Third Day, Wire

Only a handful of artists have accomplished musical masterpieces to the extent that they now belong in the “How-do-we-top-that?” club. Third Day is a card-carrying member.

Back with the band’s seventh national release, Wire is the first non-praise-and-worship record since 2001’s Come Together. The production and mixing pedigrees of Wire are impressive, allowing the album to reach the pinnacle attained by its predecessors. While previous album Time is full of passionate evangelism and Offerings is replete with unbridled praise, Wire is a bit less commercial. It takes on a sobering and questioning tone, sonically enveloped in what this band does best: straight-ahead rock ‘n’ roll.

While Mac Powell’s bluesy, gritty vocals are the centerpiece of the band (and this record), the rest of the supporting cast (drummer David Carr, bassist Tai Anderson and guitarists Brad Avery and Mark Lee) has never been tighter. The riff-laden call to the prodigal, “Come On Back to Me,” is proof.

Themes vary on this project, ranging from the urgency to share the gospel (the Pentecostal rocker “I Got a Feeling”) to sharing the love (the blues-tinged “I Believe”) and the joy of a changed life (the pop/acoustic “You Are Mine”). And a recurring theme — also found in the title song — is living in the spotlight and the responsibilities it brings (the classic rock sounds of “Rockstar” and “Billy Brown”).

Charting familiar musical territory in 13 songs, Wire doesn’t supercede expectations. It only fulfills the anticipated excellence we’ve come to expect from Third Day.