Flags

I am the type of person that likes to listen to a record all the way through... I tend to view albums as a work of art and in order to get the whole picture you must not merely listen to just certain tracks.... but I make an exception for this record. The thing that drew me to this record was the few song clips I had downloaded from the thedownplayer.com (great website). I loved all the songs I heard on there so I went to amazon and bought it. I am pleased with the purchase... but was a tad disappointed b/c the thing that drew me to this record as the dark quality of the songs... something you don't hear to much with female artists. I was hoping for a somber record, but what I got was a mixture of somber songs and really cheery, upbeat songs. So when I listen to the record, I skip over the really happy stuff hahaha. I wanted a record that could move me and got it in 4 of the 11 songs, and these songs are so powerful that they make up for the rest of the record (hence me giving it four stars). The songs are as follows "Ice On Her Lashes," "Crows & Locusts," "Who Are We Fooling (feat. Aqualung)," & "Flags." Pretty much every single time I hear the song Flags, I cry. Its such a powerful/truth saturated song! Crows and Locusts drew me in on the part where her singing tapers down into a whisper... SO freaking cool! Who does that?! mmmmm! But if you want to hear the best duet ever written in the history of this planet, Who Are We Fooling is it! I have loved Aqualung for a long time now (Get his record Memory Man... you have to buy it in stores though, but if you can find it, it is a KILLER record). This is what drew me to look into her when I saw her on the downplayer... I was intreaged that someone like aqualung would do a duet with someone who I've always known to be a Christian artist (didn't realize yet that she is a cross over artist). This song is INCREDIBLY POWERFUL lyrically and melodically. Such a refreshing message in a time when the divorce rate is 50%. So awesome to hear two people talk about the the gravity that this commitment brings and yet to resolve that nothing can separate and, ultimately, that they wouldn't want anything to separate. So buy the record for these songs..... yes I said buy the RECORD.... support the artist even though some of the songs are fillers, purchase the whole package... its only 9 bucks.

I had wanted to buy this CD for a while after I watched the "Something in the Water" music video. I was familiar with Fraser's work with Hillsong and fell in love with her voice/writing skills in that area, but I hadn't heard any of her pop work. So I decided to take something of a chance and bought FLAGS. Needless to say, I was not disappointed!Every single track is catchy or gorgeous or clever or any combination of the three. Stylistically, it never really leaves the pop realm but contains many variations of pop. "Something in the Water" is sort of folk-pop, "Jack Kerouac" is reggae-pop, etc. "Who Are We Fooling?" is a beautiful male/female duet with amazing piano and strings accompaniment. "Ice on Her Lashes" is a low-key song carried along by Fraser's angelic vocals as well as a somber bass-line. "Crows + Locusts" is (musically and lyrically) an epic piece of work. "Here's to You" is a cheery song with a simple melody. All this to say that despite being confined to one genre, Fraser stretches herself to many different aspects of that genre.Lyrically, it's all mostly light-hearted fun. "Ice on Her Lashes," which talks about dealing with grief and death of a loved one; "Crows + Locusts," an amazingly deep song (probably my favorite on the album) which seems to tell the story of a farmer going through difficult times, using a lot of spiritual imagery; and "Flags," which ponders why bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people, are probably the three most serious tracks.Standout tracks for me would probably be "Something in the Water" for its infectious catchiness and lovable lyrics, "Betty" also for its near perfect combination of catchy tune and lyrics, "Ice on Her Lashes" for its beautifully chilling sad and at the same time uplifting message coupled with somber music, and "Crows + Locusts" for its masterfully epic storytelling aspects and musical arrangement. But, really, there isn't a song on here I don't like.I would recommend this album to those who enjoy mostly easy-listening, high-quality pop songs with hints of seriousness sprinkled throughout.You know an album is good when you don't ever skip past any song while listening to it! :)Cheers!~Sam

I bought this on a whim when the MP3 album was on sale, and this wasn't anything like I expected. I hadn't heard her previous albums, only knew her from Hillsong, and to be completely honest, I expected this to sound like a very vanilla and sterilized collection of songs (i.e. the majority of Christian music) but hoped her vocals or the passion she brings to worship would make it worthwhile. This doesn't sound anything like your stereotypical CCM album. Thank God.I don't like all of the tracks on the album (thankfully Coachella and Jack Kerouac are back to back so I can skip both in one fell swoop). The lyrics aren't vacuum sealed and she has a sound that reminds me of Sara Barielles and a few others while not feeling "too" familiar. Not my favorite album from last year, but I enjoy the majority of it and Orphans, Kingdoms is, in my opinion, an inspired masterpiece, one of the very few 5 star rated songs in my itunes. Flags, particularly the acoustic version, is another solid track off this album, making this MP3 exclusive version worthwhile. Brooke has a beautiful voice; I'd love to hear her sing live someday.

Very nice CD. It has a nice variety. The harmonies on the duets are awesome...very unique in that they will exchange harmonies in the middle of a line...very tight.Some of the best songs are on the deluxe CD. The acoustic version of Flags is beautiful. The Woodstock cover is very similar to Joni Mitchell. James Taylor cover "You can Close Your Eyes" is one of the duets I was speaking of...beautiful harmony, great guitar work.

If you are as much (or more) interested in the lyrics, then you'll probably agree that Brooke does an incredible job of placing you in the situation or circumstance that her quiet, yet powerful, songs describe. None more so than in the incredibly moving crows + locusts - inspired I suspect (I don't know) by her time working as a volunteer in Africa.There is also originality, especially in the way a dying relationship (a married one - wow!) is described in the hauntingly beautiful 'who are we fooling?'. There isn't really a weak song on the album, which in itself is an achievement, but there again, Flags is not her first by any means and she seems to have suffered for her cause in past years.It may not be quite correct so to do, but I must flag <get it?> Brooke's unusual treatment of the letter 's'. It mystifyingly - because it is only occasional - sometimes becomes 'esh'. Could add to or marr your enjoyment.For me, though, an excellent purchase of a clearly multi talented artiste who has also produced/written most of the material.

Sounds quite different to her later evangelical work, but well worth buying.

Everything I expected and more . A tremendous artist who does not get much air time in this country more the pity. Try and I think most will agree with me

Fantastic album. I love the majority of the tracks.

This is a simply stunning album. Every single track a masterpiece.