One thing is for sure about Saint Lewis’s debut – it doesn’t sound like anything else you’ve heard. With musical influences as diverse as Misty Edwards and John Mark McMillan to King’s X and My Bloody Valentine, the average review starts off something like this one:

“My first listen was a little like my first experience with Fondu. First, I thought it was a little weird, then I started to love it, then I loved it so much I wanted to figure out how to do it at home.”
- S. Sutter, Dix Hill EFC

Fully convinced that creativity is an essential ingredient to honoring God as creator, Shannon & Cyle Lewis’s debut as Saint Lewis will not be easily labeled. Produced, recorded, and mixed by Shannon himself at his home studios, the CD took almost 3 years to complete – partially due to a home break-in which resulted in the theft of large portions of their home studio.

Shannon explains, “That was such an overwhelming experience – it took us over a week to just get our house back in order again. I remember sitting on our front porch in shock – unable to even talk, or respond to basic questions.” As overwhelming as that moment was, it partially resulted in expanding “Songs from the Hope Farm” from the 5 song EP originally envisioned, to the full-length that resulted, and especially the writing of the CDs centerpiece, “Wandering Heart“.

“It had been a very hard year – a time of deep discouragement. When one of my wife’s old friends called us and let us know that she was in town, and wanted us to meet her new boyfriend, we almost declined. We mustered up the strength, and met them at a local Mexican restaurant, hoping to get in and out quickly. As our conversation unfolded, I discovered that he had been a profession musician, and had set aside his fame, fortune, and even musical rights, to pursue Jesus. Then he asked ME the question – ‘How do you keep your relationship with Jesus new?‘ The question cut me like a knife.“

Later that night, “Wandering Heart” was born, and the response from the song was immediately overwhelming, expressing a common theme for many during these hard financial times: “Hard times they come – hard times they go – they leave me calloused. I can’t go through the motions. Lord, take my emotions – and revive my heart – revive my heart again!“

Saint Lewis’s CD debut, “Songs from the Hope Farm” was released May 21st, 2010.