Land Of Redemption

No. 16: Caedmon's Call - 40 Acres

How can I, someone from the Great Plains farmland, not like a CD entitled "40 Acres." Caedmon's Call seems to be saying that we as sinful human beings have messed things up...that is the cities and concrete and strip malls. And God offers the plains...a new start, a hope, a place of redemption. Cool.

First off, I must say these guys can write above my head. I've never been that good at understanding what good poetry means, and that is how I know CC writes good songs!

I tend to enjoy the songs that are easier to digest, and I love tracks two and three..."Thankful" and "Shifting Sand." The back-to-back songs display the fight that is in every single human being. "Thankful" says how grateful we are because we are sinful and can play no part in the work of redemption yet "Shifting Sand" shows a desire to have more faith to assure security in heaven, yet realizing that grace is the only avenue. That dichotomy is inside every saved child who hasn't yet reached glory.

And for "fun," Derek Webb spins some great tales about being single, "Table for Two" and "Daring Daylight Escape." How can you argue with a song whose first lyrics are "Danny and I spent another late night over pancakes; We talked about soccer and how every man's just the same." What I like the the song is that it is the interior battle of a young man who wants to know his future, in this case in regards to marriage. But the last lyrics of the song provide peace for a man struggling to know.

And You know the plans that You have for me
And You can't plan the ends and not plan the means
And so I suppose I just need some peace just to get me to sleep.