In fact, its one shocking statement in particular that seems to be making this Webb’s most intriguing and controversial offering to date, but more on that in a moment. Overall, Stockholm Syndrome doesn’t veer far from Derek’s usual topics de jour of social justice and liberty in the Spirit, and perhaps the most moving moment on the record occurs during “The Proverbial Gun”, an analogous tale of a murderer being set free despite his crimes, in which he strains his voice to sing the word “free” over and over.

Not to question the artist, but instead of “intentionally inorganic,” perhaps “free” or “freedom” would be better suited to describe the heart of this record. Lyrically and stylistically, Webb seems to be flipping the bird at convention with one hand while holding a Bible in the other to back up his reasoning for doing so. In short, what should be a convicting album comes off as condescending. For example, in “The Spirit Vs. The Kick Drum”, Webb proclaims, “I don’t want the Son, I want a jury of peers…I don’t want the Father, I want a vending machine.” These can be accurate and arresting statements but one never feels as if Derek is singing about himself but rather “those types of Christians.”

Just about every song on the record is provocative in some sense, whether it’s the strange tune “Freddie, Please” written to Fred Phelps, the unsavory “pastor” behind God Hates Fags, or the nearly danceable “Jena & Jimmy” which seems to be a cautionary tale about a one night stand. Of course, the most talked about track on the album is “What Matters More” a song so controversial that it’s forced Webb’s label to release an “explicit” and “clean” version of the record when the physical release hits stores September 1st (the album is already available as a digital download). There are several layers to the song both sonically and lyrically, but at its core is the question, “Does someone’s sexual preference really matter when compared to all the suffering in the world?” A reasonable question, but Webb’s method of questioning is, well, questionable as he sings:

If I can tell what’s in your heart by what comes out of your mouth
Then it sure looks to me like being straight is all it’s about
It looks like being hated for all the wrong things
Like chasin’ the wind while the pendulum swings

‘Cause we can talk and debate until we’re blue in the face
About the language and tradition that he’s comin’ to save
Meanwhile we sit just like we don’t give a sh*t
About 50,000 people who are dyin’ today

Tell me, brother, what matters more to you?
Tell me, sister, what matters more to you?

The word around the blog-o-sphere (the internet is always reliable, right?) is that the “give a sh*t” line is derived from a Tony Campolo quote of the same nature where he asserts that 50,000 people are dying every day and we’re more concerned about the fact that he said sh*t. It’s a somewhat legitimate point, but the message of dying people gets lost in the medium of a profanity.

To be sure, Stockholm Syndrome is not background music. It’s intelligent, thought-provoking and challenging, and even with its finger-pointing and misguided barbs, its well worth your time and attention.

This review was provided by Alex Whitworth of Gooseradio.com

Music

Who influenced you musically? (Bryan)

As a youngster rock bands like Van Halen and Queen.  I became a Christian when I was 14 at a very legalistic church.  Rock music was considered a sin.  There was a period of time during my teenage years that I explored “acceptable” forms of music, which basically meant anything without drums or electric guitar.  I dove into classical music.  This was good for me.  I really enjoyed Bach.  It was tough but good to broaden my musical horizon.  My first introduction to Christian music was a band called Pray For Rain, or PFR.  They were a huge influence on me.

What does Vota mean?

We wanted a name that didn’t have a big meaning attached to it.  We wanted fans to just let us be the definition.  As they dive into who we are and our music, that’s VOTA.

What songs on the new album do you think impacts and encourages the Christian the most?

The song “Honestly” encourages and challenges the believer not to be afraid of being honest about your weaknesses.  Much of the church is afraid to share their doubts and struggles.  This song is a call to be transparent not just with our faith, but our doubts, not just with our strengths, but our weaknesses.

What is your favorite part about touring?

Bringing these songs to new places and audiences.  I like traveling with my friends.  Least? Being away from my family

How would you describe your particular genre?

I think this new album falls into a pop/rock/dance category

Faith

What do you think the biggest problem facing Christian men today?

Such a weighted question.  For me, my biggest problem as a Christian man with a family is truly living my life by faith.  I have a family to take care of.  Carrying the weight of caring for a family can have an effect on so many of life’s decisions, such as choice of career, where we choose to live, how much we give to others in need.  I’m always wanting to see far down the road, to keep my family in a safe environment and secure financial situation.  I don’t want my faith in Christ to be an “addition” to my life.  I want my faith in Christ to “be” my life.  I want to be able to trust God when the path before me is dark and uncertain.

What has the Lord taught you through Vota?

Nothing has really come easy for us.  There seems to be a new crisis every other day.  These difficulties have sharpened and refined us.  We’ve learned how to work together as a team.  We’ve learned to trust God more and realize our plans and timing are not always His. 

What is your favorite Bible passage and why?

The entire book of Galatians has been a favorite for me.  My eyes have been opened to the gospel in a whole new level over the past few years.  It has deepened my faith, ignited my soul, and to a greater degree opened my eyes to the beauty of salvation.  This has been a huge inspiration to me for the writing of the songs on this record as well.

What’s next for Vota?

