Kutless returns to its roots with praise-and-worship album

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Mar 26, 2005 by Phil Anderson Capital-Journal

By Phil Anderson

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

KANSAS CITY, Kan. --- To the casual observer, it may appear that Christian rock band Kutless was only attempting to cash in on the praise-and-worship phenomenon with its latest album "Strong Tower" (BEC Records, 13 songs, 50 minutes).

But, in reality, the group was only returning to the roots it laid down about five years ago.

So says guitarist James Mead, who has been with Kutless from the get-go.

"We started out as a worship band at the college we were going to," the 22-year-old Mead said recently during a phone chat from his home in Portland, Ore. "We would lead worship once a week for students. We wanted to give them a break and let them reflect on their hearts and on the Lord.

"We've always appreciated how worship songs can really encourage you in your walk with the Lord and encourage your faith."

Mead and his musical cohorts, who attended Warner Pacific College in their hometown of Portland, will perform in "The Diverse City Worldwide Tour" on April 21 at the YouthFront Auditorium, 4715 Rainbow Blvd. in Shawnee Mission.

Headliners will include Tobymac and Audio Adrenaline. Hawk Nelson, an up-and-coming group from Canada, also will perform.

Kutless' reputation as a hard-rocking band may have limited its exposure to the masses, until "Sea of Faces" was released last year.

The song garnered a groundswell of enthusiasm among its fans, and greatly increased Kutless' popularity. But it didn't catch the group by surprise, Mead said.

"When we were recording 'Sea of Faces,'" he said, "we were thinking 'This is it.'"

On "The Diverse City Tour," Kutless will be playing with two of the top live acts in Christian music in Tobymac --- who gained his fame as one-third of the trio dcTalk --- and Audio Adrenaline.

Of Tobymac, a hip-hop artist, Mead said: "By far, he's the most entertaining performer in the Christian music industry."

As for performing with three other groups, and having Kutless' sets necessarily limited, Mead said there were some advantages.

"This gives us a chance to see our fans," he said, "but not exhaust our material."

Another tour is planned for the fall, and on that one, Mead said, Kutless will have plenty of time to play more of its music.

Phil Anderson can be reached at (785) 295-1195 or phil.anderson@cjonline.com.

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Audio Adrenaline is one of the headline acts on the "Diverse City Worldwide Tour," which will play on April 21 at the YouthFront Auditorium in Kansas City, Kan.

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The Portland, Ore.-based group Kutless will perform songs from its album "Strong Tower" on the "Diverse City Worldwide Tour."