Elias Dummer ‘The Work, Vol. 1’ Review

Elias Dummer
The Work, Vol. 1
(Integrity)

“It ain’t easy for the self to die.”

Elias Dummer’s musical thesis for his brand new album, The Work, Vol. 1 can be found on its title track, a bedroom acoustic turn that admits the difficulties of discipleship. The rest of The Work reflects upon or develops further this idea in a number of directions. “Less of Me” discovers the formula of surrender, while “Enough” flips the currency of the work upside-down.

Further into The Work, Dummer discovers the counterpoint on “The Simple Truth” as he sings, “And the simple truth is love has won and there’s not a thing that can be done.” The song begins in the reserved approach that largely wraps this project, but longtime fans of Dummer, who fronted the popular worship band The City Harmonic, will love how this single track also blossoms with the emotion and energy familiar to longtime TCH fans.

This first volume from Dummer entitled The Work shows a songwriter wrestling with the complexities of his faith—a man who longs for transformation while realizing it’s also beyond him. The end result is a humbled disciple offering up his willingness in musical form.

—Matt Conner