Album Review: The Shortest Distance Between Two Points

I wrote the entire review and somehow managed to delete the entire thing, so here we go again.

This is the third release from Conrad. The Shortest Distance Between Two Points is a return to his guitar rock roots, with a bit of a country twang tossed in for good measure which is evidenced by the inclusion of some slide guitar on various tracks and even a cover of Johnny Cash's I Still Miss Someone. The Shortest Distance... showcases the artist's grown talent as a musician, a producer, and a person. The lyrics, true to his style, are deeply personal.

The entire album is extremely well done, but some stand out songs include (but are most certainly not limited to):

Bad Dreams
This song is interesting, largely because the lyrics contrast the hopeful and bouncy style of the music so much. And it works, the contrast really does work. The break down makes the song I think.

Birdsong
A sad love song. Concerned that the love shared will change in the absence of each other, hopeful for a return to that love. Beautiful.

Vision
Tender, acoustic, beautiful. As far as I know this was the first song he finished for the album, and was the first song I'd heard. I wasn't sure he would be able to top it, or even create anything as beautiful, but somehow he managed.

My favorite part of the song:

And I gave you patience; you gave me a bruise.
And I gave you my love. So now whose is whose?
You said you don’t need me. I know that’s untrue,
Just like my life never ended for you.

A Red Raindrop
Melancholyly, slow, beautiful. This song made me actually get up and come sit closer to the speaker when it came on, there's just something about it. I think it's got to do with the inclusion of the violin again. I'm a sucker for a pretty violin line.

You Know Where I'll Be
I heard a rough for this song after I heard the finished version of Vision, and I was blown away. The finished product is even better. Nice slide guitar solo.

Even lightening finds its way to the ground
Find your way to me
Even fire knows that it too can drown
Drown yourself in me

Don't let anybody tell you what you need
I know that you need me

(emphasis mine)

I often think about things like this, that I just want to be so completely submerged in Christ, that all I need is Him and how I long to be with Him. Perhaps this is one of the reasons this song stuck out to me so much. It reminds me of how the Father is reaching out to each of us, how He longs for us to be with Him, if only we'd turn to Him. And so the only way to do that was to send His Son to pay the price for our sin and provide a way for us to be able to return to Him.

I want to let my angels rejoice
If you'd only speak to me
...
You know that I have no other choice
If I want you to be free

Overall The Shortest Distance is very well done, well produced, well played, well written. If you're looking for a guitar rock/ pop album, this would be worth your time to investigate further. As I told him, I give this album three thumbs up. My two and the thumb that isn't stuck in my daughter's mouth. Visit Conrad's website for a complete track listing, lyrics, song samples, news, and photos.