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1. Minnesandy says:

   August 11, 2010 at 9:40 am

   THEIR OTHER DEBUT CD IS GREAT, AS WELL…GOD USED “BY YOUR SIDE” TO EXPLAIN SOME STUFF, ETC.
   Rating: 5 / 5
2. J. Milby says:

   August 11, 2010 at 10:05 am

   After their last album, this band had a lofty expectation for their second studio release. “The Light Meets Dark”, while a decent album, is not as good as the first. They don’t change their sound at all, which wouldn’t be bad, but most of the songs lack great lyrics, or at least substanstial ones, so the songs tend to kinda blend together. Had this been their debut album, I would laud it as a worthy effort. However, their initial success apparently set the bar a little too high to reach on this one.
   Rating: 3 / 5
3. A. Tyler says:

   August 11, 2010 at 11:37 am

   I am going to be fairly critical in this review, so I want to preface my comments by saying that I am an ardent Tenth Avenue North fan. I consider their first album to be one of the finest Christian albums ever recorded. Please do not let my criticism of this album be mistaken for dislike for this band. I will buy their third album without hesitation.

   Having gotten that out of the way, I must say that “The Light Meets the Dark” is a very disappointing follow-up to Tenth’s debut album. I’m not sure if the bar was simply set too high with their first album, but this one certainly does not live up to its pedigree. I can’t seem to shake the feeling that this one was rushed a little, because the lyrical content lacks (for me) the passion, sincerity, and simplicity of message that the first had. In fact, I would say that my only gripe with this album is the lyrical content. Unfortunately, the lyrics can break an otherwise good musical effort.

   You will find within this album so many of the lyrical cliches that are rampant within the Christian music “scene.” From the song about the girl in despair to the song about being “in between,” to the charge to “open up your eyes,” to the song about walls falling down, to the song about “voices in my head”. Honestly, the only cliche that was missing was the one using the color gray as a metaphor for moral relativism or luke-warmness (I believe that one is found in hundreds of Christian songs).

   Like I said, this does not mean Tenth is a bad band. In fact, second albums are very often the weakest in any band’s efforts. This just means that Tenth is like so many other bands in this respect. I genuinely hope that they return to their lyrical roots in their third effort. It is certainly worth the risk for me to buy a copy once it comes out. Over and Underneath has earned the band considerable leeway in my book.

   Please, Tenth Avenue North, do not let your label rush you to put out an album until you have written another collection of songs with the depth, clarity, and spiritual truthfulness found in your first. We are all rooting for you. God has given you wonderful talent for ministry.
   Rating: 2 / 5
4. Terry C. Ashby says:

   August 11, 2010 at 1:39 pm

   It is hard to believe that T A N would have a CD as enjoyable as their last but they have managed to pull it off. In The song “The light meets the dark”, christians can relate to that area inside of ourselves that God meets us to effect change. It is a miracle that is difficult to describe but this group of godly musicians have done an incredible job. Every song is a treat and the use of a string section in some of the music gives it a rich quality that I personally love.It’s no wonder that their popularity is growing at an exponential rate.
   Rating: 5 / 5