I thoroughly enjoyed the new CD. Although live, Peter and Jon play a simple acoustic set, the CD has a richly recorded mix of drums, electric guitars, bass, piano, and even a lap slide added to the simple melodies of their acoustic guitars. I was very impressed by the work their producer John Hermanson (Storyhill), Erik Appelwick (Alva Star), and Matt Terry did in adding life to the songs. 

Choices Collide starts out with the beat of a snare drum and a spectacular intro of a full sounding band on the opening track “Resistance.” The CD’s pop song is a very encouraging song called “Save Me” that is immediately catchy followed by the power ballad “Sum of Your Heart.” “Anyone But You” is by far their strongest performance, and “Story of a Man” leaves you thoughtfully stirred. The album mostly consists of songs originally written by Peter that are marked by a vivid transparency and honesty about three themes: love, loss, and perseverance. “Story of a Man” was originally written by Jon and shows his honest thankfulness even during times of heartache. 

What I most love about it, though, is that it is the creative work of two friends that I can honestly say I enjoy. I’m not just plugging them because I know them, or whatever. Anyway, check out their website and buy their album. Maybe we’ll see you at a show.
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Can a contemporary Christian rock album impact the listener while ardently keeping the music tight? The debut album from Welmore Mile shows the answer to be a confident yes. The simple fact of the matter is that "Choices Collide" does the job that modern Christian rock has been asked to do for years now -- to convey sincere themes without sacrificing a dynamic musical quality. It's not that other bands have come short of this, but more that Welmore Mile does it in such a fresh way. We've rarely heard the rock influences this well-done before within the genre, and it further punctuates how heartfelt (and relevant) the faith intonations are. Like Ryan Adams, Welmore joyously shows off their wide pallette of musical influence, and the result is engaging to hear. The first track's ("Resistance") punching melody is simply infectious, and we almost get a Billy Joel-esque romp as the guitars echo U2 jangle. (Peter Welle makes no secret to the impact U2 has had on his music; in fact, rumors attest that the de facto bootleg treasure of longtime Welmore fans is a live cover of "Gone.") "Pushing Away" surprises and delights with unexpected rhythms, with Jon Gilmore's impassioned voice hitting all the Dave Matthews registers and fluxuations. Even Beatles intimations make an appearance in the haunting "Hospital Band," with tasteful studio haziness and guitar inventiveness that showcases the production of "Choices Collide."

But what makes the album so repeatedly attractive is the depth and honesty of the lyrics. Welle and Gilmore have resisted all the cliches of "more of the same" worship music to share a dialogue with the listener about the Christian life in a modern setting. While God does love us, our hearts will still get broken, girls will still leave us, and our doubts will still get in the way. What Wellmore Mile has done is channel these sympathies and stories into an altogether reaffirming, rejoicing album that must be heard.
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You'll might be reminded almost immediately of the Barenaked Ladies. And that similarity continues a bit as the album continues to progress through its nine tracks. However, there's more than that similarity. There's also a good bit of world weary grit and rough and tumble. It's not all shiny and happy. There's a little darkness mixed into the light. It's especially notable on the stunning "The Sum of Your Heart", a song I repeated several times in order to enjoy the varied nuances of gruff vocals, somber but flowing music and charged emotional appeal.

The shared lead vocals, both Peter Welle and Jon Gilmore get nods as lead vocalist, add further fodder for potential BNL comparisons. And the folksy pop appeal of many of the songs will fuel the fire even more. But as stated above, there's more than that. Putting my finger on exactly what comprises that "more" is difficult. But I can say that at times I was reminded of Three Pound Thrill, The Gathering Field and Wilco as well. These other similarities are most marked on the more somber offerings, which make themselves heard more toward the end of the record.

"Walls of Stone" has a country laced bluesy appeal. The pleasant twang of the acoustic guitar continues on "Anyone But You". "Story of A Man" is another moving track, with gently haunting shared vocals and a calm somber overtone that does nothing to mask the gentle beauty of the song, and is followed by another somber, moody and beautiful offering with "I'm Better".

It would be hard to argue that Welmore Mile is breaking untouched new ground. But it's quite easy to say that they do what they do exceedingly well, with careful attention to craft. They also made sure that the overall sound didn't come across as too polished, letting a little grit and weary warmth emerge for a very moving listen.
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