Wallace Rahming – Truth

Wallace Rahming – Truth – Album Review

Well it has certainly been a minute or two, hasn’t it?

Last time we had Wallace Rahming on our pages was way back in 2019, featured in a review for his album called Life Cycles.  Always great to have good people back with us again, so welcome Wallace.

He puts the bounce into his opener, no doubt about that.  “Got To Be Free” feels right out of the Stevie Wonder playbook, and Rahming immediately makes his proclamations of faith known as Truth begins.  This is one of those tunes that might very well sneak up on ya.  I’m not necessarily saying it’s subtle by any stretch…the music itself is tremendously vibrant, the performance is super lively, and what you’ll hear in Wallace’s first track is a whole collection of sounds that are somewhat uncommon in the scene today – so there’s lots that will get you paying attention, don’t get me wrong.  I think what I mean by saying it’ll sneak up on ya refers more to the lyricism, where there’s just enough happening in the music that you might not even fully grasp the religious connotations at first, but once you realize that’s what Wallace is singing about, you won’t miss that on your subsequent spins.  The gospel-style backing vocals make the connection impossible to miss if you know what to listen for, but the message itself translates beyond its faith-based intentions into more of a universal rallying cry for the freedom we all yearn for.

I’ve explained several times throughout the years that I’ve got no dog in the fight when it comes to anything religiously-based…I was raised with a foot in the faith-based community, but that’s where it all starts & stops.  Music is my religion y’all, and that’s all I’ll ever need.  What has always made this place different is that I made it a point of having sleepingbagstudios open to every style of sound under the sun, and I never shy away from a conversation about religion when it comes to music.  All I want to hear at the end of the day, is that YOU are into what you create and that you’re passionate about it.  When I hear a song like “Take Your Hands Off Me,” or the opening tune too for that matter, and I hear how Wallace sounds like he’s jammin’ at max capacity, locked into the groove and feeling every moment of the music he’s making, to me that translates perfectly.  That’s the kind of vibe you wanna hear no matter what you’re listening to, and his exceptional performances are capable of breaking down the walls that would separate faith-based tunes from the masses and heathen beasts like yours truly here.  While there’s no doubt he’s rockin’ with an 80s-inspired sound, he’s playin’ it all lights-out & has clearly put in the work…passion is enticing to ears listening, no matter what kind of sound or style it might be.  Directly telling the devil to go pound sand, Wallace is ready for battle and embracing the spirit of God.

Dude can play too, make no mistake.  Listen to the stunning opening of “Unless They Agree,” for example…it’s a gorgeous intro.  This third cut is pretty ambitious in terms of what people can hang with, in my opinion…there’s a lot goin’ on, and Wallace’s verses are probably a bit more complex in their design than naturally accessible when it comes right down to it.  That being said, I do think there’s a lot of organic appeal to the main hooks and the radiant personality that you’ll find in the chorus of “Unless They Agree” – and that part alone might be more than enough to keep people coming back for another listen.  Or how about that solo spot around the 3:30 mark?  Love that too.  As intriguing as his music can be when it’s firing on all cylinders, you can also hear the impact of moments like that where he dials it all back to add…you know…some space into his music.  It’s never a bad idea y’all, and that’s essentially why spots like the very beginning and the solo make as much of an impact as they do, because that space can really be key in how listeners process what’s going on around them.  All this being said, tracks as filled as “Unless They Agree” are tend to be easier to absorb on secondary spins when you know what to expect.

Every time that extra space shows up though, like at the start of “As We Come To The Mountain” for example, I feel like Wallace makes the case for what I’m tellin’ ya.  It’s tough…as a solo artist that is clearly capable of navigating for a lack of personnel, you end up walking a fine line in trying to not overcompensate in music like this that would typically be made by an entire band…so it kinda makes sense that some songs are going to feel or sound a little stuffed to the brim.  All I’m advocating for is the fact that space can be a major contribution to music in general…take it or leave it.  I felt like “As We Come To The Mountain” had the right kind of balance Wallace should be seeking out, but I’d still tell you I was interested in what he had going on in “Unless They Agree” too, because there’s uniqueness to what this guy creates.  Yes, there’s a dated sound to it, but he’s obviously embraced that and there’s no doubt he’s emulating the very same kind of music he likes to listen to himself – that’s always a good way of approaching things, because the interest is genuine.  Really liked the way he sings “As We Come To The Mountain” as well…at his best, Wallace has got a solidly soulful sound that people will connect with.

