Folk singer stays true to art, faith

Joe Uveges has done it. He’s come out of the closet . . . and admitted he’s a Christian.

Uveges’ new album, “When Freedom Calls,” is a collection of spiritual tunes that lays bare his beliefs and even mentions the J-word a few times. It’s a bold move for the singer-songwriter who has been toiling on the local folk scene for two decades, and who has built his loyal audience outside of Christian circles.

Uveges writes in his liner notes: “On some level, though, I was afraid — afraid I would lose my audience — afraid people would not understand. I am still afraid, but I have felt something shift in me that will not allow me to wait anymore.”

He need not fear. “When Freedom Calls” is a fine album.

Uveges walks an unusual road, though. His songs might be too quirky and heretical for the contemporary Christian music crowd that craves singalong choruses everyone can learn quickly on Sunday mornings. But the songs might be too religious for folk music fans.

It is a meandering path Uveges follows, but it feels like an honest one. Most religious music is treacle, not only because of the demands of corporate worship but because it delivers clichéd thoughts and pat answers.

Uveges is comfortable asking questions on these 11 songs. He embraces mystery and unknowing, as any truthful artist must.

He tells the story of the prodigal son from the perspective of the pig he shared food with when he hit rock bottom (“The Canticle of the Pig”) and then from the perspective of the father (“I’ll Never Stop Loving You”).

The best song on the album is “I’m Not Waitin,’” a moody tune with a pulsating, passionate determination. The song seems to be about seizing the Kingdom of God and ingesting it today rather than waiting for a second coming. It is a powerful call to create change rather than waiting for a far-off heaven, closer perhaps to Joseph Campbell’s reading of Jesus’ words than Billy Graham’s.

The song also exemplifies the evolution of Uveges’ music. Instead of just a guy with an acoustic guitar, the exotic percussion forms a scintillating and even foreboding texture behind his words, the electric guitar adds muscle, and the vocals favor Uveges’ warm baritone.

Other standouts are his cover of Dave Carter’s “Gentle Arms of Eden” and “Receive Who You Are.” “Receive” is a more traditional Christian sentiment about the believer being the body of Christ, but it unfolds with clever wordplay, great harmony and a chorus that just might fit into Sunday morning worship after all.

Uveges’ only stumble on this album is his cover of “Let It Be” by The Beatles. While it is intriguing to hear the spirituality of these lyrics anew, unless you have the voice of Rufus Wainwright on “Across the Universe” or the idea to transform a song’s sound, covering The Beatles is dicey territory.

Jesus or no, my one complaint with Uveges remains: His brand of folk tends toward a sipping-hot-tea-by-the-fire adult contemporary sound and lacks the jagged edges that tear open the callouses of indifference.

Then again, most folks might rather sip hot tea by the fire than stand bleeding before the music they love, so maybe Uveges is on to something.

He said this album might be like Bob Dylan’s Christian years: He probably won’t gain any fans, and he may even lose a few. Nevertheless, it was the album he needed to make.

If an artist is afraid of the repercussions of his art but feels compelled to put it out there anyway, it’s usually a good sign.

Details

Joe Uveges album release concerts

Where: First Congregational Church, 20 E. Saint Vrain St.

When: 7-9 p.m. today

Special guests: Susan Rissman (vocals) and Jen Griffis (keys, vocals)

Where: High Plains Church, Unitarian Universalist, 1825 Dominion Way (6400 block of North Academy Boulevard behind 3 Margaritas)

When: 7-9 p.m. Saturday

Special guests: K.J. Braithwaite (guitars), Charlie Hall (bass, mandolin and guitar) and Jim Sokol (vocals)

Admission to each show is $15 for entry and CD, or $12 if you don’t want a CD. Call Uveges for information: 227-8648.