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Canada has always had a knack for producing great Christian Bands. Groups like Thousand Foot Krutch, Downhere, Hawk Nelson and Code of Ethics have made major contributions to the Music Industry over the past decade. Last year a new Canadian Piano rock group named The City Harmonic burst onto the scene with their debut EP Introducing The City Harmonic. The immediately gained a large following because of the success of their song Manifesto and so it was time for the quartet to put out a full length album consisting of entirely new material.

Unlike with most new groups it would be hard to put The City Harmonic into one specific category. They seem to be able to do whatever style they feel like doing at the moment, the whole album almost feels like a Jack-of-all-trades with no specific mastery with the exception of the Anthem. The opener "Yours" almost sounds like something you'd find on a U2 album, it's a good rocker and a solid opener. The next two tracks "Spark" and "Mountaintop" are both rock anthems but the former transitions perfectly into the latter by using a part of MLK's Mountain top. The songs also have similar beats and probably wouldn't have worked so well had they not been placed one after the other. "Wake Me Up" screams of 80's rock influence, putting the spotlight on the guitars and Elias Dummer's raw vocals. The band also shows that they can slow down and worship with well composed "Be Still My Soul."

As was the case with their EP The City Harmonic doesn't seem to show any fear when it comes to producing deep and meaningful lyrics. The emotional "Yours" starts things off with the need for surrender and sacrifice. "Spark" is a cry out to God for His love to enter and rekindle the fire in our hearts ("Could a spark of your love, light a fire in me, just a spark warm my cold heart, it's living, let breathe"). "Falls Apart" deals with our tendency to walk away from God and how we fall apart when we do. This track is contrasted beautifully by "Be Still my Soul" which is a passionate song about the desire to be lost in God. "Love" starts by exploring the role emotions that play in our hearts and follows then transitions to 1^st Corinthians 13 and finally settles on the idea that God is love.

It's clear that The City Harmonic didn't fail to pull out all the stops for their first full length studio album I Have a Dream (It feels like home). This debut could mark the beginning of a very promising career within the Christian Music Industry.

Record Label: Kingsway Music
Album length: 12 tracks: 44 minutes, 49 seconds
Street Date: October 18, 2011