Published on Apr 6, 1999
Tables of Stone is an independent band, so you probably won’t
find their 1997 disc,
Engraved, in your local Christian bookstore and certainly
not in any of the mall-based, national-brand music stores.
But, this is a disc that would be well worth your while to
acquire if only so you can say to your friends “I knew them before
they were a big huge success – and they were good then, too.”
Which is not to say this Canadian band’s debut is without fault,
however, what’s good about is good enough to earn them a shot if
they can get heard by the right people.
Colin Genereux fronts the band. He plays guitar, sings lead and
writes or co-writes the songs with other band members. Genereux’s
vocals are reminiscent of the late great PFR’s Joel Hanson. In
fact, Tables of Stone picks up where PFR left off musically, mining
the same vein of Beatle-esque sound.
These days it’s hard to find a group that doesn’t describe
itself as “Beatle-esque”and that’s part of the reason why this disc
is not “A” rated. I love the Beatles and always will, but Genereux
and Tables of Stone have enough going for them that I’d like to see
them break out from that purely pop mold and be a little
innovative.
I know it’s not fair to ask an independent band with little or
no financial backing to be innovative when they’re just trying to
survive from one project to the next, but often it’s in those
situations where something totally new can be created. I love what
they’re doing, but I think I love what they could be doing even
more.
Engraved opens strongly with the song “Choose to Live.” It
percolates along with a bruising guitar intro by Genereux and some
standard, but propulsive drumming by Chris Selim. The song declares
that, despite his worst intentions and inclinations, the singer
chooses to live a Christian life.
“It would feel good to be doing my own thing/I’m just like any
other normal human being/With every rule I break/There’s every
breath I take/To remind me of Your love/I choose to live/I choose
to give/For today is the day of salvation”
“Hello Jesus” is a warm, welcoming song. Genereux sounds his
best on this tune. In the line “I’m the one who goes away, though I
always want to stay” you can hear the truth in his voice – and the
regret. But, it’s not a down song. It’s encouraging because though
the song acknowledges that humans often drift or turn away from
God, He’s always there when we come to our senses and find our way
back.
In addition to Colin Genereux and Selim, Tables of Stone is made
up of Ken Mahoney and Marco Belanger on various guitars and
background vocals, and Colin’s brother, Sylvain Genereux, on bass
guitar and background vocals.
One of the strengths of Tables Of Stone lies in its lyrics. They
are very much in the singer-songwriter tradition with lyrics that
speak to experiences the author has gone through or emotions the
author is feeling.
The song moods range from pensive to worshipful to affirming to
sad to awestruck. In the song “There Is A God”, Mahoney and Colin
Genereux share their idea of “proof” of the existence of God. The
song is written as a refute to another who claims there is no
God.
“Not a sound, not a word has been said/Yet there lay His wonders
in the heavens/His truth unfolds/Graceful words/With eternal
meaning/Eyes for seeing/Haven’t you heard/They’re for believing/He
is the wind of the raging sea/And the precious peace with
certainty”
Since they’re an independent band, the disc is a little harder
to find. But, it is available from a couple of different Internet
sources, including
www.musicforce.com and
www.christiandiscs.com
or from the band: Tables of Stone, P.O. Box 36067, 1318 Wellington
St., Ottawa, Ont., K1Y 4V3, (819) 458-2238.
Give this band a try. You will be pleasantly surprised. Beatles
influences aside, these guys really have something going for them
that you won’t want to miss.