Singer/song writer Bebo Norman is back with his 5th record entitled Between the Dreaming and Coming True. Bebo describes the new album as “more aggressive” with a “little less singer/songwriter and a little less folk.” Bebo also describes the message behind the album as “more hopeful” and “trying to find peace in a world that’s really not at peace.” I agree with Bebo 100 percent!
Musically Bebo went into a new chapter, but keeping some of the folk roots. The album has a movie score or theatrical feel that carries on throughout the entire album, making the transitions between songs very smooth, but yet making them diverse enough to notice that you’re on a new track and not loose that feeling of, am I listening to the same song?
Bebo told me that songs 1 through 9 tell somewhat of a story. “It’s not a story you’d find out of a novel, but they’re sort of… interrelated. I think they weave you in and out of the process [of] stepping out of the dark night of the soul… and stepping into the daylight.” So many of the songs on Between the Dreaming and Coming True are very hopeful; making a very enjoyable, peaceful setting that in essence makes the record a very encouraging and easy listen.
Some of the tracks I enjoyed are “Time Takes its Toll on us.” Which is a song about life and how life and how it’s not always easy. Bebo told me it this way… “Y’know I’m old enough now that I see friends of my go through marriages that have failed, friends of mine go through miscarriages and see friends parents start to die and all those things that can be sad, but are genuine parts of life. And so the idea of time can be sort of… the longer we live the longer we realize life is hard and life is not a pretty picture all the time.” The chorus says, Time takes its toll on us / and it tries its best just to steal our love / and we bend and we break but we don’t give up / Time takes its toll on us.
Another song is the first single off the record “I Will Lift My Eyes.” I will lift my eyes to the Maker / Of the mountains I can’t climb / I will lift my eyes to the Calmer / Of the oceans raging wild / I will lift my eyes to the Healer / Of the hurt I hold inside / I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You. And then the final one I’d like to mention just happens to be my favorite from Between the Dreaming which is “My Eyes Have Seen Holy.” My favorite part is this is the first verse and the chorus… Am I unfit for You / Remember me, the one who turned from You / I come in rags tattered by the Fall / And all the earth, a witness to my crime – Chorus - Mercy, weep over me /Let Your tears wash me clean / Majesty, be merciful with me / For my eyes have seen Holy.
Overall, a stellar album from Bebo Norman! Old and new fans alike will love this chapter in the adventures of Bebo Norman! Between the Dreaming and Coming True is one record that I keep coming back to. It’s a great pick me up album and is bar far one of the best ones to be released this year!
Article by Jeremy Koering, Editor / Photographer / General Writing
