Nostalgia isn’t necessarily a bad thing. That said, it can be the sweetest of poisons. When incorrectly or excessively applied, nostalgia can be a hoary siren luring the unsuspecting to dash their energies meant for today against the rocks of futile longing for what once was, or the shifting, softening memories of what might have been.
When it comes to the arts, nostalgia is ofttimes a harsh mistress. The fan seizes on a perfectly preserved moment of creation, wishfully ignoring how the performer cannot remain frozen in time any more than they are. Rare is the artist who avoids the desultory results of years and mileage taking their toll. Music is especially unforgiving. The singer now strains to hit notes once reached and held with ease, while the songwriter frantically tries to come up with something other than thinly disguised rehashes of what they have already done. It is, therefore, an extra treat when a veteran artist produces a work of the highest quality, one where true wisdom and insight gained over the decades find themselves exquisitely captured in sound. Such is the case with “Everlasting Day,” the new album by Christian folk artist Bob Bennett.
Southern California native Bennett first came to public attention in 1979 with his debut album “First Things First” on the Maranatha! label. From its release to the present day, he has embodied the troubadour tradition, telling stories both personal and spiritual through songs rooted in the melodic tradition of both the early ‘60s folk revival and the later ‘60s to early ‘70s folk/rock movement. Now 70, Bennett remains unimpeachable as a master of his craft, one whose gift immediately rewards those with ears to hear.
Musically, “Everlasting Day” is Bennett in peak form. The instrumentation is sparse, allowing individual textures to weave together into an utterly satisfying whole. Although he downplays his technical ability on acoustic guitar, Bennett‘s well-honed fingerpicking style excels at creating cascading melodies and counterpoint to his warm, richly textured vocals, which have remained laced with sweet power.
None of this would matter without the tunesmithing skills needed for this genre, and when it comes to delivering the goods, Bennett rewards his listeners to the point of producing a near embarrassment of riches. His songwriting masters the rare skill of being fresh and melodic without entering the realm of fringe. There is no filler or cheap aural trickery in Bennett’s songs. He is a powerful sound sculptor who immediately grabs your attention and keeps it for all the right reasons.
When it comes to lyrics, few artists in any musical genre are Bennett’s peer. “Everlasting Day” maintains this tradition. Unafraid to express both praise and the personal, Bennett speaks to heart, mind, and soul, never insulting his listeners’ intelligence or dumbing down faith’s core elements. The album’s title track beautifully reflects this.
Through no goodness of my own
Someday my buried bones
Will rise to an everlasting day
In the company of all
Redeemed from the fall
I will rise to an everlasting day
Can’t get more hymn-like than that.
Bennett has the ability to tell stories without descending into mawkish sentimentality. “The Whole Life Of My Heart” tells the story of awkward first love with an endearing charm, while on the other side of love, “Colin’s Gift” is guaranteed to pierce the heart of anyone with kids who has gone through a divorce. Bennett also offers keen societal observations through the personal, as is the case in “Living Plan B.”
No grand jeté for the ballerina
Working the night shift in sensible shoes
Eggs over easy, the long-haul poet
Hides his notebook, chases his muse
Silent armies of wanna-bes
Casting parts in factories
Nothing to lose
Having to choose
Willingly
Living Plan B
As do all lions in autumn, Bennett faces mortality with both the hope of eternal life in Christ and honest fear of that which is firmly believed in yet remains unknown with “I’m Still Afraid To Die.”
At the end of my days
If I am not alone
And Jesus leads the Way
To carry me home
If He knows my soul by name
And someday I will fly
I hope He can forgive me
‘Cause I’m still afraid to die
September 2025 will long stand out as a crystallizing point in time, one seeing humanity at its worst and best. One who preached the truth in love, his life and work based in Christ’s love, lost his earthly life at the hands of an individual pumped full of hatred, while the other side blames believers for propagating hatred even as it is their words driving their own to kill. At such a time of horrific events displaying humanity’s lack of same toward others, “Everlasting Day” by Bob Bennett is a welcome balm for the wounded heart. It looks at the past not to live there, but instead as a place and time to learn from as we face today‘s challenges.
The album is available on most streaming services, including Spotify.
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