Scott Faircloff - Scott Faircloff

Review by Paul M. Carhart
Originally published in The Lighthouse Electronic Magazine (TLeM)

If you are still mourning the passing of John Lennon and wonder what kind of music he might be putting out had become a Christian and were still alive, a heavy dose of Scott Faircloff's self-titled debut release might be just what the doctor ordered to paint that musical picture.

"Pulling Me Closer," "Wrecking Ball Chain," "When God Whispers," "Under Your Wing," and most especially "Ultimate Sign" all share the aforementioned Lennon connection which Faircloff pulls off almost perfectly, not only in vocal mannerisms but in songwriting technique. At other times, he reminds one more of Big Tent Revival's Steve Wiggins.

However, there are moments when Faircloff manages not to sound like anyone else in particular as in the gentle ballads, "Long Journey" and "Hearts Of Passion," the humorous "Frog's Lament," and the upbeat "Sleepy Dreamer" which possesses songwriting structure reminiscent of Steven Curtis Chapman about five years ago. Arguably, these moments where Faircloff doesn't sound like other artists might be the truest pictures of this emerging writer/rocker.

Despite the diversity of this project, there is a common theme that runs underneath the entire album but is overtly shared by Lennon-esque "The Ultimate Sign" and the humorous highlight of the album, "Frog's Lament." Namely, the loneliness issues that singles deal with. "Frog's Lament" is sung from the point of view of the frog who wants to be kissed by the princess and thus become a prince. The lyrics are a hoot:

She was a princess, I was a frog So we started out the scene I tried to love, but everyone knows It ain't easy being green

Related Information

For a year or so I was a CD reviewer for The Lighthouse Electronic Magazine (TLeM) where this review was originally published.

- Paul M. Carhart