• Peace, Be Still review by Heather Beckmyer for CelticChristianTunes.com
• On This Very Day review by Cory C. Engel, CelticChristianTunes.com

Robert Coates is clearly a musician of considerable talent and determination. He plays all the instruments on Peace, Be Still, his second CD (acoustic guitar, penny whistle, low whistle, dejembe drums, percussion, keyboards, and vocals).

On his website, he says "that Christian music shouldn't sound like the latest secular trends and I reject the "cookie cutter" mentality of most Christian major record labels." This is immediately evident upon listening. Robert Coates has a style of his own. He delves mainly into minor and modal harmonies, experiments with unexpected rhythms, and weaves a dark tapestry of haunting sonorities.

This is a theme CD, comparing the faith journey to sailing, surviving storms, and ultimately sighting land, trusting always in the Divine Captain. The theme verse quoted on the liner notes is Isaiah 42:10: "Sing a new song to the Lord; sing his praise, all the world! Praise him, you that sail the sea; praise him, all creatures of the sea!" Like the ocean, a somber, reflective atmosphere is portrayed.

The thoughtful lyrics in "When I Woke Up" (track 2) express salvation in distinctive poetic imagery:

My God, you've taken me
From a tangled sleep to lucidity
And I woke up
And saw everything so clear
When I woke up to you.

Don't miss the dramatic whisper hiding before the final chorus.

In the meditative "A Thiarna Dhia" ("Lord, God", track 5) the choral effects bring to one's imagination a procession of chanting hooded monks, a mood heightened by the ostinato piano and guitar parts.

In contrast to the general tone of the other tracks, the last track (12) "My Captain" leaves us in a major key. This would work well in congregational worship with its simple, heartfelt message of commitment and surrender to God.

My favorite bits of this CD were the three instrumental interludes (tracks 4, 7 and 11). "Land in Sight" is a breath of salty fresh air, a jaunty penny whistle solo with mandolin accompaniment. This clear clean tune is a welcome contrast to the lush synthesized sounds characterizing the rest of the CD. "Christ the Pilot," featuring synthesizer and low whistle is mysterious, misty and mystic. With "The Life Boat" the monks are back, this time accompanied by a medieval sounding synthesized instrument.

Keeping in mind that this is a personal project, not conforming to mass-produced CD expectations, still some flaws are evident which cannot be justified by purposeful difference. The relentless focus on minor chords and the over abundance of low voice choral effects tends towards the lugubrious. In particular, in "Sanctify Me" (track 8) the line "a bright new day" is lost in the minor mode. Perhaps a major key would better represent the promise of sanctification?

With beautiful guitar playing throughout, a heartfelt message of dedication and deep trust in the Lord through the storms of life, Robert Coates has achieved his goal to present a unique musical offering.

More information about this CD can be found at Robert Coates' website.

--Heather Beckmyer for CelticChristianTunes.com

CCM Magazine commented of this recording that Coates "evokes textured emotional sound tapestries reminiscent of early Moody Blues". While the tapestries CCM alluded to are clearly present in On This Very Day, there's more there that warrants the inclusion of this recording in the archives of CelticChristianTunes.com.

Stylistically, Coates lays out a moving stream of art with very subtle Celtic overtones. (Think of a darker, Christian, and male Enya with a rhythm section.) And, he does it almost singlehandedly--on the recording, he plays all guitars, and contributed some percussion, mellotron samples, keyboards, low whistle, and all vocals. Other artists provided the rest of the rhythmic drums and bass.

This aptly-named CD arrived at CelticChristianTunes.com on September 12, 2001, while I was still struggling with disbelief over the evil perpetrated at World Trade Center the previous morning, and my own dark reactions to it. On This Very Day provided one of my first reminders of who I am in Christ. Consider lyrics of the perspective piece "Longer Than The End":

Each tear falling from your eyes
Is numbered and known
And the prayer from your wounded heart
Resounds at his throne

Longer than the end of time
Far beyond the stars
Heaven's eternal love
Right here can be ours...

From the apocalyptic "I Watch the Sky" to the more down-to-earth "You Taught Me How to Live", this album is musically unique. It delivers the message that the saved sinner's eternal destiny will be very different than the life lived in this world, and that has great bearing on how we live it.

Find out more at Robert's website.