Lead singer Isaac Slade mourns a friend’s passing on the title track, wishing he could have done more to help (“I would have stayed up with you all night had I known how to save a life”). That song also advocates praying to God. “All at Once” and “Over My Head (Cable Car)” recommend working through relational difficulties, with the former noting, “Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same.” Lyrics also urge a “falling apart” friend to hang tough (“Heaven Forbid”) and remind us that some painful words can’t be taken back (the Coldplay-style “Fall Away”). “Look After You” is selflessly romantic (“What’s mine is yours to make your own”).
Two cryptic lines could be interpreted as promoting an if-it-feels-good-do-it mentality.
Slade, a committed Christian, uses pop hooks to grab listeners’ attention, then raises profound questions about life in a way that’s not churchy. Not that fans will get many answers. Still, that ambiguity should pose no problem for teens with their feet on the ground.
