ALBUM REVIEW: SATELLITES & SIRENS – “FREQUENCY”

Satellites & Sirens burst onto the Christian music scene last year with the release of their self-titled debut album, including the smash hit radio single “Anchor”, “Breaking The Noise” and “Take Me Back”. The refreshing electronic, pop rock sound of this album proved to be endearing with listeners, as the band was nominated for two Dove Awards and were also spotlighted on MTVmusic.com as the “Needle In A Haystack” artist. The band also welcomes a new member, “Little” Dave Willey, who takes over the role of bass guitar. After breaking away from Word Records at the end of last year, the band now ventures on the journey as an independent band with their highly anticipated sophomore album Frequency, releasing on November 22nd 2011. With more creative freedom on this release, Satellites & Sirens return with twelve all-new quality tracks that invite the listener to reflect on the true meaning of the unconditional love that God has given us.

The unique rock sound that Satellites & Sirens has to offer is immediately evident through the opening track “Runaway”. You’re sure to be singing along from beginning to end, as this song leaves the listener pondering on why we often choose to run away from God’s love. The upbeat title track is also very electronic and is an instant highlight from the album, speaking of how the world has transformed love into something God did not intend it to be. “This love is not a feeling/’don’t know what we were thinking.” Later on in the song we are encouraged to come back to the true meaning of the word. “Let’s live and love in stereo.” This enjoyable, rockin’ track is definitely one to be played loud!

Featuring the best dance beats on the whole album, “Let It Go” speaks of moving on from broken relationships. The soaring, auto-tuned vocals and memorable chorus make this song very enjoyable. Following this song is the first single from Frequency, ”Ready To Save”, an absolutely phenomenal track with a captivating reminder that freedom can be found in Christ. The beautiful chorus is filled with so much hope, as Geoff Hunker passionately belts out; “There is a love, that you’ve been waiting for/There is an answer, there is a cure/There is a Healer, who’s ready to save you/He’s ready to save you/He’s ready to save.” This song has already been impacting many listeners through the airwaves, and I’m sure it will continue to rapidly climb the charts.

The adrenalin-charged “Take My Hand” builds the tension, as the haunting melody accentuates Geoff’s incredible vocals. This song encourages the listener to keep holding on to God throughout the hard times in life. The passionate vocals in the bridge sent tingles down my spine, making it one of my favourites from the album. While the melody in “Make A Mess” is quite playful, this song has a serious message; as it speaks of how we have made a mess of our relationships and of our definition of love. “We make a mess with the words that we’re saying/We lose the best with the time that we’re taking/We give love but we can’t seem to take it/We get love and we turn around and fake it.”

The album slows down with an emotional ballad “Run To You”, where the worshipful chorus has Geoff passionately singing; “Your mercies are never ending/And you are always…I run to You, when hope begins to fall/I run to You, You hear me when I call/I run to You, Jesus.” The album picks up the pace with “Feel Alive”, a contemporary rock track that speaks of living life to the fullest, while “Black Sheep” reverts back to the profound message of the album. Coming back to the true meaning of love that Jesus showed us on the cross.

With “Tell It”, you can’t refrain from singing along to the hooky line “It’s so scary when you’re on your own/Tell it to the microphone.” The following song “Makeup” stands out as one of the highlights from the album, as it challenges the listener to “take off the make up” and be real in their lives. The closing track “Awkward”, which seems to have a humourous title, features an extremely awkward time signature change part-way through the song, as it concludes what is a very emotional album on the perfect note.

Satellites & Sirens’ new album Frequency is certainly quite an enjoyable listen! The band has significantly raised the bar since their debut last year. If you loved the hit songs “Take Me Back”, “Anchor” and “Breaking The Noise”, you’re sure to love this album! With this new album, the guys from Satellites & Sirens have proved that they are one of the top alternative rock bands in the industry. For new fans, this album is the perfect introduction to the band’s phenomenal blend of 80′s synth pop, catchy melodies, and profound lyrical depth. As we’d say in Australia, good on ‘ya boys for another top-class album!

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