Atmosphere

On its second release, Sevenglory strikes out in several sonic directions as it keeps its lyric focus clearly on the Word. Atmosphere (2007) comes across as a confident, smartly-executed project with a sincere underpinning of reality-tested belief. Lead singer/guitarist Fred Buston has a boisterous sense of style and enjoys livening up his delivery with well-targeted falsetto forays. In tracks like “Let It Be Love” (a put-down of contemporary coolness) and “Just Me” (a twitchy-yet-tuneful confession of human imperfection) he combines a youthful vulnerability with a mature grasp of the spiritual. His yearning edge as a singer comes through most fervently on “All of This for You.” As an ensemble, Sevenglory can deliver punchy power-pop as it chooses, riding a slamming drumline on “All You Want” and waltzing to jangly guitars on “Even the Blues.” It delves into stately, feedback-soaked rock on the title track and delivers a straight-ahead worship song with “The Hope.” If Atmosphere has a weakness, it’s the sheer diversity of tracks — at times, this album comes across like a sampler of modern Christian pop/rock. But while the band’s musical identity can become blurred here, Atmosphere’s message of faith is never clouded.