Men As Trees Walking – Revelation Radio

What would David Bowie sound like singing worship? This is not a question I’ve ever asked myself before, but if he did you can bet it would sound somewhat like the Revelation Radio E.P. by Men As Trees Walking.

“Men As Trees Walking is a prophetic worship ministry of musical Levites and psalmists that desire to capture the sound of heaven and bring it down to earth,” says their website, and this self produced E.P. is a taste of what’s to come on 1518 their first full length CD due for release later this year.

Revelation Radio begins with the brilliant track Listen with Me which is nothing short of breathtaking. I got goose bumps the first time I listened to this song, which never happens. The combination of male and female vocals with the simple, yet outstanding music really sums up what worship is all about… worshiping God. This song is authentic and heartfelt, and the first time I heard it I had to just stop what I was doing and just worship. Listen With Me truly is one of the most beautiful worship songs I have ever heard and I would recommend this CD for this song alone.

Next up is the song House of the Lord which is another powerful worship song. The music on this track is very “tribal” sounding and I love how the whole song is dominated by a solid drum/percussion track. Again the singing is a combination of male and female vocals, which again really works; this could quite easily become a signature sound for Men as Trees Walking.

In my opinion the first two tracks on this E.P. are two of the best worship songs I have ever heard and I could easily listen to them again and again.

The next track Song of Moses is a very capable Reggae song, which was an unexpected surprise after the first two tracks. Though I’m not a big Reggae listener (I do own a couple of Christafari CD’s) I do like Reggae when it’s well written and played, which this certainly is. I would have liked to have heard more tracks like this… maybe on their full length CD.

“So far so good,” I thought as Song of Moses faded – three good songs that left me wanting more. However, it was the next song Seal Upon My Heart that threw me for a spin, in that it seems completely out of place on this CD. Not to decry the obvious hard work that went into producing this song, but it simply sounds like something you might find in a lift in some shopping mall or on the soundtrack of a 1970′s Woody Allen movie – very “easy listening.” Definitely not my cup of tea. Note: Seal Upon My Heart is being offered as a free download on the Men As Trees Walking website which IMHO is a strange choice to be sure, especially when they had the three outstanding tracks to choose from!

As would be expected with any worship music the lyrics on every track are scriptural and God honoring. In fact the lyrics are quite deep and if you take the time to really listen to what is being proclaimed I have no doubt that you’ll come away all the better for it. The production is very good for an independent release, though I must admit it’s not quite as “polished” or up to the standard of the “big boy” studios. With that said, I think the “lack” of a polished production adds to the authenticity and honesty that is presented on this CD.

I would have no problem recommending this CD to anyone seeking some thought provoking and faith inspiring worship, or to anyone who can appreciate good music. My only concern is that the music is a little eclectic and may not garner Men As Trees Walking a huge following, as their sound is quite diverse from one track to the next.

All the songs on Revelation Radio are a step in the right direction for front man Allan Aguirre, who previously headed up alternative punk bands Scaterd Few and Spy Glass Blue. While not a big fan of Mr Aguirre’s previous musical offerings I have to say that on this CD he proves without a doubt that he has a remarkable voice, which is reminiscent in many ways of an early David Bowie, and a gift for writing awe-inspiring worship songs.

I am very much looking forward to the forthcoming full length CD by Men As Trees Walking and know that for now the first three tracks on Revelation Radio will get plenty of airtime in the HardcoreFaith.com office.

Christian St John
April, 2009

Revelation Radio is the first release from Men As Trees Walking and is being offered on their website MenAsTreesWalking.net in the Keith Green tradition of “pay whatever you can – even if it’s nothing.”