Flannelgraph Sessions

For his first solo album, Poor Rich Folk front man Luke Brawner interprets Scripture with unusual insight and creativity. The songs here achieve a simple lyric eloquence while adhering to a nuanced folk/rock sound defined by acoustic guitars and vintage electric keyboards. Brawner’s tenor has a serious, yearning quality, adding emotional weight to the rootsy vigor of his music. In the tradition of Rich Mullins and Mark Heard, he reaches deep within the Bible to discover its core messages — “Make Love, Not War,” for instance, re-tells the story of David and Bathsheba with a feel for its dramatic power. “Hosea’s Song” is also outstanding for its tender longing and austere grace. The pilgrim spirit of “A Rock In a Wilderness” is matched to an uplifting shuffle groove, while “My Living Water” wraps its words of praise around slowly-strummed guitar and churchly organ. Derek Webb adds his vocals to the celebratory, bluegrass-drenched closing tune, “The Land Between.” All told, Flannelgraph Sessions LP is a work of sparkling intelligence and profound belief.