Music

Derek Webb Reunites with Caedmon’s Call

I think Caedmon’s Call lost big time when Derek Webb left the band in 2003. Even though the band went on without him, for many fans, it was as if the band had broken up. Caedmon’s Call 1.0 gave way to Caedmon’s call 2.0, and it marked the end of an era of great music.

So I’ll bet I’m not the only one who’s happy to hear that Derek is reuniting with the band. Here’s what Cliff Young said in a recent press-release:

“It was definitely a no-brainer to record with Derek again, especially when we [Caedmon’s Call] joined INO, which has been Webb’s label for years,” says Cliff Young. “We all sat down one day and thought ‘I wonder what it would be like to make an album together’. We have all grown so much over the past six years, and I know for me [and I’m sure the others] it was a natural process to switch to INO and then have Derek re-join us for this project and upcoming tour.” Press Release

I don’t know what the album will be like. But I hope it’s as good as “40 Acres,” the album that I consider to be the high water mark of Caedmon’s Call music. It will be interesting to see how lefty Derek fits in with the old band (see my critiques of “Mockingbird” and Brent Thomas’ review of Webb’s new album). Maybe they’ve all moved to the left too. In any case, I am hoping that Caedmon’s Call 3.0 has worked out all the bugs and that the latest version will be even better than the original.

27 Comments

  • rachel

    wahoo!!!! i love derek and i think neither he nor 2.0 have been as good since the early days…looking forward with you to this collaboration…keep us posted

  • Paul

    I will have to check out their music tonight. Maybe they’ll be better than most of what I’ve seen come out of the CCM movement. Which would be fantastic. I’d love to be able to listen to something made by confessing Christians that isn’t absolutely awful.

  • Barry

    What’s next, the apocalypse?

    If it can match “40 Acres,” I will be happy. II just hope it’s not “Derek, with a band and BGVs.” Oh wait, that’s what it was before, so that’d be fine.

    Barry

  • Steve Hayes

    Finally the silence is broken. I’ve known about this for a while, but have been sworn to secrecy (kind of like when I gave Brad F. that pre-release and you guys told the band about it when they played at Tech). Anyway, I have yet another pre-release, and it’s very cool. Of course I may not be the best person to give a critique. I thought “Share the Well” was the bands high water mark. It was their best album musically, lyrically and spiritually. Nobody in CCM has come close to recording an album so socially significant. Funny thing is that it was their worst seller. Just goes to show that when CCM tackles real issues, people aren’t interested. So sad.

  • Steve Hayes

    One other thing: Derek was with the band when they released their worst album by far – Long Line of Leavers. I know I’m a Caedmon’s apologist, but I just haven’t been very impressed with Derek’s solo stuff. I will admit, however, that when they were together, there was definitely magic. Especially at live events. Hopefully they can recreate the magic.

  • Barry

    Steve,
    I agree about “Long Line of Leavers.” Man, I was disappointed when that thing came out. I knew it was bad when the horns came in on verse 2 of the first song (or thereabouts if memory serves). Not that I don’t like horns, but this is not Chicago, this is Caedmon’s. I didn’t care for that album too much, but after being so pleased with “40,” I was let down.

    Looking forward to the new stuff. Glad you have a pre-release. The rest of the goiim will have to wait. Of course, you’ll probably get a free one too. Ha ha.

    Barry

  • dennyrburk

    Barry (in #7),

    I’m laughing out loud. I felt the same way about the cheesy horns in that song. And the album was a let down after 40 Acres, but then again they all were.

    Steve (in #5),

    Derek Webb and I couldn’t be any more different when it comes to theo-politics, and I’m still excited about his return to the group. I guess that makes me an apologist too!

    Much luf,
    Denny

  • rachel

    i LOVE this post and the responses…it makes me miss you guys and being able to drop everything get in.the car and drive to one of their concerts…i laugh thinking about us standing their like little puppies hearing the same songs for the millionth time singing every word and loving every second…the first time i heard bus driver-i have no words, and then on 40 acres-table for two-you knew how you’d save me before i fell dead in the garden! you can’t plan the ends and not plan the means-uh, AMEN…what a gracious Father and creator…
    i do miss you guys and thank God for great friends and fun memories…

    Hallelujah for lasting memories when time leaves us with the speed of light. RF Gates

  • rachel

    also i am seething jealousy…once upon a time we got to hear pre-release stuff…humpff (arms crossed and foot stomping)

  • rachel

    seriously…you name the date and we’re definitely in…well probably, i mean maybe…uh it just can’t be farther than a few hours drive and then we just need someone to keep all four kids…ok i am tired just thinking about it…
    come see us already-this time stay a while will ya?
    …send your girls my love

  • rachel

    btw i got 40 acres out and i am singing along to all the greats!…out of tune of course but still making a joyful noise

  • Jason

    I have to agree with you guys about ’40 Acres’…clearly the best.

