It is something very touching about coming across a song that is evidently the result of an inspired moment, and Larry Karpenko has just such a song with his God Help Us. It is not just another song, but a musical composition that has the burden of human connection and spiritual desire.
As is the case with every song, the story behind the song is just as powerful as the music. Karpenko met Rapsody at a music event and when she told him about how she overcame creative isolation, he went home and the beat he had been working on came alive again because he knew what to do with it. That authenticity is visible in every aspect of the song, including that rough-hewn, purposeful rhythm that beats like a heartbeat, and the emotional nakedness of his delivery.
What attracts me immediately is the lack of polishing and authenticity of everything. In a world of music that is much more over-produced than necessary, Karpenko has taken the simple route and it pays off. The constant rhythm gives you that feel of urgency- where something is calling you to attention- and the gospel choir hums takes you somewhere holy.
The music sticks with a person in the best manner. It is the sort of song you catch yourself humming on later not because it is melodically memorable in a formal way, but because it seems to be a prayer you had no idea you needed. The availability of the chorus makes you want to join and it does not make you feel like you are performing but rather being together.
It is by the time these biblical verses appear towards the end and tie everything into spiritual context that it becomes clear Karpenko has produced something rather unique: a song that is individual and yet speaks to the struggles of many people in the search of strength beyond themselves. It is music that makes you understand why faith and art have always been like hand in hand.
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