Driving guitars, booming drums and a prison break open the first track of Learning to Lose, the debut modern rock CD from new RKT Music band The Turning. But the escape alluded to doesnt involve running from any sort of illegal activity; rather, The Turning hopes to use its music to persuade all who will listen to break free of the insecurities, doubts, confusion and fears that hold them captive.
The main message we want to spread is that people should be themselves, says frontman Jacob McGinnis. In Waking the Dead, author John Eldredge says, let the world feel the weight of who you are. We want people to tear down the walls that are often built around their hearts, so that their hearts can be free, free to be the amazing person that God created them to be.
The Turning got its start when, after several years of playing worship music in their home churches, Chattanooga, Tenn. residents Matt Warren, Jeff Goff and Jeremy Little decided to try their hand at modern rock. The three set to work creating bass/drum/electric guitar tracks that were musically gripping, and the songs they crafted would make perfect sense alongside everything from Delirious to Foo Fighters to Switchfoot. But this rapidly-developing band knew they needed a frontman.
Enter Jacob McGinnis, an aspiring artist playing coffeehouses near his Middle Tennessee State University campus. With one audition McGinnis, who had been friends with Warren for years, quickly showed that his compelling voice and incisive writing were laden with the perfect pop-rock hooks to provide the bands finishing touches. Five years of touring and recording later, The Turning is ready to perform its uniquely engaging and rhythmic modern rock songs on a bigger stage.
RKT Music founder and Grammy-winning artist Michael W. Smith says, "The Turning's Learning to Lose has been in my CD player and in heavy rotation since the day I got it from RKT. In a word, these songs are infectious. This record doesn't have just one or two great tracksit is DEEP with hooks, great production and songs that can be enjoyed on a number of different levels. I'm convinced that this is a defining record for RKT!"
However, The Turnings journey to Smiths label, a major CD release and nationwide attention hasnt been quick or easy. In fact, it wasnt that long ago that this band, exhausted by their efforts to make a living with their music, nearly reached its own demise. Explains guitarist Matt Warren, A few years ago the band had a state of the union meeting, and we determined it was either time to give up or get serious. After some prayer and discussion, we decided to go all in and move to Nashville. Around this time I was watching some extras on the Lord of the Rings DVDs. One of the producers was talking about Tolkien's story-telling methods, and he said that Tolkien always thought that it wasn't the catastrophe that made the story, but the moment just after the catastrophe. Everybody's life will experience some meltdown, but it's what you do the moment after that determines the outcome. And thats really the story of our bandwe made the decision to stick with it even though we were all ready to give up. And that turning moment really has made all the difference.
After re-locating to Nashville, The Turning committed 110 percent to writing, recording, touring and making the most of their collective musical talents. The resulting CDLearning to Losehighlights the lessons this band has learned about the critical moments in every persons journey and the importance of not letting fear or circumstances hold us back on the path. Even the albums title, a line from the song For You, reiterates this idea. McGinnis says, The main message of the lyric is that sometimes you actually lose more by winning. We dont serve a God who is occupied with winning and losing. He is concerned with the journey and what our hearts learn and become on the way.
And thats the lesson The Turning hopes to leave with its audience. Perhaps the band sums it up best in the albums final call, Heart Is Free, completing the thought that began with the opening track and offering hope to all who listen, all who feel captive on lifes difficult and dangerous road.