    But I guess I am an “old school Caedmons” kind of guy.

    When they released ‘Back Home’, I was so excited because the first song on the album sounded like good old Caedmons…then the second song started off with some sort of weird “MaryMary” or “Out of Eden” vibe….not cool at all.

    I hope this album can leave the political nonsense that Derek has been spouting off for several years behind.

  • Paul

    So, I listened to 40 Acres, and I have to say, I’m really impressed. Doubly impressed because it sounds like a band that put as much thought into the music as the message. That’s a sad rarity in the CCM world.

    But if any band can pull off the Mary Mary thing (they do groove), that’s nothing to complain about.

    It’s funny how nobody complains about Toby Keith’s politics in his songs around here…

  • Jason

    Paul…that’s because I don’t listen to Toby Keith!

    I hate songs that push politics on me…either way.

    Derek’s songs used to be about Christ and the Gospel. Now they are simply political statements…and not even at the same quality of lyric or music that he used to give.

    I hope that this new work gives us solid music and solid lyrics…there is a void in the music world of theologically accurate music, IMO.

  • Michael

    A clarification and a suggestion:
    1) In my understanding, the press release only says that Webb will be on the recording and on the tour.
    2) Two of your links (the link to the press release and to Brent Thomas’ review) begin with “mailto:” in the hyperlink; you may want to remove these.

  • Paul

    Jason,

    there’s really only a lack of theologically correct music if you want to seriously rock out in the most clap on the one and the three kind of a way. There’s always…

    Practically anything from Kirk Franklin or Fred Hammond (who both have VERY kickin’ Gospel Choirs, btw).

    go back a few years and grab yourself some Reverend Gary Davis. Get yourself some solid churchin’ AND a history lesson at the same time.

    there’s always Bob Dylan’s three Christ centered albums before Christians scared Bob out of being a Christian (sad story).

    As for the politics in music thing, as a musician, I gotta say, that’s a slippery slope. Because I am certain that you’d have no problem with a song about the sanctity of life. Which has definitely become a political hot point, at this point.

    And if that one’s up for musical discussion, who’s to say that feeding the poor, war or Darfur shouldn’t be on the plate? It’s not like these are new subjects in the music world.

    If someone were to write a song about our trade deficits with China, I might get annoyed with that song. Because that’s politics that have nothing to do with the heart of the artist. Unless that artist is an accountant.

    And as a Christian who is a lefty, yes, I do feel as if the Republicans have hi-jacked my religion. If I were more of a lyric writer, I might write about that too!

  • MH

    This is interesting news indeed. I’m not sure yet what to make of it… I don’t know if I’m excited or disappointed…

    Jason,

    Would you prefer that artists leave their faith to “faithy” things and stop singing about things that aren’t directly “faithy”? By the way, for the record, Derek didn’t just sing about Christ and the Gospel in the “good ‘ol days” of Caedmon’s Old School. He sang a lot about breaking up with a girl, attending hard-to-watch funerals, etc. In fact, I remember him saying at one of his very first solo shows after breaking with Caedmon’s that he had just written his first song about Jesus. (He said with a laugh that his wife told him he was growing!)

  • Michael Krahn

    Here’s hoping Derek’s writing returns to form. When he was part of the band his songs were my favorites (and the rest of the songs on those albums were mostly throwaways) but when Derek went solo I thought his songwriting took a dive.

  • Jesica

    YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I’m so excited to read this news!

    I lived in Houston when Caedmon’s Call was getting their start, and used to go to a city-wide Bible study where they played every week. It was awesome!

    At the time, Derek used to come into the cafe where I worked, and I used to love to hear him tell the stories behind the songs that he would write. My favorite was “I just don’t want coffee today” song….the story behind that was one I could really relate to at the time…
    all about not dating a non-believer.

    When I married years later, the Lord laid it on our hearts to name our son Caedmon…crazy, but true. It’s so cool because he’s just like the Caedmon of old..he too loves taking Scripture and turning it into song to glorify God. πŸ™‚

    YOOHOOO! Derek is back! Now I’ll buy another Caedmon’s Call CD!

  • Ted

    That all of CC is getting back together is definitely great news. I’m excited.

    But all you guys are NUTS. “Long Line of Leavers” is an amazing album!

  • John

    Wow, glad to find this post here. I like this site but now I like it more. My friends and I have all been saying these same things about Caedmon’s Call and Derek Webb for years. I hope the new cd stuff is good.

    btw – I read the other posts at this site on Derek Webb and thought they were good. I think I’ve been writing off his new message a little too quickly. But it does kind of frustrate me sometimes… and yet, I love his voice (Ezk. 33:32).

  • Curtis

    I was wondering. Is the rest of the band republicans? You said, maybe they’ve all moved to the left. Were they to the right before? Just curious.

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