One thing about Third Day – you’ll rarely mistake one of their songs for someone else’s. Their distinct “Third Day Voice” comes from lead vocalist Mac Powell. A powerful, raspy singer with a bit of a warble. If the band ever goes on tour when Powell has a sore throat, they would never sound the same. Not to worry, his voice is as distinctively raspy as ever in Third Day’s latest album, Miracle.
Powell founded the group with Mark Lee while they were still in high school. Later came bassist Tai Anderson and drummer David Carr. Twenty years later, Third Day is one of the most popular and well known Christian bands to date. They are almost known more for their worship albums than their “everyday” music.
The band doesn’t like to toot their own horn, but we will. Third Day has won four Grammy’s, 24 GMA Dove Awards, one RIAA Platinum album and eight RIAA Gold albums. Their latest release, Miracle, marks the group’s 12th album. It is produced by Brendan O’Brien, who is known for his work with Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Train and the Killers. Not a bad resume.
“They came to me and said, ‘We’re looking to make music that appeal to our fans and our spiritual side, but we want to break out a little bit and invite everyone in,” O’Brien says. “When I hear this music … it’s very inviting. It brings people in. It’s saying, ‘Come along and hear what we have to say.’ It really moves me. I really appreciate the hard work these guys have done. I think the song “You Are My Everything” might be one of the best songs I have ever worked on. I’m super proud of it.”
So take my hand
Take my spirit and
Shine your light on me
Imagine my surprise
The fire in your eyes
More than I hoped it could be
You are my everything
You are my everything
Another song breaking out a bit is the quirky “Kicking and Screaming.” It is very upbeat and does double duty talking about our relationships with other people and our relationship with God. It isn’t preachy and doesn’t sound “religious.” It’s a great song to introduce a non-believer to. Check out these lyrics:
What if I told you that I love you
What if I showed you just how much
I would do anything to hold you
Give everything to prove my love
Yeah, yeah, no one can keep me from your side
Yeah, yeah, but if they ever even try
They’d have to drag me away kicking and screaming
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
They’d have to drag me away kicking and screaming
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
And if you said you didn’t want me
Kept me away, said we were through
You don’t know just how ready and willing
To do everything that I can to convince you
“To have something new to say and to say it in a different way is really exciting,” says Powell in a recent press release. “It’s reinvigorated us as a band.”
“We wanted to make this something different,” says Anderson. “I feel like over the last five years we appreciate our fans and we appreciate the success we’ve had more than ever and that really becomes a driver at the beginning of a new album. We can’t settle. It doesn’t need to be ‘Part 2’ of any record we’ve ever done.”
Another unique feature on the album is the band’s take on someone else’s famous songs. “Morning Has Broken” is a vintage Methodist hymn, but most people know the song the version from the Cat Stevens hit in the 70s. It has a different tempo and fresh sound that compliments Steven’s version. Old fans and new fans alike are going to enjoy this album.