I mean, he’s a skilled composer and performer, that’s just the objective Truth, as your ears can hear for themselves.  Does that automatically mean listeners are going to start jammin’ on “Hosanna” up loud and proud?  Heck no!  But Wallace knows that.  Anytime you’re workin’ with unique timing sequences or generally doing things differently than what folks are hearing on the radio, you’re swimming upstream.  Does that mean you shouldn’t do it anyway?  Heck no!  Try new things.  Explore your sound.  Make music that maybe only YOU might like – all these things are important to creative development.  There IS an audience for songs like “Hosanna,” but to be truthful, that’s more likely to be dedicated musicians rather than the masses.  As long as you’re cool with taking things in a more niche direction, or making music that might fly right over a lot of people’s heads as they listen, then have at’er I say.  I actually really dig “Hosanna” personally, but I also recognize this is more challenging to the average everyday listeners as well.  Rahming knows precisely why that would be, so we have to assume it’s intentional and that he’s simply making a song that he believes in from the joy he experiences in the throes of the craft.

I kind of knew that I’d run into these interludes he’s got threaded into Truth and feel like I’d want more of what I hear in these moments.  I like what the guy can do with his vocals, don’t get me wrong, but it can be really beneficial to have moments like “Contemplation (Interlude)” where an artist can focus solely on the music instead.  Plus, we get to hear that specific connection and skill with less to distract us as well, and I think that Wallace is an exceptionally gifted musician that should be recognized as such.  Having his music more front and center, like it goes on to be with “Resistance (Instrumental)” right after is the right kind of moves to make in order to ensure that we’re not just paying attention to the vocals & lyrics like so many listeners tend to do.  I’m not necessarily saying these are the best tracks you’ll find on the record, though the creativity in a track like “Resistance (Instrumental)” is really something to witness – but I am saying that Wallace’s instrumentation, and the skill he brings to his music, should be noticed.

As odd as it might seem, when you hear a track like “Beautiful People” start up, you’ll probably realize that a sound like this is actually a fairly close cousin to what we’ve come to know as modern-day music we often hear in videogames, and yes indeed there is an audience for that.  Heck, there are entire catalogs and genres dedicated to making that kind of music, and scores of fans found all over the globe, so to be in a similar realm of sound could definitely give Wallace a bit of extra crossover appeal he might not even be expecting.  Beyond that, with his remarkably positive outlook and attitude, a track like “Beautiful People” is bound to have a high level of appeal to listeners out there.  It’s interesting to me in the sense that it’s got a decent amount of energy & pep in the step of its melody, but it’s pretty soothing at the very same time, and you don’t find those attributes coming as a set very often.  In any event, if you don’t enjoy a cut like “Beautiful People,” that might say a lot more about you than Wallace.  It’s a call for unity & a celebration of how our differences are the strengths that should bring us all together.

Regardless of what you believe might happen after this life is over with, while we’re all here, we can agree that “Basic Instructions (Before Leaving Earth)” is a fantastic title for a song, yes?  I think it’s fairly safe to say that if you’ve found yourself digging the majority of what you’ve heard in Wallace’s music so far, that you’ll be a fan of most of what he does, if not all of it.  He’s got his thing, and it works for him – whether it’s the stylistic sound he’s rockin’ with, the soul in his voice, or the message he’s been looking to communicate, he’s got a consistency to his quality across the board that listeners will appreciate.  Does he need to expand tunes to six minutes in length like “Basic Instructions (Before Leaving Earth)?”  Probably not, but I’m not all that opposed to it in a smooth situation of sound like this either…you can hear the trance-like way that a track like this works its magic on ya, and that’s effective when it comes to the art of keeping us listening.  I’d have the same opinion when it comes to album length or the number of tracks & whatnot too…I’m always of the mind that anything above twelve tracks in total is basically a sign that more objectivity is required, and that shorter set-lists are often the key to an album’s longevity.  So while I’d probably say there’s not much that I’m hearing that necessarily warrants the length of this particular tune in “Basic Instructions (Before Leaving Earth),” I don’t mind the smooth ride it takes us on.  Plus, I like creativity and there’s lots of it here.  If you’re paying real close attention, put the first letter of each word in the title together and you’ll see a real clever way that Wallace is communicating His values.

