Fr. Justin's style is acoustic folk rock, and his songs cover spiritual topics like the peace of the Holy Spirit and the unearthly experience of the Divine Liturgy, to more practical subjects like helping the homeless and loving one's wife. All ages will enjoy Justin's newest work!

Have a listen to his music while you read the album review that follows.

Play Sample

Rating: 4.5 stars

You may have heard him as the lead singer of Nashville-based “Many Waters” in the late-‘90s. Or you may have caught him on tour before that under his nickname “Fuzzy.” But chances are unless you frequent Kansas or Pennsylvania, you haven’t caught the recent concerts showcasing the new tunes of Orthodox folk-rock artist Justin Mathews.

Confessing between the Lines is the first full-length release by Mathews since his conversion to Orthodoxy in 1999. While his previous CDs were more along the lines of the CCM rock genre, his new disc features a more acoustic folk-rock sound. Lyrically, the content is thoroughly “Orthodox,” though you will find few songs actually arguing dogma or doctrine.

The disc opens with the familiar vesperal psalm “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm150) sung in a heartfelt Byzantine plea over a guitar-strum ison. Immediately following this appropriate and prayerful intro, Mathews kicks into an energetic picking pattern and a song about his contacts with various homeless souls in Nashville (The Collection). Next is an upbeat, bass-drums-guitar tune about a seeker with a calm and peaceful vibe (Peaceful).

Throughout the album, Mathews shows his diverse writing capabilities by addressing issues ranging from homelessness and his personal spiritual struggles to the very vibrant relationship he enjoys with his wife. Similarly, he demonstrates his musical skill by offering memorable stand-out guitar melodies that make simple folk tunes great.

Perhaps the apex of the album comes at track 11, “Lovers of Truth,” when a driving, muffled guitar strum is joined by tight drums and a traveling bass line. The arrangement opens the door for the following chorus to challenge listeners to action: It might be down to us now! We’ve got to try and live this out. It might not start a revolution but if it’s only a spark it still starts with me and you!

All in all, Confessing between the Lines reflects the sound of musical giants like Dave Matthews, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Lisa Loeb. But while Mathews borrows from many, he copies none. This is a fully original work, each song refreshingly new and challenging. And unlike many folk CDs, there is a notable variety of both instrumentation and tempo.

If you like creative writing and great guitar work, don’t be like the national radio gurus who have somehow overlooked this musical artpiece. Pick up a copy today!