The Brilliance – Planting Seeds Of Peace

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In the opening moments of All Is Not Lost (buy), the latest offering from The Brilliance, a voice cuts through the starry haze of space, gazing down upon the world: “Oh earth, oh earth… Your scars are deeper than you know.” It’s a gentle view of a troubled blue planet full of beauty and pain, and the wounded world has drawn the empathy of its Creator.

From here, David Gungor and John Arndt take us on a journey that’s a natural successor and vastly different experience from their 2015 debut Brother (buy). Brokenness and reconciliation have always been major themes in their songs, but in the aftermath of a year known for violence, fear, and a particularly contentious political atmosphere, it’s only fitting that All Is Not Lost steps out from the church walls and into the fractured world.

Shortly before the album’s release, we had a chance to talk with David Gungor about the big themes permeating the record, the inspiration he finds living in New York City, and how to take the first steps toward reconciliation.

CCM Magazine: All is Not Lost seems to have this narrative arc and style that’s very different from Brother. Can you talk about that?
David Gungor: It starts with a 100,000 foot view of Earth and its pain, and asks how you deal with the gift of life. Then there’s “Gravity Of Love” that’s very Psalm-based: “I lift my eyes unto the hills… where my helps comes from.”

“Night Has Passed” and “See The Love” are getting into how we deal with life, and in “Hear Our Prayer,” that first voice comes back from “Oh Earth,” a voice from the place of tension and pain. Which leads you into the question, “How do we fix this?”

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