Strong, spirited, and imbued with a strong sense of purpose, Chris Nauman’s “We Stand Our Ground” is a powerful unforgettable message. The arrangement is impeccable with the guitar glistening as the rhythm moves forward in a classic rock fashion. By far the heart of the song is the highly articulate, clever lyricism. Over the course of the song Chris Nauman explores the meaning of defiance as he holds out against the negative forces of change. Rather than succumb the song grows in terms of true intensity. His self-assured voice leads the way as the rest of the song builds up in intensity all around him.
A soothing cyclical riff introduces the piece. Incorporating more acoustic sounds at first these are slowly transformed with an ever-increasing sound of the electric. The soulful performance of the song is undeniable. Choruses come through helping to further emphasize the song’s core message. Much of what surrounds his voice is a rather raw, intimate sound. Guitar work is quite elegant, with clever driving riffs, dreamier soaring work, alongside a rather hopeful strain of folk. Roughly halfway through the piece everything comes together resulting in a complete rush of sound. Building up to become ever larger and all-encompassing, the song reaches a true fevered pitch towards the end of the piece as Chris Nauman’s calm, assured vocals rise above the increasingly busy arrangement.
“We Stand Our Ground” shows off Chris Nauman’s deft skill in tying together elements of rock, folk, and choral music into a satisfying whole.
By Beach Sloth
