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It is rare to find a person who writes lyrics, composes melodies, plays multiple instruments, and loves God with all their heart.
Now imagine two of these unique, artistic people joining their gifts to serve God together.
This is the core of After the Chase: husband and wife duo, Nathan and Jenna Strong. As worship leaders and performers, their approach to music is unique. When performing live, they bring more than music to the stage -- they add drama and stories to their songs -- and also mix in their own quirky sense of humor to every concert. When leading worship, they point towards Jesus as the one person who has the power to change us, and in changing us, to change the world.
With a passion for short term missions, for the environment, and for social justice, Nathan and Jenna strongly believe that a life of faith is useless unless that faith is expressed in real, concrete action.
Their recently released sophomore album Make Me New captures in song their emotions and journeys of the last few years. Just like the book of Psalms, it is filled with fervent prayers, heartfelt worship, and anguished questions... their songwriting is skillful, beautiful, gritty, and winsome all at once. Produced by veteran producer Nate Sabin (Jason Gray, Dove Award nominated Sara Groves), this album takes After the Chase's music to a new level.
The name of the band, After the Chase, comes from an old Southern saying about romance: "He chased her until she caught him." "Throughout our lives," says Nathan, "we find ourselves chasing after God, only to find that God has been catching us all along. Our music is our response to being caught up in the unconditional love offered to every one of us by the Creator of the universe."
 reviewed
by Andy Argyrakis for Christianity Today - It's been five years since
husband wife/duo After the Chase released their self-titled
debut, but Nathan (guitar, piano, vocals) and Jenna Strong (percussion,
piano, vocals) have continued to chisel out their sound on the road since
then. The Petaluma, California couple first rose to local fame as worship
leaders before branching out into more full-fledged concert performances
streaked with storytelling and dramatic accompaniment. All the while,
the pair became mouthpieces for social justice and environmental awareness,
themes that figure prominently into the Strongs' newest release.
For Make Me New, After the Chase enlisted the help of critically acclaimed producer Nate Sabin, best known for his work with Sara Groves and Jason Gray, though he's also been a bridge builder for many indie acts trying to make more professional inroads with the music industry. Though the Strongs aren't quite as advanced as Groves or the like-minded Derek Webb and Andrew Peterson, there's still plenty of charm throughout the project's ten cuts.
The radio single "I'll Be a Fool" (which was #29 on the CRW charts as of early September) takes inspiration from 1 Corinthians and possesses a world music mix that bears some resemblance to Rich Mullins throughout its acoustic introduction before progressing into a more eclectic jam a la Paul Simon's Rhythm of the Saints CD. "Make Me New" settles into a gentler folk/pop style with Nathan's vocals mirroring Bebo Norman, as Jenna supports with subdued but beautiful harmonies. Jenna later steps into the center spotlight with "In This Place," evoking Watermark's Christy Nockels or Nickel Creek's Sara Watkins as she emotionally and poetically praises the Lord for His "endless love and everlasting grace."
The trade off between worshipful expressions and personal reflections continues throughout "Second Chance," which is all about leaving baggage at the foot of the cross, while simultaneously rejoicing in the Lord's majesty. "We Wait" is the CD's primary mouthpiece for social equality, strewn with desperate cries of healing for the downtrodden. The tune also shows off Sabin's skillful production touches by starting off as a somber ballad before exploding with full band accompaniment beefed up by massive melodic layers.
Regardless of the topic tackled or stylistic framework, After the Chase took the proper time to cement their artistry, and are now certainly on par with the creative standards to find broader recognition through singer/songwriter circles and additional radio airplay.
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