The Line Between the Two (CD - 2005)

Personnel: Mark Harris (vocals); Jason Crosby (piano, Hammond b-3 organ); Nelson Sebastiani (bass instrument); Brandon ONeill, Brandon O'Neill (drums); Pete Kipley (guitar); Prague Symphony Orchestra (strings).

Recording information: X Stage.

Photographer: Michael Belk.

Arranger: Pete Kipley.

The Line Between the Two is a deeply personal musical statement from one of the members of the celebrated Christian pop group 4Him, the result of what sounds like something of a mid-life crisis in which he explores such issues as aging and fatherhood. And like most deeply personal musical statements, it's one that doesn't always connect in a deep way with the listener. While "For the First Time" rocks out in a fairly universal way, on "Carry the Light" and "Hello to Goodbye" Mark Harris starts wimping out a bit, relying on push-button emotional tricks to carry the songs. By "Wish You Were Here," which features a triangle and a string section, he sounds like Neil Finn trying to sell a really boring and unattractive conception of heaven without the help of any musical hooks. But things pick up again thereafter with the solidly workmanlike title track, the U2-ish "Find Myself in You," and the rocking "Ordinary Life," which features a guitar line that Lenny Kravitz would be proud of. Not bad overall, but this is devotional music, and as with all devotional music, the emphasis is more on the devotion than on the music. Those already inclined to enjoy it on that basis won't be disappointed. ~ Rick Anderson minimize