Mastedon 3
by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer
It took nearly two decades, but John Elefante is finally back with another Mastedon album. Mastedon set the Christian rock bar pretty high in the late ’80s, and fans of the genre have been eagerly awaiting a new album. Fortunately the appropriately-titled 3 proved to be more than worth the wait.
This time around, Mastedon is largely a John Elefante affair. He wrote the songs, played keys, and sings all of the songs on 3. Brother Dino is also on board in a limited capacity. They are joined by an impressive array of guest musicians from the Christian and melodic rock communities, including Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon), Anthony Sallee (Whiteheart), Dan Needham (Amy Grant, Garth Brooks) and none other than Kansas guitarist Kerry Livgren.
Musically, 3 is a (long delayed) continuation of the original Mastedon sound. It’s not as hard rock-oriented as the previous albums, and bears a great resemblance to the Kansas albums (Vinyl Confessions and Drastic Measures) that the Elefantes were part of. 3 is just a smart, mature, emotional and yes, spiritual melodic rock album with some progressive rock tendencies (see the 10+ minute “One Day Down By the Lake”). The melodies are gorgeous, the songs are very well-written, the production job is pristine, and John’s vocals are just perfect for the songs. His passion, faith and emotion are all evident in the way he brings these songs to life, and it really makes 3 resonate long after the album is over.
Of course, Mastedon remains a Christian band, so 3’s lyrics reflect Elefante’s faith. Some songs are up for interpretation, but others are quite clearly religious in nature. Even the closing cover of the Kansas staple “Dust In the Wind” sounds more spiritual than it was probably intended to be. It’s not overly preachy, so if you don’t mind some fairly minor proselytizing, the album should appeal to non-religious audiences as well.
Fans of the two previous Mastedon albums as well as the Elefante era Kansas albums should run, not walk, to grab a copy of 3. It’s a no-brainer for fans of Christian rock as well. Melodic rock fans in general, particularly fans of the lighter, AOR sound should also get a lot out of this album. With any luck, Elefante won’t make us wait another 19 years for a follow-up!
Label: Frontiers
Track Listing:
1. Revolution of Mind
2. Slay Your Demons
3. Nowhere Without Your Love
4. One Day Down By the Lake (See You Real Soon)
5. Water Into Wine (Fassa Rokka)
6. Questions (It’s About Time)
7. You Can’t Take Anything
8. Lying
9. The Western World
10. That’s What You Do
11. Dust In the Wind
Online: www.myspace.com/johnelefante
HRH Rating: 7.5/10