Introduction
Sparking my interest for being ranked #6 on the top Shoegaze albums page on Rate Your Music, The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads is a concept album of post, indie, Christian, and rock-shoegaze, released on June 26, 2001. This is a full analysis and review of the music, concept, and history on one of the most unique pieces of music I’ve head.
(Note: Shoegaze is a genre “Characterized by ethereal, noisy washes of sound created by extensive usage of multiple effect pedals, such as distortion, reverb, and delay; dreamy, usually unintelligible vocals, and roaring volumes”)
Background
The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads is an album released in 2001 by the Texas trio of bass player Josh Browning, guitarist Josh Pearson, and drummer Andy Young. Pearson and Young’s father being preachers likely inspired the Christian themes and basis of the story. The album was notably mixed by Simon Raymonde and Robin Guthrie from the band The Cocteau Twins and were also signed to their record label “Bella Union.” The album came out to a little acclaim and a small cult fanbase. After the album was released, the band members never announced an official break up have gone their separate ways.
Concept Part 1- Fall
As mentioned, The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads is a concept album. This means that the individual songs are connected by a unifying concept or theme, the album telling a story from song to song. The story is very similar to and inspired by the book of Revelations from The Bible. The basic premise is the 2nd coming of Christ and Texas is the promised land. The opener, “Just as Told,” is more of setup than actually part of the story, documenting how an angel came down to the trio and revealed that “the USA is the center of Jerusalem” and the 2nd coming. It also discusses what’s happening in Texas itself saying “Prophets on risen stars, open fierce skies make onlookers kneel,” setting up the world and events. Kicking off the story on the second track, “Down came the Angel,” we have angels coming down to Pearson’s house to deliver a message from God.
This message is that God will give him angel wings to “To fly above and see beyond, immortalize his words and give him power over the curse to call or calm the storms.” making him an observer of the upcoming events, but his requirement for this is Pearson’s life. At this point the tracks get out of order, jumping to the 10th track “To Guard and to Guide”. We see the newly made angel, Pearson, fulfilling his duties, encouraging people to travel to the promised land. We go to track 9, “Down with the Prophets”, which suggests a sort of falling out of the order of God. In the beginning verse of the song we see him remark “Off God’s track, on a mission impossible”, he doubts God’s ability to bring believers into the land. later in the track, it suggests that the protagonist got to vain with the prophets saying ” The coming revival will be one of survival, and if you wanna survive, you gunna keep your heads”, but Pearson remarking earlier “Give my head to receive my crown”. This leads into the 3rd track “Falling from Cloud 9”, where Pearson is falling from grace from being to carless and vain.
Concept Part 2- Redemption
The song that trails after is the 8th “When we shall touch.” Most of this song is an excerpt of my favorite book and piece of media, Paradise Lost, taken from chapter 11. The excerpt is Adam praying to God for forgiveness for his grave sin and to be let back in the garden, drawing parallels to Pearson’s situation. The ending of Pearson’s arc is realized in ” The Ground so soft “, in which he prays to and trusts in God save him like Adam in the track before.
Before the final two songs in the story there are tracks 11 and 4, “Into the Storm” and “With Crippled Wings”, which both account people traveling to Texas and the incoming “storm.” The most important track and the second to last is “Waiting to Hit,” reveals these were visions, drawing parallels even further to John’s experience in Revelation. God comes to him and asks for him to make an album out of these visions. Pearson asks if God can give him a smash hit in return and he agrees. The last song ” These are the days,” is the “hit song” God promised, it preaches that the events that he had dreamed of will come to fruition.
Music
Music-wise, I think this album is special. Not many projects have combined Christian theology with such enthralling riffs and atmosphere, especially in the pop-country most Christian music falls under today. The yellow, hazy, beautiful atmosphere of this album really gives justice to the religious themes. The track list has great pacing. Jumping from more shallow tracks such as “Down Came the Angel” to “Falling from Cloud 9,” with the transitions to these tracks being almost seamless. The vocals on this album are really good. Pearson has a great singing voice, sounding endearing and emotional about the themes he is talking about. He sounds just country enough to where his voice is not annoying but interesting. The production is obviously amazing, with the drums and guitars, all working in perfect harmony with each other.
Conclusion
The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads is an amazing album in terms of atmosphere, vocals, production, and concept. It was refreshing to listen to this project after not being able to find some new music to listen to. If this review has sparked your interest to go check the album, I would highly suggest you give it a listen.
