VOTA
INO Records
Release Date: November 11, 2008/February 10, 2009

Track Listing

1. Hard To Believe
2. Be Mine
3. Love’s Taken Over
4. Honestly
5. Not Finished
6. I’ll Go
7. Give It To Me
8. Free To Fail
9. Save Ourselves
10. Bye Bye
11. In My Heart

Score 74%/C

MAIN REVIEW
VOTA’s self-titled debut album is an upbeat mixture of the past and the present. Retro, Pop sounds blanket the album from beginning to end with hints of Tom Petty, Weezer, DC Talk, Newsboys and even Def Leopard. Solid hooks and tried and true melodies make the tracks easy to listen to while passing time. While no song on the album is particularly deep or introspective, there are points along the way that may cause you to reflect.

Concerning the lyrics, I found that references to The Almighty were often substituted with non-descriptive pronouns and more generic expressions of love. Overall messages contained in songs like “Be Mine”, “I’ll Go”, “Save Ourselves”, “Bye Bye” were somewhat general while other tracks like “Free Fail”, “Love’s Taken Over” and “Honestly” focused a bit more on Christian oriented themes.

For the music’s part, the soundtrack on VOTA was both eclectic and nostalgic. With so many familiar chords, you’ll find that your ears get excited in the same way they might if you were listening to an iTunes mix of favorites from the 80s and 90s. The distinctly stylized approach transmitted by way of pitchy guitars, synthesizers, drum machines and crowd echoes turn VOTA’s current effort into more of a modern throwback.

In the end, I found none of the songs on this release really stuck with me for very long. And although an album filled with fun, catchy and reminiscent tunes might satisfy some, other listeners will prefer newer sounds with songs offering a bit more redeeming value.

CLOSING THOUGHTS
VOTA’s debut album is an entertaining take me away, good when exercising or at the office. If you’re looking for songs that will express or even challenge your faith – this is not that album. However, if what you want is a solid retro-style pick-me-up, you might want to consider it.

For more about VOTA and to see the full review, visit: http://www.christianmusicreview.org/vota_selftitled.html