Borderland

JMM has had his place in my book, musically, the last several years when a friend first introduced me to his work. His style and sound are quite unique, being in the blurred lines between folk/80's/southern rock. But when I bought BORDERLAND several weeks ago, he has left his 'unique' position in my musical preferences and has taken one of the 'top' spots among my favorites. Truly, I cannot complain about one song on this album, nor can I pinpoint any track that feels like a filler.Lyrically, I feel safe to say this is his most poignantly poetic song-writing, and combined with duel drum sets, soaring guitars and smart usage of strings, BORDERLAND packs a wallop I did not expect. JMM is one of those guys who somehow gets away with such theologically-based music that appeals to a large crowd. Whether you're religious or not, his music doesn't come across as preachy at all, but his sincerity easily brings excitement regardless if you're sharing his same convictions or not---kind of like old folk-blue grass / americana: there's just something about it that everyone feels within them and can truly enjoy. Like Cash and Dylan, JMM is maturing into that type of musician.

I don't have enough time to write the review I would like to, so I'll keep this short and sweet for the average listener. John Mark McMillan has a way with words and with music that is on a different level than a lot of artists. His visionary mind and meticulously thought-through lyrical pictures paint an album that, from start to finish is hard to compare to any other musical album I've heard before. He strings together song after song that captures real, vibrant pictures of daily life: dealing with spiritual themes, family, love, and the creator JMM goes farther than any other Christian artist has before. This is in my opinion truly one of the best albums out there to date, and anyone who has 60 minutes to spare should sit down and listen closely to this. Well done, John Mark McMillan.

I bought this CD on preorder because of the two single releases of "Love at the End" and "Future / Past" really excited me. I especially like the music video for Future / Past and when I read the lyrics along with the music, I felt the Holy Spirit move in me to declare my dependence on the Lord once again.I've listened to this album at least 4 or 5 times now. At first listen, I was slight disappointed in McMillan's Borderland. I wanted more. I wanted more of the metallic and electronica sounds, more upbeat rhythms, etc. But as I listened through the songs and caught on to more of the lyrics, I couldn't help but sing along and really start to enjoy the songs that at first disappointed me.I'll highlight my favorites...the singles that came out before this album are great songs, and definitely the better songs on the album. I prefer Future / Past to Love at the End, but I can listen to both of these songs multiple times. Buy them!Next has to be Borderland, my definite favorite song on the album. I love the upbeat metallic and almost cowboy sounds of this song. This song is the most creatively produced in my opinion. The theme of the lyrics refer to the roughness and the bluntness of this world. We work to survive and life is hard. I love the song, and I hope you do too.Holy Ghost and Tongues of Fire are similar songs in their mood and tempo. They both are more worshipful and slower. Heart Runs is has a chorus that really puts a burden on my heart to pray Psalm 42:1, "As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God."My next favorite song on the album is Visceral. It is a catchy song that gets stuck in your head easily. You can help but humming "Cinder and stone (brick and mortar)" while listening to this song.You have to enjoy the saxophone on the song on Monsters Talk, which has similar themes to the Borderland song. That only leaves Guns / Napoleon, Silver Shore, and Counting On. Each are good songs, but unfortunately they did not make my highlights from Borderland. I would recommend buying this entire album. Enjoy!

Another incredible album by John Mark.The album opens up with Holy Ghost as an angelic choir sings along"Dead in the waterLike lamb to the slaughterIf the wind doesn’t sing her songAnd I’m speaking in tonguesCause I need a Holy Ghost"Very thought provoking lyrics in the opening track.He continues with the emotional "Love at the End" with it's piano driven and dark sounding style with lyrics of hope and persevering. John Mark doesn't let off the gas this entire album with other highlights like Future/Past, which seems destined for worship sets across the church. Other high points like the album titled Borderland and Monster Talk, along with the powerful closing track Visceral rounds out this album as an early contender for worship album of the year. I highly recommend you check this out, along with his earlier work if you're new to John Mark McMillan

JMM really pushed himself on this record, musically and lyrically. Favorite tracks thus far: "Guns/Napoleon," "Holy Ghost," and "Future/Past." This album took on a different musical persona, definitely hints of 80's style tracking ("Love at the End," "Guns/Napoleon," "Heart Runs,"Counting On"), but brilliantly composed and tasteful, easily my favorite sound of JMM yet. The drums are incredibly powerful and punchy (particularly "Future/Past," recorded with two drum kits), the synth pads bring about that "anthem song" feel, and the guitar sounds and leads are like honey to the ears. Also love the integration of wind and string instruments on this album (particularly "Future/Past"). Overall, JMM provides musical excellence and raw lyrics, which joined together create a engaging expression of the diverse circumstances we face "living in the borderland."

I have been waiting for this album for months and have just listened to it the whole way through and im sitting totally floored with the presence of God... Amazing!! Absolutely love it!! This will be on repeat for the foreseeable future!! Hope he tours the Uk and Ireland!! COME TO BELFAST!!!

Superb album - can't speak highly enough of this guy. Truly fantastic music and lyrics to match.

A new artist to me, but one I'm glad I came across. A quality singer-songwriter with a strong, distinctive voice and interesting lyrics. I particularly like "Love at the End".

brilliant. favourite album of the year so far

John Mark McMillan verdiente sich seine ersten Sporen in Rick Joyners Worship- Team unter Leitung von Leonard Jones und Don Potter. Nach drei Independent- Soloalben, von denen "The Song inside the Sounds of Breaking down" und "The Medicine" Meisterwerke waren, nahm Integrity Music den Singer/Songwriter unter Vertrag, das Album "Economy" litt jedoch unter zu hohen Erwartungen und zu starkem Erfolgsdruck. Ich habe McMillan 2006 auf dem Freakstock in Gotha live gesehen und war so begeistert, dass ich mir seitdem all seine Alben zulege. Ja, ich bin Fan.Nach den Erfahrungen mit Integrity geriet McMillan in eine Schaffenskrise, aus der er sich mit seinem fünften Soloalbum "Borderland" wieder eindrucksvoll als Independent- Künstler zurückmeldet. Finanziert wurde das Projekt durch eine Kickstarter- Kampagne. Als Produzent ist Elijah Moseley von Threshingfloor zurückgekehrt, leider ist aber Gitarrist James Duke nicht mehr dabei. Als Konsequenz hört man in McMillans elektrischem Americana- Sound nun weniger Grunge- Gitarren, dafür mehr Klavier, Rhodes, Synthies und programmierte Rhythmen. Teilweise wurden die Drums "ganz groß" abgemixt. Neu ist auch, dass McMillan gelegentlich in Falsett fällt. Insgesamt ist der Sound sehr gelungen - ein bisschen wie Springsteen zur Jahrtausendwende.Auch die Songs können wieder voll überzeugen: "Holy Ghost" eröffnet atmosphärisch, "Love at the End" und "Borderland" sind meine Anspieltipps. "Counting on" klingt ein wenig wie "Streets of Philadelphia", der Ausklang mit "Visceral" ist sehr stimmig. Das Textkonzept ist wieder packend, unbequem und herausfordernd. McMillan ist zurück als Fragender, Suchender, Irrender und Zweifelnder, der in seinem spirituellen Fundament immer gerade genug Mut, Hoffnung und Frieden für den nächsten Schritt findet. Gerade dadurch schafft er es, den Hörer auf Augenhöhe zu erreichen und in seiner Seele zu berühren - zumindest mich jedenfalls. Fünf Sterne.