In 2006 we formed the 180 Tour.  The 180 Tour is a public high school assembly program that encourages students in their character and decision making.  Every school we visit we have an evening event planned where we invite students out to a concert where they can hear the gospel.  We’ve visited over 200 schools in 20 states since 2006.  We plan on further developing this ministry into a non-profit organization.  Visit www.180tour.com for more information.

 We caught up with Ruth at a concert on Halloween night in Kernersville, NC.  Behind the scenes, Dustin took some time to give us a glimpse into his life and into what God is doing with their band today.

His Life

Dustin Ruth grew up in Washington state, a place where music flows through the body almost as fluidly as blood flows through the veins.  Many of the great musicians of our time have come from the same area so his pull towards music seemed natural. 

 Q – Can you tell me your testimony?

 “I grew up in a Christian family.  My parents were fairly new to the faith when I was born.  We lived in a rural part of Washington where my dad opened an auto repair shop.  I grew up there, going to church and my parents also put me into a local private school.  It was like a church that had a school there.  I grew up learning things that I think applied more so later on in life.  After I got out of the private school in junior high, I went to a public school and learned a lot about life there, like everyone else in high school.  I moved to LA after high school to pursue music and at that point, I didn’t really get plugged in to a church down there.  It tended to be kind of lonely searching for acceptance. After a year down there, I decided to move home and start a band with a bunch of guys from high school.  None of us went to college; we were all in the same boat.  We started getting into drugs and alcohol and partying; being a rock band.  We did that for a couple of years and we moved into a house that had a basement and we put on shows there.  The house became very messy, there was garbage everywhere, people in and out all of the time, and cops were watching us because they weren’t sure what we were doing there.  What happened was one day I just really, really wanted to get out of that.  I told the guys that I had to quit the band and I was moving out of the house.  None of them were that happy.  It was really hard to do.  I moved in with my parents and started working at my dad’s auto repair shop and then I started praying really hard that the Lord would somehow touch me or give me direction.  I prayed for like a month and a half.   I was really depressed and the Lord answered my prayer.  One day I was out building a fence with my dad and I just felt the Lord answer my prayer. 

There were all these questions in my mind about music and my future and I felt like He answered that through some of the songs I had already written.  There was a song about a girlfriend, a song about money, a song about drugs, and there was a song about leaving my friends and all those were popping into my head.  It was like the Lord was telling me, “You’ve put a lot of emotion and stuff into all these different things, but they’re all going to fail you.”  I kind of got 4excited at that point and some of the memory verses and things I had memorized when I was younger started coming to the forefront of my mind.  The Lord was using that stuff that my parents had invested so long ago.  At that point, it was just some kind of awesome journey.  Now it’s been five years since I’ve done drugs or anything and the Lord has, through that five years, really grown me.  I have hope now.  I have desires He’s put in my heart.”

Q – What is your favorite verse of Scripture?

“One that’s kind of the theme of the new album is the one in Philippians that says, “He who began a good work in you will continue until the day it is finished.”  My mom shared that with me and it’s one of those promises God gives us that like “Look.  I see beginning to end.  I know what you’re supposed to look like.”  He’s got this perfect image of who we are and He’s helping grow us with His Holy Spirit to be that person.”

His Music

Ruth has had the opportunity to share the stage with Switchfoot and others. Their music has found a way to transcend from only reaching one particular group to being able to reach across many generations of listeners.  It comes for hearing from God, whose message is not limited to teens or to the elders.  It is a message that Dustin and the guys love to share.  It has given them a voice to reach a world that is slipping farther away from the truth every second, as if there is no other choice for how to live life.

 Q – Dustin, what inspires you?

“A lot of things inspire me.  A lot of people ask how I write songs and stuff like that but there’s no real formula.  I think there are a lot of things we have equations for, like how we sell a hamburger and make a buck or how we work and make a buck.  The thing about the songs the Lord has blessed me with is that I don’t really feel like there’s an equation for it.  It doesn’t matter who I am, I don’t know how it happens, but I do know that the Lord has a hug part to do with it.  Sometimes, He just makes me feel like picking up a guitar and I do and sometimes something comes.  Sometimes it don’t.  It’s cool.  I do believe that He already knows these songs and already has them picked out.  He gives them to me when I am scratching at the surface for them.”

 What’s it like seeing your music have such a deep impact on people? (Kody)

It’s a blessing, for sure.  It’s a blessing to be able to do music.  I remember a comment we got on one of our pages.  It was from a mom that has a kid that is apparently autistic.  He can’t talk or anything, but he can make noises.  He sits in a wheelchair.  She was saying that they were doing all kinds of training because all his life, he’s being trained to communicate with his parents so they can help him. When she puts on our music, he gets really excited.  She said that he does a lot of things when he listens to our music; he responds in ways that he doesn’t to anything else.  You feel so blessed to be able to do something like that.  Those encouragements from those people, that impact that you’re talking about, is just a reminder that this is beyond me.  This is outside of who I am because I am just a screwed up guy (laughing).”

What is your favorite part about being on tour? (Kolton)

“Well, just growing tighter with the guys in the band.  We kind of look at the band as a ministry within itself.  A lot of these songs are about truths that God has taught us over the past few years.  I like having these guys around to be my brothers in Christ and encourage each other to be better people and try to do the right thing.  Also, I love meeting other bands and getting to learn from them.  We’ve been blessed to go out with some really cool bands.”

