Back Home (CD - 2003)

Caedmon's Call: Danielle Young (vocals); Joshua Moore (acoustic & electric guitars, dobro, mandolin, accordion, piano, Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards, background vocals); Derek Webb (acoustic & electric guitars, banjo); Cliff Young (acoustic guitar, background vocals); Garett Buell (berimbau, drums, tabla, cuica, udu drum, percussion, loops); Jeff Miller (bass); Todd Bragg (drums, percussion).

Producers: Caedmon's Call, Joshua Moore, Ben Wisch.

Personnel: Derek Webb (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, banjo); Cliff Young (vocals, acoustic guitar); Danielle Young (vocals); Josh Moore (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar, dobro, mandolin, accordion, piano, keyboards, programming, background vocals); Sandra McCracken (acoustic guitar, background vocals); Paul Moak (electric guitar); Garett Buell (berimbau, cuica, tabla, percussion, loops); Nashville String Machine (strings); Todd Bragg (drums, percussion); Aaron Senseman (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Bob Boyd ; David Hall ; Ben Wisch.

Recording information: 16th Avenue Sound; Emerald Masterfonics; Joshmooreownsthis Studio; OceanWay, Nashville, TN; Second Studios.

Photographers: David Dobson; Ron Roark; Tim Parker.

These days, enterprising young believers in the Christian rock world have brought the Good Word to everything from indie rock to death metal. With BACK HOME, Caedmon's Call mines the same sort of rootsy pop vein as artists like the Dave Matthews Band, Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, and the Wallflowers. The seven-member group includes several fine songwriters and vocalists, which keeps the material first-rate throughout.

The collective's basic radio-ready pop sound is augmented by eclectic instrumentation including banjo, dobro, accordion, and a plethora of Latin and Indian percussion. Despite the band's mixing of ostensibly disparate elements, however, the sound is surprisingly consistent. At times recalling everything from Jeff Buckley and Radiohead to the Incredible String Band and III-era Led Zeppelin, Caedmon Call has smooth pop instincts that always dominate, making BACK HOME that rare album that's highly accessible, yet much more than simple ear candy. minimize