American Pop Rock: Warren Barfield's Reach

Warren Barfield’s Reach has just enough gumption to be bluesy rock, yet really he’s squarely inside the dictates, assumptions, and expectations of pop rock. He sings of his faith with aplomb while still leaving a couple of place for doubt and struggle—although not too much. These songs still fit the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) pre-defined lyrical content quotient of lost but saved, searching but answered, tenuous but strong as nails.

Why keep listening, then? It’s that bluesy charm that bleeds through the pop rock that makes me celebrate this album’s musical attempts to break past the norm. Barfield—if left to really pursue the jazz-blues of “Shadow”—could rock out next to Jason Mraz. “Closer” lets him swoon on a John Mayer-like groove. Then there’s the R&B, funk-lite of “Unleashed.” It’s like producer Marshall Altman (Marc Broussard) brought along the tools and sound, but either Altman, Barfield, or the label couldn’t quite let Reach really reach for any of those avenues with abandon.

One other caveat: the title track. It’s an unremarkable praise ballad probably placed correctly at the end of the batting order but then way out of its league as the title track. On top of that, and more importantly, theologically it’s Semi-Pelagian in a way that’s hard for a Lutheran to overlook.

(If you’re hear the Music Spectrum for the music, I suppose this may not concern you, but this commentary may help you understand why a Christian pastor doesn’t instantly give all Christian albums an instant excellent rating).

The chorus of “Reach” says, “I reach for You/You reach for me, too.” That’s Semi-Pelagian, which is the name for a Christian doctrine that says we cooperate in our salvation, meeting God part way in the relationship. A Lutheran interpretation of Scripture focuses on God’s grace (gift) of salvation. Even if I try to reach for God, my attempt does me no good. Only God reaching down to save me does anything for my salvation. In fact, most of the time because of our sinfulness we’re trying to get away from, not reach for, God.

If Barfield wanted “Reach” to focus on this grace-centered understanding Scripture, the chorus should say, “You reach for me,/When I want to flee.”

Thank you to Warren Barfield and Essential Records for the review copy.