Review Summary: Don’t miss out on Time.
At the time this record was released, Third Day already had two highly successful records under their belt: the 1996 self-titled and the 1997 Conspiracy No.5. While the self-titled had a blend of southern rock and worship with a slight grunge edge, Conspiracy took a different road. It cut out most, if not all, of the southern rock and worship tendencies, instead focusing on a blend of watered-down grunge and alternative rock. With 1998’s Time, Third Day moved back onto their more melodic period, utilizing a stronger southern edge and more worship tracks.
Indeed, this is the lightest Third Day have sounded. Everything about the record seems toned down, a strange but not surprising fact after the previous rock release. Vocalist Mac has much more of a softer tone this time around, with less grit and more soul. Guitarist Avery forsakes the riffing from the last record, in favor of southern-flavored, bluesy licks and mini-solos. The chemistry between both members is still top-notch, and one of the strongest elements of Third Day. As for the grunge edge, it’s been almost totally edited out. The album does have some fast-paced rock songs, but they are southern rock this time, instead of watered-down Creed tunes. But, this southern sound really works for Third Day, since it sounds natural from them, and not a gimmick.
As for standouts, some of Third Day’s strongest songs came from this album. Opener “I’ve Always Loved You” is a classic alternative rock/contemporary worship hybrid, while “Your Love Oh Lord” is a strong southern-tinged ballad. “Took My Place” has one of Brad’s strongest solos to date, while “Never Bow Down” contains the best drum performance all album. “Believe” is a highly enjoyable southern-rocker, with some powerful, bluesy vocals from Powell and the rest of the band. “What Good” is a highly successful hybrid between funk and southern rock, with possibly the best bass guitar performance in Third Day history, and a trumpet-filled chorus.
Indeed, this is a highly enjoyable album. All the band members have experienced improvement from the last record, and the most notable is bassist and drummer contributing more to the group, taking main stage on songs “What Good” and “Never Bow Down.” Mac still sounds soulful and strong, never overbearing but powerful enough to drive his point home. There’s some experimentation for Day on this record as well, what with the trumpets on “What Good” and bongo-like drums in the beginning of “Give.” While the conviction and the energy isn’t quite as strong as the first two releases, and the edge is heavily missed, these two are really the only main complaints for the record.
Lyrically, Third Day were a little more ambiguous on Conspiracy when it came to their Christian faith. It takes front and center once again here, with tracks “I’ve Always Loved You” describing God’s love, “Took My Place” describing Jesus’ sacrifice, etc. It’s enough to offend a non-believer, yes, but the soulful edge with which it is delivered takes some of the offensive edge off. Third Day have managed to make a superb album yet again. While not quite as enjoyable as Conspiracy or the self-titled, this is a significant release that’s worth purchasing and listening to, even if you were a greater fan of Third Day’s harder edge. Don’t miss out on Time.
