Label: Horizon Music

Web site: http://www.myspace.com/smacintosh

Release Date: February 2008

Sarah MacIntosh - The Waiters The Watchers The Listeners The Keepers & Me
Dan MacIntosh (no relation)

There are few singers in Christian music that can stop you in your tracks -- simply because of their unique vocals. Sarah MacIntosh is a member of this select group. She previously gained special attention with the underappreciated Chasing Furies, and now she’s grabbing ears once again as a solo worship artist.

The Waiters The Watchers The Listeners The Keepers & Me is only a worship album if you listen especially close. That’s because MacIntosh’s voice is consistently saturated in swirling rock music; the sort that might sound more at home on NPR adult alternative radio shows than typical praise music formats. Yet lyrically, MacIntosh sings of her adoration for God; sometimes in slightly unique ways. For instance, when she proclaims, “We know who you are!” at one point, it’s as though the Apostle Peter had come to life and shouted out this sincere proclamation for all to hear.

MacIntosh has one of those Sarah McLachlan voices, for lack of a better comparison, which comes off like aural perfume and fills the room with undeniable beauty. Even so, “Too Much”, with its hop-stepping beat and gnarly rock guitar, finds MacIntosh singing with just a touch of world weariness. It kind of brings Maria McKee to mind. It’s lyric, which is taken from Psalm 139, challenges God to investigate her life and change anything not up to His high standard.

Despite its obvious  “cool” factor, there are nevertheless a few tracks that might still fit in well on one of those worship compilations sold via late night TV. “Be Glorified”, which includes fairly expected lyrics like, “Be Glorified/Be lifted up/Fill my mouth with the praise/You deserve/Be magnified,” is one such nearly generic prime example

Chasing Furies is what Out Of The Grey would have been, had adult contemporary not beckoned so compellingly. Or maybe Sarah MacIntosh is what The Innocence Mission might be, if raised in the Southern California Calvary Chapel culture, instead of the Pennsylvania countryside. But rather than recording predictable praise and worship music, Sarah MacIntosh has given us a CD infused with a worshipful attitude, instead. Finding this fine line between being arty and devout seems nearly impossible from the outside looking in. But MacIntosh makes this entertaining high wire act look easy to all waiters, watchers, listeners and keepers.

posted [05.15.08]

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