Search - Russ Taff :: Russ Taff

No Bubblegum Pop Allowed. . . .

ROGER L. FOREMAN | Bath, Maine | 02/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"On the Really Short List of Great Contemporary Christian CDs. . . . Another site review called this set "less accessible," and I could not disagree more. Taff leaves everything on the table on this CD--no easy questions, no pat answers, no cliches, no fluff (like most of more current CC music). It is just raw energy and emotion as he struggles with the day-to-day business of being a Christian. He convinces himself (and us along with himself) by the end of the CD that Christ's "Life" in track 10 ("Breathe Life Into Me") and His "Healing Touch" in track 11 are worth the struggles present in tracks 1 ("Shake"), 2 ("Walk Between the Lines") & 4 ("Down in the Lowlands"), in particular. The catharsis and/or turning point is track 6, "I Still Believe." Taff wrestles mightily throughout this song, desparately hanging onto the convictions he holds deep down inside. An absolutely gut-wrenching emotional and spiritual struggle is presented in this song--life at its very essence. How can that possibly not be "acccessible". . . ? Ignore that one "expert" and listen to the customers. Follow Taff on his quest/journey--it isn't easy throughout, but it is well worth the trip."

One of the most powerful works of music in all spectrums!!!

robert bond | Fayetteville, NC United States | 09/19/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first timeI ever heard this album moved me in in every sense of the meanings and daily stuggles of life in general. Though Christian it is powerful in all aspects and moving with great metaphoric truths of life. Packed with both the powerful vocals of Russ Taff and the genre of the rock of that era this CD is still one of my all time favorites and even today I find myself ordering my 7th copy."

"Face to face with who I am"

take403 | 09/29/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album was quite a departure from the more pop-oriented album Medals. It included pop songs like "Walk Between the Lines" and "Breathe Life Into Me," but this album had more of a rock and blues feel. There are 3 cover versions, Chris Eaton's power ballad "Believe in Love," Charlie Peacock's "Down in the Lowlands," and the Call's "I Still Believe" (which sounds almost identical to it except with one line added "You can't take that away from me!"). There's also an old spiritual "Steal Away," with just Russ Taff on vocals and James Hollihan on steel guitar. In addition, Taff's lyrics were more direct, as on "Shake," which sounds almost like James Brown singing gospel (sample lyric: "I'm tired of great big men with ego kingdoms in mind trying to tell me how to spend my money and time") and "Living on the Edge of Time" ("The winds of the future are bringing a change. I've got to deal with my human condition and make a difference if I can.") Even the catchy "Higher" had some introspective lyrics- "The questions are unchanged, the cry remains the same. I pray you'll take me higher." "Your Healing Touch" and "This Love Is Strong" put things in a more positive perspective (these are the closers to sides A and B, for those of you who remember the days of cassettes). I had read that Russ Taff went through a period of soul searching and questioning his own motives at this time. The result is an honest and more introspective album than anything he had recorded up to that time."