Artist Spotlight: Article One

By Anthony M. Corliss-Smith  

I couldn't find a bio for the Ontario based band that is Article One (brothers Nathan and Matt Piche, Dave De Smit and Mark Laidman). So, I decided to write the spotlight on the merit of their music alone…I started the MySpace player and did the best thing to do while writing an article: surf the web.

Now, I must admit to having been upset when I started this. Most would say I should have waited till I cooled off. Usually they would be right in saying so. Usually. But by the time the four songs had finished playing, between the guitars and the vocals and the lyrics, my mood had improved. I was uplifted. Closer examination revealed that the lyrics of the songs were all relevant to what I’m going through right now. They point to God and shed some light on the path I should take.

“Slow Down” is an upbeat song warning against (surprise!) taking things too fast. Being an overachiever: “But slow down, don't you see it coming? / You came from the middle of nowhere, / Took it to the top to have it crumble apart / Hard pressed to be somebody out there.” Whenever we go out on our own, we rely on ourselves. Yet “One's greatest strength so often brings them down / (Don't let that be the thing that brings you down).” Which leads to the next song, “In No Time At All.”

The Bible was written partially to help us plan ahead. When you listen to yourself, you are failing to plan. Only God knows the future. And when we act on our own ideas, well…things go wrong. “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” (Proverbs 27:1, NIV) Or from the chorus of the song, “In no time at all the world could fall to pieces / In no time at all our lives could come apart / We never know where life will take us / Be ready don't hide your heart.” And God’s Word speaks through our heart. (Jeremiah 20:9)

“Say It Again” solves the previous two issues. The true Christian Walk is based on this foundation: God loves the Believer; and the Believer loves God. (Romans 8:39; Matthew 22:37) Article One exemplifies this truth of a mutual love relationship in the lyrics “Say it again, I'll say that I love you / Say it again, I'll say that I need you / I'll say it again, say it again, say it again.” After all: “We love because He first loved us.” (I John 4:19, NIV)

All in all, Article One is encouraging, honest and talented. Through their music, God reminded me of three very important things: (1) Slow down, (2) Don’t rely on my heart and (3) Christianity isn’t a religion, it’s a friendship.

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