Olivia the Band
Self-titled
(Provident Records)
Upon listening to the first two tracks of Olivia the Band's self-titled debut album, one can tell that there is something amok with the music. Technically, they are classified in the pop-punk genre, but there is very little of the normal punk edge to their music. In fact, the music and lyrics seem almost assuring.
Once the third song plays there are some suspicious references to \Eternity"" and ""Your Son."" It is not until the fourth song, entitled ""Heaven,"" that the J-word hits, and it is realized: This is a Christian rock band.
The religious fervor often associated with Christian rock bands seems like it would be an awkward fit in the rebellious world of punk music; among others, the band lists radical musicians like NOFX and Bob Marley as somewhat ironic inspirations for their religious tunes. But interestingly, the controversy in content common in the punk genre is there.
However, it is on the opposite end of the normal spectrum for controversy, begging the question of whether or not Christian bands can be musically diverse and fun to listen to without sounding like a musical sermon.
In terms of sound, the band has found an appropriate niche somewhere near New Found Glory and blink-182 as the less controversial and more radio-friendly step-cousin of true punk music.
""Heaven"" is Olivia's stand out. It sounds achingly beautiful, with the guitar sounding like a piano at times.
For the most part, the songs range musically from pretty good at best to mediocre and formulaic at worst. The lead singer, Reed Cromwell, is talented beyond the average punk singer, but has a tendency to sound the same in every song, with one exception being the relatively edgy ""Novocaine.""
The band has some hits and misses concerning how lyrically easy the music is to listen to on a secular level. While the fun, infectious songs ""Butterflies"" and ""Novocaine"" are subtle enough to be enjoyed no matter what religion you are, songs like ""Heaven"" and ""Shut it Out"" (the band's first single) are pretty blatant in their religious praise. This may not be a bad thing, but it does limit their crossover potential from the relatively small Christian rock crowd to the masses.
While it is debatable how ""punk"" this music truly is, there is one thing that can be said of Olivia the Band: They are not trying to be something they are not. They do not berate the government and scream obscenities in their music, but they do have the potential to fit well in the current market for pop music, particularly if they choose to change their first single and follow in the footsteps of bands like P.O.D. and Switchfoot by picking their singles for the masses and keeping the more religious tracks on the album.
