Cam's Even Song - Strangers & Aliens

Hear The Track Here

One of the unforseen consequences of the way I string reviews together is that tracks often fall into weird and wonderful pairs. None more so than the pairing on my Ipod of Fear 2 Stop and Cam's Even Song back to back. As it happens, Cam's Aliens and Strangers track always managed to untangle the wretched mess F2S had left my nerves in - and pretty much instantly too. That's pretty much a Cam's Even Song trademark though, as anyone who has run across this Canadian one man hit factory will know only too well. There is always a lightness of spirit in a Cam's Even Song track that is as uplifting as the music, more so when he is tapping two of his favourite inspirational sources; the Lord and the Beatles respectively.

Don't go tutting now.... There are ways to do Christian rock that are not cringe-making and believe me I have watched Cam develop this to a high art. See, like most people, I'm yer average skeptic. I have a faith, and one that has kept me out of serious trouble all my life. I'm just not one for forcing it down peoples throats. Unfortunately, Christian rock has often had that effect on me, and many other people of an otherwise spiritual nature. Cam has always, but always, avoided this problem with the utmost grace; by writing and performing little jewels of sound that are often much more than they appear to be.

Take, for example, Strangers & Aliens. Here's a track that at first glance - for your average religeous philistine - is tremendously daunting. Lyrically this is a Biblical memory verse (1 Peter 2:11) and reads exactly as you would expect but that is before your ears take a short bathe in the river of sound that Cam brings to bear. Clocking in at almost two minutes, I think this has to be one of the shortest tracks I have ever heard from him, but also one of the most effective. Pullling mightily on his 1960's fascination I think Cam has bought off a masterful track here - regardless of your feelings about the songs message. Believe me, this is one of the strongest Cam tracks I've heard in terms of instant appeal.

MUST HAVE for fans, Highly Recommended Pop nonetheless.