mirror Dimly" is not a worship album- it could be better defined as a worship experience or journey. All the emotions this album gave me did not feel forced, they felt legitimate, as the lyricism was sincere and the music was shaped around the lyrics. Even better, the music varied and kept on building rather than having the same tired repetition that most worship albums have. That is what makes this one of the best worship albums I've ever heard, as well as one of the best albums of the year. This record honestly rivals King Kaleidoscope's sophomore album (keep in mind I gave that a 5/5). I advise you to give this album a try, even if you aren't a fan of worship. Citizens and Saints have defied the tropes of what conventional worship is, and because of that, I hope their message will reach out in bigger ways in the coming years.
Favorite Songs: "Relent", "Crown Him", "How Majestic", "My Joy Is Complete", "Madness"
Least Favorite Songs: "Day by Day"
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