Review :: Wonder of the World – Rush of Fools

By Clay W. Ginn Coming off a somewhat out of nowhere debut, Rush of Fools returns with their sophomore release, Wonder of the World. A wonderfully consistent recording, the new CD showcases an acoustic-based, modern rock sound. This talented quintet from Birmingham, Ala. has crafted an aurally mesmerizing sound, not soft enough for adult contemporary, but not ragged enough to be called hard rock.

As far as worship music goes, the band hits the mark. Rush of Fools has garnered a great deal of attention in the last year, collecting several Dove Award nominations, including Song of the Year, Album of the Year, and New Artist of the Year.

One of the things that stands out to me in this album is the strength of the lyrics. Having not been exposed to much of their music before, it was a phenomenal surprise to hear such unique music attached to such praise-centered lyrics.

There is a mix of different sounds on the album, from the eclectic funk sound of “How Much” to the airiness of “Escape”. The mellow title track, “Wonder of the World”, is destined to be sung in contemporary worship services. “Holy One” has some of the best lyrics on the album:

“Face to the ground, I’m not proud
Of all you must see when you look at me
I tremble at first, as You wash the dirt
The dirt from my feet
And I see my need for thee”

Honestly, how many times do you see the word “thee” weave its way into a modern song? Even better, it doesn’t seem out of place, like it was chosen just to rhyme with “me.”

One complaint that I have with the album is that many of the songs tend to have the same makeup: soft beginning ramping up into a more driving chorus, a short interlude of the mellow music, and ending with the driving rock again. While never straying too far from their basic formula, Rush of Fools puts together a quality album.

Print copy of review.

Clay W Ginn My real job is as a software developer for a small company in North Texas. I’ve been married for nearly 12 years and am the father of three. I’m an avid reader, weather nut, and love playing my guitar and singing. My wife and I are huge fans of Walt Disney World, trying to get there once every couple of years. I grew up on a farm in rural Kansas, and attended seven different colleges before completing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Information Technology and a Master’s degree in Information Systems. In the past I’ve been a youth leader, worship leader, police dispatcher, accounting clerk, customer service representative, and a gumball machine builder. I love writing anything, from movie and music reviews to political screeds to comparisons of culture and faith. I’m even working on a novel as well.