Finally! Here's album review #1:

Undertow

by Jeremy Cotter

Tracks:

Daddies Song

Empty Me A New

JESUS Is The One

Soon I'm Going Home

Find Them Offensive

HOLYSPIRIT

Undertow

On Calvary

GOD Qualified The Called

We Thank You JESUS

GODfather

Time To Choose

If you like country-fried rock, you're probably going to like Undertow. Most of the album is a hard-driving wall of sound that shows that Jeremy and his band are willing to throw their hearts and souls into the music. Not afraid to take a risk, this album lets it all hang out.

The Music:

I'm going to give the album a musical B. While I think it's a strong album, at times they seem to play a bit too intensely...maybe a little bit out of control. Some of the songs have decent hooks, while others seem a bit generic. The guitar lick in Undertow really stands out, in a good way.

The Lyrics:

The lyrics get a B as well. Each track seems intensely personal, which brings authenticity to the music. I especially appreciate Daddies Song, which includes the following:

LORD they say my songs are way to loud
Why do they test me GOD have I let you down
Maybe this is just me reaching out
Maybe this song is soft enough for the crowd
Maybe this song is soft enough for the crowd
Well I'm not playing for itchy ears
I'm bringing GODS word strong and clear
It's not that I don't want to please anyone
It's that I just don't want to appease everyone

Amen, Jeremy!

While I sincerely appreciate the sentiments in each song, most of the songs lack a serious lyrical hook. Jeremy is one of those writers who would benefit greatly from a little songwriting help...I think he's on the right track, and some "continuing education" in that area will probably improve the lyrics by leaps and bounds.

Overall: B

I haven't heard The Jeremy Cotter Project's 2nd or 3rd album yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing how much better they've gotten. I'm sure that their first release is just a taste of good things to come.