It could very well be that I’m just a fairly simple person when it comes to what my ears respond to in music.  I find I generally appreciate complexity and the many intricacies of highly involved tunes, but then I hear something like “I Believe” and think to myself, that’s really all I need…a dude and a piano, maybe a tiny bit of support from other instrumentation & such.  It’s probably unique to each individual situation I suppose.  Some folks do better with space than others do.  Some musicians are afraid of that space making them feel exposed.  Wallace makes a case for simple ingredients yielding a tasty treat for the ears with “I Believe” – you really sit up and pay attention to a song like this as a result of the way he has composed it.  Vocally, I don’t know if there’s a better track on the album that represents what his voice is capable of than what you’ll hear in his performance on “I Believe.”  It’s definitely one of the cuts that could go on to be the unsung hero of this record and beloved by all that listen…Wallace shines here.

The subtle charm of “I Believe” sure made it tougher to accept “Make You Free” right afterwards, that I can tell ya.  That’s often the effect of finding a song you really love though…it makes that next spot in the lineup much tougher to fill.  That’s just the nature of the game and why making an album flow seamlessly such an extraordinarily tough task.  With the p-h-a-t synthetic bass lines of “Make You Free” being so freakishly gigantic, it feels like the difference between going from analog to digital, even though the odds are that both of these tracks featured back-to-back in the lineup are still made by the same means, or at least, created by the same artist of course.  The point is that it’s a bit more of a stretch than most would likely be ready for, and an adjustment most folks won’t be able to make given the dramatic difference between the sounds of both these tunes.  I’d go as far as to say I ended up really questioning whether or not “Make You Free” had a place in this particular lineup.  Message-wise, it’s still cohesive & consistent…and I suppose if it ended up in a different place in the set it might work…maybe?  All-in-all though, I never felt like “Make You Free” resonated as strongly with me as the rest did by comparison.

It could just be that this is a tougher point in the record overall, and maybe more-so for those of us that are outside of the faith-based community.  I’ve got no issues with people that choose to believe, but the more specific you become with respect to religion…as in, the more Jesus-y the lyricism gets, obviously the tougher it can be for that theme to connect with those that choose not to believe.  So it becomes a question of who you’re making the music for…is Wallace making Truth for himself as a devout Christian?  Is he making the music for Him specifically?  Is he making the music for the true believers?  Or was his intention for it to reach everyone, like most artists tend to hope for?  There are clearly some avenues that work in that respect…if it’s music by Wallace for Wallace, or music he’s made simply to reflect on his love of God, or if he’s specifically intended for his tunes to appeal to the faith-based community and that’s it…these things all work.  Having said that, the more specifically you dive into any topic, be it Jesus or otherwise, music can become an exclusionary thing to many people tuning in as well.  Personally, I’ve always understood why religious people would want to be as specific as they can be, because that’s what real faith tends to BE about…but at the same time, I recognize that lack of ambiguity can affect how the rest of us hear something.  As in, a track like “The Lord Reigns” will always speak to those that are steeped in religion much more than it would reach the hearts and minds of the rest of us listening.  Nothing wrong with that of course…make the music you wanna make, but that’s the objective reality.

Palette cleanser!  “Back In The Day (Instrumental)” is a solid tune…perhaps even my favorite of the instrumental selections on this record with its trumpet-led melody.  It’s delicate, charming, soothing – all that good stuff, and from my perspective, it came along at the right time where either I, or the album, truly needed a sonic reset.  One way or the other, we get that with “Back In The Day (Instrumental).”

