For anyone who’s followed Sower for any length of time, you’ll know Eric Tuffendsam is a pretty vocal guy. First, because he is actually singing the songs, but secondly, because the core of his project is around the proper care and deliverance of the Gospel. “Hollywood” and “If You Don’t Love the Church” both show powerful rebukes – one of the world and the other of the worldly – but on his latest EP, Tuffendsam takes shots at the industry and its own worldliness.
With the recent scandal of Michael Tait and the ways it’s been covered up to a more broad trend of apostasy over the past few decades, it’s clear that the industry isn’t all claims to be. Even in the moments of good intentions, even a CCLI license funnels money back to people who support a false gospel or overtly reject Christ. Tuffendsam’s examination of this topic certainly isn’t the first ink on the topic by any stretch, but as he starts to grow his audience, it’s nice to see he continues onward in boldness.
The EP opens with its title track, a song which itself leverages the cliches of CCM in an attempt to show the vanity of the movement. The chorus in particular could easily be played on a Sunday morning, and the “live” feeling, autotune, and vaguely-symbolic lyrics are as convincing as they are heartbreaking. The verses are a bit more forward in their commentary, talking about the industry being full of “debauchery and love of money”. It’s here where I’m not sure the song is able to feel like a real CCM track, and it might have been worth making the chorus lyrics just a sharp for the sake of consistency.
“Steady Decline” is a groove-heavy, haunting track that’s more typical Sower fare. Tuffendsam talks about the obfuscation of truth in favor of convenience and the gradual decay of faithfulness which seems to follow a particular pattern. Musically, I’m reminded of Mew, and that’s definitely a big compliment.
If “Steady Decline” is on the more relaxed side, “Corporate Capture” is the heavy-hitting counterpart. The guitar parts, slight screams, and overall dissonant vocal approach during the chorus remind me a bit of old Chevelle and Breaking Benjamin. The primary question on the track is who’s really pulling the strings on the particular messaging in “Christian” music that’s shy to touch on the major sins of our age. The ending does see Tuffendsam try to cram a lot in, both lyrically and conceptually, and maybe the frankness with which he offers his sentiments is meant to feel abrasive in light of other artists not addressing these things. Still, it feels awkward not because of what’s said but how it’s delivered, breaking flow with the rest of the track’s lyrics. Apart from that, it’s a good rock number.
The EP ends with “Falling Away”, a track about the temptations and trials that face Christian artists. Tuffendsam notes the allure of trying to use his songs to reach people for Christ, all while seeing the ways touring and fame harm relationships with families and churches. In fact, he even confesses that he knows he’s not immune to these pressures and pleads to God, “Don’t let me fall away!” The end explodes in true Sower-closing-track fashion and caps things off.
As a whole, this is definitely a Sower EP, with many of the standard strengths and opportunities. Each track is conceptual and has a unique lyrical and sonic character, but unlike earlier EPs where it was easy to name what the song was about specifically (like the fall or the good soil), the concept is more vaguely that it’s commentary on the CCM industry. Tuffendsam’s songwriting and production excel, and the extra nuances on the title track particularly shine. Still, I’m not sure if the track fully lands for reasons I’ve mentioned earlier. “Steady Decline” and “Falling Away” are certainly the lyrical highlights, the tracks which feel most cohesive lyrically and don’t try to say too much at once. While there’s a need for boldness, the execution can feel too busy or feel inconsistent with surrounding lyrics. The balance is tricky, but I’ve seen other artists touch on tough subjects well without masking the matters at hand.
Sower continues its indomitable pace at releasing compelling rock and post-hardcore with a biblical focus. While this particular EP shifts from direct Biblical inspiration and more into commentary on the industry, Tuffendsam proves he’s able to navigate the topic with thoughtfulness. Perhaps the biggest question at this point is around the identity of Sower’s music: Who is it for? What’s the main focus? Tuffendsam clearly has a breadth of experience, genre influences, and subjects to cover, and only time will tell which side he leans into more.
