4.15.09 Release
By Amy Sondova With their song “Crazy Beautiful” already dominating Christian radio, Chasen releases their debut album, Shine Through the Stars (EMI/OMG), to an eagerly awaiting public. Touring heavily with the likes of Relient K, NEEDTOBREATHE, and Sister Hazel, the trio—lead vocalist Chasen Callahan, guitarist Evan Silver, and drummer Aaron Lord—wants to see people talking about God and faith everywhere, even in bars and clubs.
Chasen’s album, Shine Through the Stars, is full of love songs to God that also touch on the universal theme of humankind’s struggle with conscience and conviction. Encouraging and upbeat for the most part, Shine Through the Stars is a good listen. Songs like “Drown” show Callahan’s depth as he weighs the choices one can make in love, sex, and dating. Callahan’s vocals are crisp, clear, and pleasant, which blend nicely with the melodies, instruments, and the direction of award-winning producer Noel Golden’s (Matchbox 20, Edwin McCain, Lee Ann Womack).
While excellent musically, the album is lacking lyrically. The words are ones that have been repeated in other songs by other artists, just with a new melody. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing—formulas work—but it also doesn’t make for very interesting lyrics either. Fortunately, the music is good enough to make Shine Through the Stars an album that is both enjoyable and worshipful.
She is Beloved 