It’s funny…we kind of come at the same topic from entirely different angles, Wallace and I.  Nothing highlights that better than “His Truth Still Marches On,” which is basically a reminder that no matter where you are, what time it is, or what you’re doing, Jesus is always present.  I fully agree with that!  Whether you like it or not, Jesus is essentially inescapable and has permeated just about every facet of life on Earth in some way, shape, or form.  For Wallace, that’s clearly a great thing and very welcome.  For myself, it’s…not nearly as desired, like, at all…but that’s okay, different strokes for different folks.  I’m not telling Rahming what to believe or why he should, and it’s the same vice versa…there’s a mutual respect and a freedom that we should all enjoy in pursuing our own path, whatever that may be for each of us as individuals.  I’m well aware of the fact that devout Christians like Wallace would be more than satisfied in knowing that they’re singing their Truth, and if that happens to reach any set of ears & turns them towards Christ, that’s a bonus they’d be nothing but ecstatic about.  As to whether or not that’s Wallace’s goal specifically…I don’t know – I think it’s more of an added potential benefit.  I get the sense that he’s just happy to do his thing and make his music, and if it’s something you’re into, great.

Smoother than smooth, Wallace slides right into “He Promised (Interlude),” which kind of surprisingly ends up being one of the most accessible/universal sounds that you’ll find on this record altogether.  Should this one have been longer than eighty-four seconds long?  Probably so Mr. Rahming, if I’m being entirely honest with ya…I would imagine a whole lot of folks would really dig what you’ve got goin’ on here.  What’s quite interesting to me at the core of it all, is that Rahming’s sound here, and the overall vibe in his music more or less, has so much in common with the romantic side of the 70s/80s R&B sound – which you’d think would almost make it an odd pairing to have that coupled with songs about religion and faith & such…but hey man, whatever works for you as an artist I’d say.  Think of Truth as Wallace’s own love letter to God perhaps…a tributary record that is just as much an expression of faith as it is love.

Speaking of!  “My Love Is Due” is the second to last cut in this set of seventeen tracks…and it’s an interesting cut that had some things that worked really well, and a few choices that felt a little stranger to me.  Like, I really liked Wallace’s vocals in the chorus, and I was less sure about him in the verses this time around.  Leads were alright, but the backing vocals sounded much stronger.  Music was good for the most part, but then there’s that one bizarre laser-like sound that seems like such a weird choice to have included into such a delicate atmosphere…so yeah…I dunno about this one if I’m being honest with ya Wallace.  I had a much more noticeable push/pull relationship with this song than any of the others as I listened to Truth over the past week or so.  I’m always interested in the choices artists & bands make, and even more-so in the cases where what I’m hearing doesn’t automatically make sense to me.  As I’ve always said, polarizing choices are actually a positive in the majority of circumstances…when we hear something that doesn’t quite seem to fit, like that laser-like sound in “My Love Is Due,” these are the kinds of things we talk about and debate with other people, and that’s a heck of a lot better than pure indifference, or a lackluster comment of ‘it was good’ that you’d get from family and/or friends.  There’s nothing worse than silence in my opinion, so keep the strangeness coming, and keep’em talking.

Lighting up one last track for the finale with a colorful burst of energy and harmonies to finish things off, “Let The Words Out Of My Mouth” is the kind of sound that really reflects the pure joy that Wallace experiences in making music, and c’mon…no one’s here to take anything away from the value in that, right?  Let the man have his fun, I say!  Let him share his beliefs and celebrate his religion if that’s what he wants to do with his time!  Like I said, I’ve got no issues with that…no one’s telling you that you HAVE to listen if that’s not what you wanna do, not even Wallace.  If you dig what he’s been singing & rapping about throughout the course of Truth, then turn it UP and have some fun along with him if that’s how you feel!  Music is meant to be shared, and there’s so much of it out there that if you’re lucky enough to find something that genuinely connects with you, kick up your heels and dance, sing along, and enjoy your time.  We’re all here for a shorter time than we’d want to be…so take every chance you get to celebrate, no matter how small it might seem.  “Let The Words Out Of My Mouth” has vibrant energy, it’s upbeat, it’s FUN…and whether or not you’re religious, we can all use some more fun in our days, right?  I might not know a whole lot about anything, but that’s the real Truth as far as I’m concerned.

Find out more about Wallace Rahming from his main website at:  https://www.wallacerahming.com

Ya ha!  This link right here is the key to being the next artist or band featured here at sleepingbagstudios, so instead of just ignoring it, click it instead!