By Andrew Baker
Fans of Christian alternative rock bands like Switchfoot, and mainstream bands like Coldplay will love the driving beat and lyrics of Wilderness of Tekoa’s The Skies Pale in Comparison. Current fans of the band will recognize the CD’s title, originally released in 2006 by the band’s recording label, Northern Records.
The original CD was sold only at their concerts and through their website. The new version includes songs that were reworked in the studio with additional lyrics, as well as the addition of their first single, Illusion. Among the exciting changes with the new release of the CD is the expansion of its availability distributed nationally – putting it into the hands of eagerly awaiting fans across the country in March of 2007. For fans of Christian alternative rock who are not yet familiar with Wilderness of Tekoa, this is a band I predict you will come to know and a CD that you will want to add to your collection.
Who is Wilderness of Tekoa and what is the significance of their name? According to Ryan Antolino, guitarist, the band’s name is taken from Chronicles 20:20, which speaks of the battle of Tekoa, “The significance of it is how King Jehosophat sent people to praise and worship God before the battle.” He adds, “It means a lot to us in the sense of God protecting us in everything we do.”
Wilderness of Tekoa is made up of a group of musicians hailing from West Palm Beach Florida, each bringing a different perspective through their own musical interests. The band includes Nic DiPace – lead vocalist and rhythm guitar; Ryan Antolino – lead guitar; Philip Pattison – bass and keys; Phil Turner – drums. According to Ryan, “Nic had been writing music for a while and wanted to put together a band,” which was easy since they all went to church together; however, they feel that their biggest mission will be touring with non-Christian bands.
The Skies Pale in Comparison is an outstanding CD with its combination of aggressive rock beats, powerful chords and introspective lyrics. While the entire CD rocks, there are several songs that stand out. The first song that comes to mind is planned to be their first release, “Illusion”.
The song speaks about the misconception that the earthly life is all that there is, while in reality, true “life” comes through Eternal life. The song, “Elevate”, is about “doing what you’re called to do even [when] people have something negative to say,” as explained by Ryan. The instrumentals in “Elevate” are as attention grabbing as the lyrics. The song starts with a call from guitar and cymbals, and then the bass echoes that call, which in turn brings in the haunting vocals provided by Nic. My personal favorite track on this CD is “Midnight Lights”, which was also on the 2006 release of the CD.
Currently, this song is one that Wilderness of Tekoa closes their concerts with, and it is easy to understand why. Its mournful and often dissonant, yet melodic instrumentation is the perfect backdrop for the lyrics that tell the story of a song writer who is trying to tell the tale of a newly broken heart through writing a song. In the powerful silence that precedes the often aggressive downbeat of the song, the listener can almost feel the sadness and frustration the song writer is feeling, looking for words for the song—“trying to make sense of what makes no sense at all”.
With the release of the CD, Wilderness of Tekoa will be touring a lot more in 2007. Expect to see them at many Christian and mainstream rock festivals starting in 2007, as well. If you don’t have the opportunity to catch them in concert during the tour, you will still be able to find The Skies Pale in Comparison at most local music suppliers—and I believe it’s a CD you won’t want to miss.