 How did you like touring with Switchfoot? (Kody)

“It was amazing!  Sometimes, it was like such a dream come true that a kid will come up to us and say “I saw you at the Switchfoot concert” and it’s like “OK, it happened!  I wasn’t sure if it had happened.”"

 Dustin also talked about the way that Switchfoot had Bible studies while they were on tour and how the guys had been very inspirational and encouraging to Ruth.  It was an opportunity that they were grateful to get and will forever be a memory that they will cherish.

 Q – What do you see when you look out at the crowd?

“A lot of times, the crowd scares me!  Not because the people are scary because I think they’re all cool.  When we were on that tour (with Switchfoot) walking out on stage in Houston, there were 8,000 people, which is the most we’ve ever played for.  Walking out there, I just live a lot inside my head.  You just want to play the best you can and you hope they enjoy it and get something out of it.  A lot of times, I don’t even open my eyes.  I just close my eyes and play.  I feel like I’m just with people, hanging out.”

How did you meet the other guys in the band? (Kanan)

 “I met Nick about three and a half or four years ago.  I met him through a mutual friend.  We were just hanging out and I remember thinking, “Gosh, that guy is so cool.  I wish he played guitar so we could try to play in a band.  It turned out that he did play the guitar.  I talk to him about jammin’ and we jammed with him and it felt great.  The bass player, Bret, worked in Seattle at Tooth and Nail studio, just helping on a ton of projects.  We met him there for our record, Secondhand Dreaming, and he played on that and ended up touring with us after that.  Our drummer just started with us.  His name’s Daniel.  He’s been in a lot of hardcore, heavy bands.  He just accepted Christ like two years ago.  He’s an awesome example to us.  It’s fun to have him in the band now, hanging out with us, coming all the way out here.  His ambition and drive to serve God is awesome.”

Q – What’s your favorite song you’ve written?

“On the new album, there’s one called “Nothing to Hide”.  It’s number eight on the new album.  That one’s up there.  It’d definitely a deep song but also one that I just praise God that He let me be able to write it.  It’s one of those ones that just moves me.  I like “Speechless” and that’s on the new album.  Those are probably two of my favorites.”

Kody and I mentioned how we liked a couple of the songs from the old album.  Kody mentioned the songs “You Are” and “Mr. Turner” as being two of his favorites.  Dustin mentioned that “You Are” came from John 6.  He then gave us some insight on Mr. Turner.

 “That song totally came from a prayer.  That’s about a guy who didn’t really like me a whole lot or the idea of the band.  He had cancer and wasn’t a Christian and his family was getting scared because he was rapidly dying.  He actually accepted Christ two weeks before he died.  He was seventy-four years old.  That song, when I wrote it, I just remember playing the lick and then all those words just came out and I knew what it was about.  I knew it was for him and for his family.  I think that song is so powerful because God was giving the message like no matter how stubborn someone is, how old they are, how rich they are, how drugged up they are or whatever, if you pray that God will save them, He can work in their heart and let them know that they need Him.  That guy was an older guy who had done a lot of great things in his life and didn’t think he needed God (before he realized his need for Christ).  But he definitely accepted Christ.”

 Q – What is the concept of the new album?

 We were watching Trekkies, a Star Trek documentary.  It’s about people who are Star Trek fanatics, who dress up like Star Trek characters, they learn their languages, and go to the conventions and hang out and talk about Star Trek.  In Trekkies 2, there was a British guy who called them Anoraks.  They asked him what he meant and he said they were nerds and outcasts.  I looked it up online and found that it is an arctic jacket but also British people use it as a slang term for someone who is really into something that nobody else really cares about.  We felt like, sometimes as a band, you get a lot of people saying “Are you in a band?”.  The second they learn what you band is about or that your words are about who God is and what He’s done in your life, they don’t really care.  A lot of people in the world don’t really care if you’re into Jesus and I can understand that because some people’s hearts just aren’t open to it.  They see it as foolish to base your whole life off of something that you can see because they don’t understand.  When we used that term on the title of the album, it’s just the idea that we can understand it can seem kind of weird that we write these songs about God that everybody doesn’t believe in.  The cover has Bigfoot on it because we are from the Northwest.  We just thought it would be fun to tie that in to where we are from.”

 Ruth closed with the song “Mr. Turner” that night for me.  It was as if God used that song to refocus me again, thinking about what could be if only I look to Him at all times.  In that song, the words speak to all of us about what could be if only we remain focused on the God of the impossible.  It says, “What if I keep my eyes on you?  Could I sail across the ocean blue?”  Ruth has seen the way God could take a few guys from Washington and send them all over the United States and into Europe with a message of what God has done in their lives.  They now challenge all of us to see what God can do in our lives too, if only we keep our eyes on God.  With God, we will sail across the oceans in front of us.

Check out their music at http://www.myspace.com/ruthrock

By:  Andy Clapp, Kody Black, Kolton Black, and Kanan Black

2009 Tour Info

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