The Afters - 'I Wish We All Could Win'

• Style: Contemporary
• 10 tracks of well-crafted worship, covering a variety of genres
• Release Date: February, 2005

The Bottom Line

The Afters debut with melodic, beautifully arranged worship.

The Afters’ I Wish We All Could Win beautifully balances muscular rhythms with melodic hooks to offer ten tracks of sonic sweetness, wonderfully satisfying.

Opener “Beautiful Love” sets the vertical tone immediately with a surge of pounding rhythms and sparkling guitars offset by Havens’ ardent tribute to sacrificial love. This theme runs throughout I Wish We All Could Win, as the rock quartet examines divine love poured out in daily life. The exhilarating “Until the World” continues in the same pounding vein, its wildly hooky chorus overflowing with both honesty and promise.

But the Afters take things to the next level with the inclusion of violins, viola and cello, creating swirling soundscapes that bring Switchfoot and at times even the Beatles White Album to mind, with their utopian rock visions (the dreamy “Love Lead Me On”). Things slow down for the melodic worship track “All That I Am,” giving Haven’s warm vocals a chance to roam freely. Another beautifully arranged worship track stands out as well, the shining “You.” Don’t miss the sweetly sensitive cello work. The rock chords of the ambient “Love Will Make You Beautiful” are as encouraging as the lovely lyrics.

The project closes out powerfully, with the acoustic charmer “Wait,” one of their older songs. The simple song is moving and uplifting, very White Album with its string section moving in and out and the stirring message expressed so emotively. Closer “Thank God I’m Not the One” is nothing short of stunning, its vulnerable confessions grabbing you by the throat and wrestling you to your knees. The Afters know how to lead us right to the Throne, and yes, we all win there.

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