Abandon: Control-Expanded Edition
Written by Ellen Marie Hawkins
Remixes…I have conflicting feelings about them. My confusion is why rehash a song that is already great? It’s often difficult to improve on what is already good, and I don’t want multiple versions of a song I already listen to repeatedly. I mean, why don’t they ever choose a song that could use a little help?
However, when it comes to bands like Abandon, my theory is obliterated. There isn’t a song to be found on Control that needs tweaking of any sort. Then, they don’t ask some random dj with a name I’ve never heard of to add his interpretation. Oh, no. They go to musicians like Darren King of Mute Math, David Crowder, Chad Howat of Paper Route, and Solomon “Soul Glow Activatur” Olds of Family Force Five to add their own flavor to the mix. And so the result is Abandon meets these identifiable styles; not better, per se (because they were already good) but different enough to make me love the songs even more.
David Crowder remixes Abandon’s current single, “Under Fire” while Paper Route’s Chad Howat remixes “New Year’s Day.” But my favorites were how the distinct rock sound of Mute Math embellished “Live it Out” (already a favorite song anyway for the lyrics “turn our crosses into steeples/lets take them down/and put them on our backs now”) while Solomon pronounced the dance vibe of “Feel it In Your Heart.” The remixes are never redundant, the additions never annoying, and the original strength of these songs never lost or covered up. That’s quite an accomplishment.
If you’re already a fan of Abandon, these are welcome additions to your iPod. If you’re just discovering this band…what are you waiting for? The expanded editions are available from iTunes and Amazon, and the band is currently on tour with the Newsboys. Go to www.abandonrock.com for more information.
Tags: Abandon, album, band, CD, Chad Howat, Christian, Control, Control-Expanded Edition, David Crowder, music, Mute Math, original, Paper Route, remix, review, single, Solomon, songs, “Feel it in Your Heart”, “Live it Out”, “New Year’s Day”, “Under Fire”
