Several of the songs are about life as a spiritual journey. 'Enough to Let me Go' boldly addresses God: "Do you love me enough to let me go?/To let me follow through/To let me fall for You." 'Mess of Me' is a driving, pulsating song about the struggle a Christian has with their flesh: "The sickness is myself/I've made a mess of me/I want to get back the rest of me/I've made a mess of me/I want to spend the rest of my life alive." 'Free' is about a person who is in trouble but believes in God's power: "I've got my back against the wall/But I still hear the blue sky call/The chains that hold me back inside/Are the prisons of my mind/Free/Come set me free/Down on my knees/I still believe/You can save me from me." 'Sing it Out' is a quiet ballad, nicely orchestrated: "My world is a lie that's come true/And I fall in love with the ones that run me through/When all along all I need is You." 'Red Eyes' is an open invitation for the prodigal to return home to God: "Every now and then I see you dreaming/Every now and then I see you cry/Every now and then I see you reaching/Reaching for the other side/What are you waiting for?"
Love is a common theme on the album. 'Your Love is a Song' is a ballad with these poetic lines about God's love: "Your love is a symphony/All around me/Running through me/Your love is a melody/Underneath me/Running to me." 'The Sound (John M. Perkins' Blues)' has a passionate shouted vocal and is an anthem to love and it's relevance in our broken world. 'Hello Hurricane' is more pop oriented (think Newsboys or U2) and is a tribute to the prevailing power of love amidst hard times. On 'Bullet Soul', lead singer Jon Foreman gets his scream on: "Love is the one true innovation/Love is the only art/Don't let 'em blow it apart."
'Needle and Haystack Life', the album's opener, reminds us that we are here on this earth with a purpose: "The highs and lows/We call it living/In this needle and haystack life/I've found miracles there in your eyes/It's no accident we're here tonight/We are once in a lifetime." 'Yet' is a ballad about relationship troubles: "It's when you're breaking down/With your insides coming out/That's when you find out what your heart is made of/And you haven't lost me yet."
HELLO HURRICANE is a highly relatable solid rock record. I'm giving it a 90%.