Description
Lost in Transition is the sixth studio album by the American pop band Sixpence None the Richer, independently released in August 2012. The recording was produced, recorded and mixed by Jim Scott (except the first track, produced by Daniel Tashian). It is the first Sixpence album full of mostly original material since 2002’s Divine Discontent. “My Dear Machine,” “Sooner Than Later,” and “Give It Back” (under the title “Amazing Grace (Give it Back)”) all previously appeared on the 2008-EP titled My Dear Machine, although the latter two of those tracks have been completely re-recorded.
‘Lost in Transition’ might not be the most accurate title for Sixpence None the Richer’s new project if you are looking for distinctive, expressive vocals, catchy melodies, a warm balance between electric and acoustic instruments and plenty of hooks, because those elements are certainly not lost – primarily thanks to founding members Leigh Nash and Matt Slocum. Of course, there is the matter of the ten years between Divine Discontent and the new album – certainly, there was a lot of transition happening in that decade and much of it has resulted in the fine songs on this project…
Musically, this is pure Sixpence: the hooks, the little quirks at the end of melody lines, certain chord changes… all of this combined with that voice. Put it together and you’ve got Sixpence None the Richer. At first, we hear a seemingly more aggressive band than we remember from the days when the sounds of «There She Goes» seemed to be omnipresent. «My Dear Machine» starts the project with a sole distorted guitar establishing the main riff, joined by a pulsing drumbeat, acoustic guitar, and Leigh’s vocals. By the end of the first verse a forceful horn riff (paired with a synth) is introduced that will stay in your head long after the song has ended (thank you, John Painter!). It’s over in less than three minutes but it’s a powerful way for Sixpence None the Richer to say, “Hey, we’re back!”
The balance of the album is a collection of wonderful pop songs more typical of the Sixpence sound – well crafted songs in the very capable hands of Matt Slocum (guitars, cello), Justin Cary (bass, baritone guitar), Cason Cooley (keyboards), Will Sayles (drums, percussion), Greg Leisz (pedal steel, lap steel) and Jim Scott (percussion). Of course, Leigh Nash’s vocals seal the deal. To a great extent, the material was recorded ‘live’ in the studio and the result is a warm, real-band sound. Kudos to Will Sayles, by the way, for playing drums the way a pop-rock drummer is supposed to – wonderful playing throughout! Jim Scott’s production is clean but never too-polished for its own good – he seems to understand this band perfectly.
There’s an understood acknowledgement of God in the lyrics, although not always overtly stated, with the exception of the hauntingly beautiful prayer, «Give it Back», where Nash sings:
“Years in the desert with no drink
Strike a rock, make it bleed
And please Lord give it back to me.“If you blow on the embers the light will shine on my face
The streams will run in the desert and sing amazing grace.”Things are always getting lost in transition, but things also get found in transition. In the case of Sixpence None the Richer, what’s been found is a deeper well of life-experience to draw from, and it shows on this album. The dancing fireflies, bearded barley and moonlit floors of «Kiss Me» give way here to lyrics like, “I am running from the footsteps of someone approaching I don’t wanna meet,” from «Failure». Despite the ominous tone of those words, all is not darkness and pessimism. “It’s gonna’ be okay,” sings Nash on the album’s closer «Be OK», a song apparently in reference to her failed marriage (she’s now happily married to guitarist Stephen Wilson). Still, you get the feeling that things are indeed being seen in a more proper perspective from a vantage point farther down the road of life.
The rose-colored glasses are off, the bearded barley is just a memory of a hit song on the radio, love has been lost and found, and mortality has taken on a more realistic face. In the song, «Failure», Slocum writes, “time is not my friend anymore,” and Nash sings it with conviction. They are wrong – at least as far as Sixpence None the Richer goes. Time has proven to be a very good friend, indeed. [Bert Saraco, The Phantom Tollbooth, 29 June 2012]
In the landscape of the current Christian music market, Lost In Transition is an unqualified success; full of strong melodies, the supple guitar wizardry of Matt Slocum, and Leigh Nash’s beguiling, clear-eyed vocals – all in support of a rapidly maturing lyrical craft that sees Slocum sharing the load with an increasingly prolific Nash. However, in the scheme of all things
Sixpence, the new record is not quite up to par with their past 3 discs, especially in terms of
musical continuity.The album starts very strong with three GREAT tracks; the bright, somewhat fuzzy guitar-pop of «My Dear Machine» replete with blaring horn charts; the fetching «Radio» the sweet melody of which belies the melancholy of the lyric; and the ‘faith in the midst of storms’ anthem, «Give It Back». Each of these tunes features an appealingly aggressive sound and some of Slocum’s sharpest and most varied guitar work. However, the tempo and pace of the album slows down considerably after this. The next three cuts
are still quite strong with the “Fleetwood Mac meets Abba” groove of «Should Not Be This Hard» which, again, provides counterpoint to a paradoxically darker subject matter. «Safety Line» offers a piano based intro that segues into a lilting, beautiful melody with strains of Pedal Steel softly crying in the background. From this point on there are still highlights of the duo’s songwriting prowess (The emotionally charged, «Sooner or Later», written by Nash and her husband, Stephen Wilson, about her recently deceased father) but they are somewhat undermined by repetition and, perhaps, too much musical simplicity.Still, after a 10 year layoff, save for a 2008 Christmas offering and an EP, (from which all four songs make an appearance) It is refreshing to have Sixpence back, as even a somewhat uneven album by these masters is better than the majority of market driven music being made today. Like every album since This Beautiful Mess, this one was held up by industry red tape and distribution snafus. It will be interesting to see how a Sixpence project, NOT marred by the sometimes-staggering ups and downs of the music business machine, might turn out! [Shawn McLaughlin, Christian Musician, September/October 2012]
> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/lost-in-transition-bonus-track-version/542254788)
CD tracklist:
01. My Dear Machine – 2:43
02. Radio – 3:32
03. Give it Back – 4:45
04. Safety Line – 4:35
05. When You Call Me – 3:22
06. Should Not Be This Hard – 3:13
07. Go Your Way – 3:11
08. Failure – 3:31
09. Don’t Blame Yourself – 3:36
10. Stand My Ground – 2:37
11. Sooner than Later – 3:33
12. Be OK – 2:34
Note: iTunes Bonus Track: “I Do” – 3:54
CREDITS. Produced, engineered and mixed by Jim Scott, except the first track, produced by Daniel Tashian.
Musicians – Track 02 to 12: Leigh Nash (Vocals), Matt Slocum (Guitar, Cello), Greg Leisz (Pedal Steel Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar), Cason Cooley (Keyboards), Justin Cary (Bass, Baritone Guitar), Will Sayles (Drums, Percussion), Jim Scott (Percussion). Track 01: Jason Lehning (Keyboards), John Painter (Horns).
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