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ME DIED BLUE (2003)
This is an album for those who love to kneel in the dirt and watch their garden grow. As they pull out the weeds and plant flowers or vegetables, they find a picture of salvation as clear as the moon. They, like God, have taken over a section of dirt, cleansed it, rid it of its accursed thorns and thistles, and filled it with useful and beautiful plants. Time proves that weeds still lurk under the surface, but with faithful tending, they are never able to overcome the new growth. Steven Delopoulos may not use this exact analogy, but on Me Died Blue he does tell the story of those living gardens that bear the mark of the Father and constantly battle against the foul vegetation of the old man.While each song offers a different story and a different tone, Me Died Blue's underlying theme of redemption is reflected in every one of them. Album opener "Another Day" captures the vibrant hope of our dreams as it dances between childhood memories and cultural reflections. In the end, it eloquently sums up why we, as Christians, can look forward to each new day: "Here's two colors, mixed and swirled / With wood and blood together twirled / Goodbye my friends, today I'm dead / To resurrect and change the world." A self-confessed nod to Paul Simon, "Jungle Trail" ponders the paradox of having salvation without clear direction. "Here I Go Again," a simple testament of Delopoulos's vocal abilities, longs for the rain of grace to wash away the hopelessness of a broken world. Similarly, "Daisies and Sandalwood" (Delopoulos's 9-11 reflection) longs for the world to look away from temporary things to the One who was, is, and ever shall be.
Other songs turn away from personal musings to stories of people and snapshots of other places. A neighborhood scene of families and friends is found on "12 West Front Street," a flashback to younger days when dreams were a dime a dozen. "Rocky Boat," appearing a few tracks later, shifts gears to the present where dreams are replaced with the realization of God's faithfulness to keep our footing steady as He works out His will in our lives. Another water-themed song, "Mediterranean Waters" sounds like a sunny afternoon on a Grecian beach, complete with the lazy observations of a sunbather.
Two songs answer all of these questions and musings. The first is "Holy Sunlight," a passionate cry for salvation in a world where our faith often gets lost in the tide of humanity and humanism. "People Come and Go," the album closer, surrenders any remaining doubt and confusion to our blessed Father who both gives and takes away.
While Steven's colorful lyrics are the driving force behind these songs, the instrumentation aptly aids his poetry, providing a rich background that beautifies his redemptive pictures. Indeed, Steven's picturesque guitar skills will grab you and keep you in your chair long enough to soak up all that he has to say. Along the way, you'll also feel producer Monroe Jones's presence as you hear his subtle addition of keyboards and percussion intensify an already colorful scene.
Just as every day brings something new to your garden, so will every listen open your eyes to something new in your heart. People, like gardens, come and go, but the Father is always there, perfecting them until He puts out their earthly fires and brings them home into the holy sunlight.
- Jason Ewert
March 2004
March 2004
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