Derek Webb - "Black Eye" (2009)

Derek Webb has never been a stranger to controversy. The former member of Christian folk group Caedmon’s Call incited the ire of some Christian book stores in 2003 and they even refused to carry his solo debut She Must and Shall Go Free because one song contained the word “whore.” Nevermind that they sold Bibles that contained the same word, but I digress. Webb continued to be honest however, always saying the things that most were afraid to. He tackled legalism and materialism on 2005’s Mockingbird and his 2007 album The Ringing Bell made a bit of a political statement with “A Savior On Capitol Hill.” So it wasn’t entirely unheard of this spring when Webb informed his fans via his twitter and website that he was having issues with his record label about the release of his latest album Stockholm Syndrome. The information that Webb offered up was cryptic and fans were left wondering what it was all about. Slowly, fans began deciphering the codes embedded in the messages and found their way to secret websites with mp3s and even more cryptic videos with Morse code. There was even an elaborate nationwide scavenger hunt. I won’t go into all the details, but it was quite entertaining. Webb had taken it to the next level and the buzz about Stockholm Syndrome was growing. But being the skeptic that I am, I wondered if there was actually ever any “trouble with the label” or if this was all just some clever marketing ploy. Well it turns out that the label did in fact have a problem with the record. More specifically a single track entitled “What Matters More” which actually contains profanity while dealing with the difficult subject of how the Church at large treats the gay community. It’s a tough subject and one that definitely needs addressing. It could be debated ad nauseum whether or not it was necessary for Webb to curse to get his point across, so we won’t even get into that. In the end, the label and Webb made a compromise. Webb would be allowed to sell the original version of the record containing “What Matters More” on his website, but all commercial versions released to retailers would not contain the track. The album was released digitally in July and just saw a physical release earlier this month. The record itself is the most unique of Webb’s career. With the help of Caedmon’s bandmate and programming mastermind Josh Moore, Webb delves into the electronic side of his music. A side that was only briefly introduced on his One/Zero Remix album. There are samples and drum loops galore along with some really funky bass lines. One thing you won’t find much of is Webb’s signature acoustic guitar. It only shows up a couple of times and even when it does, it’s not in the forefront. The album is solid lyrically and lot of the songs have a depth to them that takes a few listens to get the full picture. Today’s song is where the album gets its title from and is a great tune about how we end up loving and pledging allegiance to things that hold us captive. You also can’t help but want to dance a little at the end. Luckily, you don’t have to take my word for it. The whole album is streaming right now at derekwebb.com. So check it out and see for yourself. That’s also the only place to purchase the full un-edited version of the record.


Derek Webb - "Black Eye"