New Testament

On the follow-up to his tender, Baroque-infused debut Lysandre, former Girls frontman Christopher Owens takes a different path with the country-infused A New Testament. Working again with producer Doug Boehm, Owens colors his quirky songwriting style with a mix of pedal steel and a trio of female backing vocalists, exploring his relationship with both country and gospel music. While a heavily themed album may surprise some fans, it's not that big a stretch for the California-based songwriter. Much of his output with Girls had a distinct, old-time Everly Brothers influence and his tumultuous years growing up in the Children of God cult gives him a unique perspective on his gospel, to say the least. As with Lysandre, Owens is at his best on the slower, more contemplative fare, like the wistful waltz "It Comes Back to You" and the laid-back ballad "I Just Can't Live Without You (But I'm Still Alive)." More uptempo tracks like the twangy gospel rave-up "My Troubled Heart" and the honky tonk pop of "Nothing More Than Everything to Me" rely on a surprisingly clean, straightforward production to make their statements on this unusual release. ~ Timothy Monger