Rock N Roll Worship Circus, to my mind, really redefined what worship music could be back in 2001; they laid down this amazing template of worship music as something very different and pointed in a new, exciting direction. Unfortunately, no one was paying attention. But this record just holds up as a completely vibrant take on Christian music. The lyrics are perfect worship lyrics, explicitly Christian, but this is an album I recommend even to non-Christians simply because the music is so brilliant. The band takes a lot of their feel and style from the sixties & seventies and this lends the songs a really wonderful bounce and joie de vivre. The rollicking Morning Glory, with its propulsive organ, high energy level and brilliant drum riffs is probably the best example, but the chiming, Beatles-esque Great Big Love is also a standout. I really love Holy Drifter as well, a surprisingly menacing minor-key song that conjures a tremendous amount of dread and fear around the figure of Jesus as a confrontational, terrifying figure of incredible power. The guitar solo in this song is just magnificent. Then there’s the sitar-drenched album closer Loveliest Bride, a lengthy jam that recalls the psychedelic music of the sixties and the alternative rock of the early nineties. The lyrics are earnest and sincerely devotional, which isn’t a problem for me; this is one of the most moving albums about God I’ve ever heard, I think, really. But even for those who don’t believe, Rock N Roll Worship Circus lives up to their name and more. Highly recommended. 4 stars.
tl;dr – exciting, vibrant music explodes Christian music into an art form that even non-believers can get behind. 4 stars.