Deep in the forest lived a tribe of people. The tribe was small, but they were very loud for their numbers, as they loved to worship their Creator with powerful song and dance.

Every night they would gather around a giant fire and sing songs about their God and of their tribe's history in following their God.

And as they sang, they would play their drums--and oh, they would dance! They would jump in the air! They would wave their arms as their bodies moved in fluid motion to the beat of the song. As they danced, their brightly colored-feathered headdresses would move up and down with the beat of the rhythm.

Some who visit the tribe try to watch their singing and dancing from the sidelines, but they quickly learn a great truth. You can't just listen. The worship is participatory, and all are drawn to join the circle.

OK, I've never been to that forest and I've never danced with a tribe like this one, but I have danced with the Greene tribe at Cornerstone. That tribe is composed of folks who are not just listeners or even fans, but rather participants in Madison Greene's tribal worship.

As I reflect back on those times of wild, abandoned worship I am struck with how difficult it is to distill that experience into cold digital media like a CD. Yet, Madison Greene has attempted it and the result is their new album, …think the dancer's mad.

Were they successful? I'll leave that question for later.

First, though, how does this album compare with Whitestone Gathering (their previous album)? That is a hard question, because I realize my lack of objectivity when reviewing either of them. (When music connects to me on the deepest level, it becomes a part of who I am, not just music to be graded and critiqued.)

So with that disclaimer in mind, I would say that this album is more representative of their live performances than their last release, especially in the sections where the drums are allowed to go crazy with faster and more complex rhythms (I.E.--"nampula" and "Tribal Call").

I think it would also be fair to say that this album is less accessible to the average listener than the previous release. There is less attention given to creating songs that are the right length and format for your average music listener, and the album as a whole is an astounding 70:46 minutes long (19 tracks all together)! This lack of accessibility to the market is, to me, an example of MG's commitment to their art (and is a good example of what more artists could do if their hands weren't tied down by industry executives).

There are no duds on this album, but I do have a few favorite tracks that are better than the rest. One is "Collide," a song that talks about the collision of philosophies between legalistic Pharisees in the church and authentic followers of Christ who desire to worship in creative ways. This song doesn't mince words, but serves up the truth like a raw steak.

Another notable is "Sister's Keeper," a very convicting song that tells about an encounter with a girl named Kansas. Kansas is a hurting, demon-possessed, drug-addicted prostitute who needs Jesus bad. Yet, as we all do, the protagonist of the song justifies ignoring her by telling himself, "I'm not my sister's keeper." However, on further reflection, the paradigm-shaking thought comes out--"I know that Jesus wept for her, and I should show her how if I am not my sister's keeper, who am I and how?"

MG continues to let the Spirit convict through their words in "Understatement." In this song, Erin Beck (who wrote the song and very effectively sings lead vocals on it) compares the American holocaust of the unborn to that of the horrible infant sacrifices of the ancient Canaanites.

(By the way, on the chorus listen for Melissa screaming out the "let it be said that I stood!" If that doesn't get you fired up, nothing will.)

While songs like "Understatement" are powerful expressions of righteous anger and outrage, there are also songs like "Departure" that sing of the joy of following Jesus. "Departure" is an old-school, straight-up folk song. You can't help but feel good as you hear the band performing this song live, with the addition of a harmonica (played by Bone) and MG's family and friends clapping along and adding the occasional yelp for good measure.

One of my favorite parts of the song, lyrically, is this:

The feel-good folk vibe continues as the band flows into the next song, "The Woman, The Freedom, The Child," a joyous song that sings of discovering the truth of God's love when holding a child.

Last of all, and most importantly, Madison Greene sings some of the most amazing songs of praise to God, including "The Eastern," and especially "Tribal Call."

Seeing MG sing "Tribal Call" live is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Every band member is on a drum playing his/her heart out, while the entire tribe is dancing with abandon. In the midst of this glorious rhythmic symphony, the band busts into tribal singing that sounds like it came straight from Africa. While I have no idea what the words mean, the feel of the words is they are calling the tribe together for a great battle.

Then out of this midst of this great and glorious ensemble, Melissa bursts out with the old hymn "How Great Thou Art!" Then they go into tribal chanting; then more of the hymn; and then they move right into the next track ("nampula"), an instrumental percussion song written by Jason Beck. It was inspired by the rhythms of the Nampula village people, which he heard while visiting their tribe in Africa. Wow! (I get excited just trying to describe it! For these two songs alone, you need to buy this album.)

Finally, back to the original question--did Madison Greene accomplish its mission? Were they able to transfer the passion and intensity of tribal worship to a cold, sterile CD? The answer is up to you. If you are willing to engage with the lyrics, to sing along, to even dance like a crazy fool, then you, too, can experience the joy of worshiping with the tribe.

* Lyrics are © 2000 Madison Greene, all rights reserved

** The liner notes don't give credits on who did the album art, but it is wonderful! I love the girl dancing on the front, the pictures and paintings of the band members, and especially the whimsical illustrations on the margins of the lyric pages. (They remind me very much of some of the crazy art of the Jesus movement zines in the early days.)