Derek Webb- Stockholm Syndrome

Artist: Derek Webb

Title: Stockholm Syndrome

Website: http://www.derekwebb.com

Style: Pop/ Electronic

Label: INO Records

Rating: 6.9 out of 10

By C.W. Ross

Derek Webb is probably best known for his association with the band Caedmon’s Call, although he has also had a strong solo career going for several years now. His latest solo release is Stockholm Syndrome; is an album that throws everything into it except for the proverbial kitchen sink. You’ll find everything from early jazz and 50’s doo-wop to electronic dance filled beats in its songs.

Webb pulled on former Caedmon’s Call band mate Josh Moore, who now mainly works as a producer on Hip-Hop projects (Bun-B, Slim Thug), to co-produce this release.

With each new release it seems like Webb is on a mission to stretch the musical envelope as far as he can and it appears that his record label INO has decided that Stockholm Syndrome went too far and crossed over that boundary line. The label at first refused to release it, deeming it to be too controversial. After some legal wrangling, I’m not sure of the whole story, but I guess some tweaks where made to it that satisfied the label and on September 1st the album was released.

Fans of Webb who haven’t listened to his music for awhile will be in for a real shock, gone are the roots rock/folk sounds, having been replaced by synth and electronic sounds. You can tell that Webb has a lot to say about the sad state of the world today by listening to the song lyrics found on Stockholm Syndrome. Unfortunately for me after awhile it got really depressing and almost reached the point of sounding like that whining kid who’s in front of you at the grocery store line that just won’t stop yelling and complaining as his parents try to quite him down.

While I can appreciate Webb’s wanting to spread his wings and try new and different things, I feel like he would have been better served by taking more gradual turns in his music road instead of such of a radical turn.

Musically I enjoyed a few of the songs including, “Freddie Please,” a moody, melodic song that mixes a 50’s sock-hop slow dance song style with electronic elements. “Jen & Jimmy,” is a nice sounding pop song that makes good use of its electronic elements. “Heaven” is the one song found on this release that offers up a glimpse of a more familiar roots rock edge with its acoustic guitar part.

Webb is now out on the road on the, ‘Black Eye Tour’ that started in September and runs through November 1st in support of the release.

While I can appreciate Webb’s wanting to get his word out on the ills of the world by using provocative lyrics he needs to realize that sometimes less is more. Stockholm Syndrome does offer up a few bright spots but there just aren’t enough of them for me to recommend this release.