Reflections on "NP, Vol. II: Long For Eden" at Seven

Today (March 1, 2023) marks the anniversary of two music projects involving the author of this piece. 

In 2015, a Redemption Christian Church band (At One) released its first — and only — album of original material, one instrumental, and one revamped classic hymn. At One was the first SECOND band at Redemption. Beginning in late 2010 and lasting until sometime in 2019, the band had a prolific period from its infancy until the mid-2010s. The album Never The Same was the result of this period of creative output. There are several songs on this project I am still very proud of and there are a few (often the same songs) we still sing at Redemption.

The following year, the newly revamped Narrow Path released a three-song single (we tried to call it a EP, but, for streaming services an EP has to be four songs or more so this was classified as a single — this is why the CD cover it titled NP EP Vol. II: Long For Eden and streaming services name it Np, Vol. II: Long For Eden). This is the project I want to focus on in this post, as it is a very special project for me.

This is the only project I've been involved with where we recorded, mixed, and mastered outside the walls of our church. We decided these songs needed an outside touch so we ventured to Evansville to Seven Hills Recording Company (now, unfortunately, no longer in business) with producer/engineer Greg Pearce. We heard about Greg from his work with The Cold Stares, a band we all love who are also from Evansville. Personally, I had a blast doing this short project with Greg and wish we could work together again, but even if not, I will always have fond memories of fall/winter 2015 working in his converted studio space with the band (Kurt, Mike, and Andrew).

Oh Lord, Hear Me

Kurt and I wrote this song and the next track, Lift, not long after we had already recorded the album And Still. We began a new sonic direction with the final song we wrote on that album (The Last And The Least). I remember sitting with Kurt one evening in what is now his office at the church working this one out on acoustic guitars. The lyrics are heavily lifted from Psalm 143. It's a plea for God's mercy, which is more or less the theme of all three songs in some form or fashion. I love the driving nature of this one and Greg's production touches only add (specifically the intro swell and the outro stop). I played the solo on a borrowed Les Paul from his studio. Greg even added some backing vocals (a la Mutt Lange) as I, physically, couldn't hit the required note.

Lift

Looking back, I can't remember which of these songs came first (they, more or less, all came to us in 2013). I remember Andrew, Mike, Kurt, and I working on this one prior to the revamping of the band from Sunday morning worship band to whatever you would call us now. This is the song that most closely resembles the initial version of Narrow Path (circa 2005-2014) and, in that era, would have been the song most likely for us to have sung as a church on Sunday mornings. I had these lyrics stored away for some time before we really ever started writing songs in earnest and they just fit here (inspiration is Isaiah 40). The musical demo for this was originally called Phil Collins, based on the way we thought the intro was reminiscent of the former Genesis frontman. I loved recording the vocals on this one with Greg and we had fun with various miscellaneous vocal parts.

Long For Eden

This may be the song I would show someone if they asked what song I was most proud to have written. Lyrically, the words came after my first (and only) mission trip to Haiti in the summer of 2013. I was shaken by many things on that trip and it really challenged my American-centric theology and my then budding neo-Calvinism. Missionary Dan Been really helped me process some of this right after Dave Weatherwax and I visited some really, really difficult places (tent city and more). I can't say everything in this song is the greatest thing I've ever written, but it may be the most honest I've ever been (Dylan, I am not). Musically, I went for a D-minor descending lick (in the vein of Wanted Dead or Alive but, hopefully, not a complete rip-off). I knew this one required an epic sound and we went into the studio after working out my demo as a band. I knew I wanted a sped-up solo section in the middle taking us into an epic final verse and chorus. Greg REALLY got this one right and pushed me so hard, vocally, one December day. I loved every second of it! I'm super-proud of this song.