Religion has always been a subject that I return to in my head every so often. I debate myself on the merits of its existence as a concept and the often outweighed drawbacks it has on us. Belief is a powerful thing, one that often inspires hope in the minds of billions around the world. On the other hand, faith has been used to drive hate and discrimination against whatever the out-group of the time is, actively holding society back from progress. I have personally had mixed experiences with religion. Christianity, or more specifically catholicism, is probably the most common denomination where I’m from. For a long time, when I was younger and less open minded, I pictured every devout Christian as judgmental and bigoted, free from reason. As time went on and my perspective grown, I know acknowledge most religious people are accepting of others and quite lovely people. The lovely Texan band Lift to Experience only reassures me of this.
The band consists of three devote church-going Christians. Josh T. Pearson, the mastermind and madman of the band, bassist Josh “The Bear” Browning, and Andy “The Boy” Young beating the devil out of the drums. Pearson comes from a strong religious background, going to church every Sunday where his dad would preach. His love of music came from these weekly church services as a choir boy. Later on Pearson would pursue a life of rock music, a choice that caused severe internal struggle. The people around him always said that rock was the “devil’s music” and had no overlap with his faith. After a period of perfecting his craft, along with the acceptance of where he stands, Pearson formed what would be known as Lift to Experience in the heart of the Bible Belt: Denton, Texas.
Lift to Experience is a band that sounds like nothing before or after it. Just one genre label would be difficult to pin them down to. Shoegaze? Post rock? Christian music? Psychedelia? Country? The answer is all of them at once blasting at you with the force of a star. The band’s incredible soundscapes are all produced from one guitar. A singular Jazzmaster, some pedals and a custom built amp are all it took to create the explosive and spinning atmosphere carefully crafted by Pearson. It’s truly a remarkable feat, considering most other bands labelled as post rock have at the very least two guitars or other melody making instruments at their disposal. Every instrument seems to have a mind of its own but still collaborates to form a swirl of euphony. Andy Young’s drums aren’t anything short of impressive, often times taking center stage even above the guitar. The album would not be the same without those cymbal rolls or tom hits, constantly contributing to the action instead of hiding in the background for rhythm. Pearson’s warm voice cuts through the noise to soothe the listener. The juxtaposition of a full voice with country twang intersecting with effect heavy guitars cuts through the tension of an otherwise overwhelming album.
One of the album's biggest draws is its ability to tell an undeniably Christian narrative without being preachy. Pearson wanted to make art that said what he wanted to say, but mixed in humor to keep listeners from being put off. The story of Texas Jerusalem Crossroads is another retelling of countless of Christian works: the Rapture. But in an almost comedic twist, God descends upon Texas claiming it is the true holy land and guides three unnamed heroes to salvation as told in the intro “Just as Was Told”. World building is an integral part of the lyrical content of the album. The narrator tells of a great storm coming, angels falling from heaven, pleads to those oblivious to abandon their materialistic ways and hop a train to Texas, with rifles in hand to fight a wholly unwinnable war. Despite taking place during what would undoubtedly be an incredibly chaotic and harrowing event, the words remain reassuring, as if everything if going to be OK. It’s almost anthemic in a way, war songs for the Final Judgment. The Texas Jerusalem Crossroads is the coolest sermon ever told.
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