Rush of Fools (CD - 2007)

Personnel: Wes Willis (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals); Jason Ingram (vocals, programming, background vocals); Joanna Martino (vocals); Paul Moak (guitar); Scotty D. , Scott Davis (acoustic guitar, piano, programming); Mike Payne, Greg Hagan (electric guitar); Matt Stanfield (piano); Rusty Varenkamp (programming).

Additional personnel: Andy Davis (acoustic guitar); Bethany Daniels (violin); The FILMharmonic Orchestra & Choir (strings); Matt Pierson , Tony Lucido (bass instrument); Matt West, Ben Phillips (drums); Carly Manning (background vocals); Jason Ingram, Matt Stanfield, Mike Payne, Scott Davis, Greg Hagan, Rusty Varenkamp.

Audio Mixers: David Zaffiro; Ainslie Grosser .

Recording information: Life Of Rhyme Studio; Platinum Lab, Nashville, TN.

Editors: Scott Davis; Scotty D. .

Christian mellow-rock band Rush of Fools has charted high on both the pop and CCM charts with their debut album, based largely on the vulnerable and melodic single "Undo," a catchy song that chronicles the remorse of a penitent sinner. Recorded while most of the band was still in high school, the album captures the youthful sincerity of five devoted and musically gifted young men, avoiding preachiness at every turn.

Guitarists Wes Willis and Kevin Huguley formed Rush of Fools at Auburn University in 2005 with a lineup that eventually included guitar/keyboard player J.D. Frazier, drummer Jamie Sharpe and bass guitarist/vocalist Jacob Chesnut -- all Alabama natives. The band gained quick notoriety despite constant references to their own humility and imperfection (their name, for one). Willis made the comment on ROF's website that, "I personally feel that we're not some extravagant band with incredibly, extra-ordinary talents." Their debut album was recorded with the help of studio musicians while two of the bandmembers finished high school. The appeal of the 'Bama boys was a shimmering combination of Chris Tomlin and Building 429 with sprinklings of By the Tree and Starfield. The one drawback to this sound was that, by 2007, it had dominated Christian radio waves for a number of years and showed a distinct lack of innovation. This hardly seemed a detriment to ROF, however. Lead single "Undo" reached number one on multiple radio charts, and the record became the number one Christian album on iTunes. A palette of worshipful, well-crafted songs and brilliant production lifted this CD to greater heights than perhaps their name suggests. ~ Jared Johnson minimize