With one listen to the music of Tenth Avenue North, it becomes obvious that songwriter Mike Donehey and his bandmates have a gift for expressing truth in a way that simultaneously educates, enlightens, and entertains. They are as much teachers as artists, demonstrating this through their intellectual, yet vulnerably accessible songs that echo the heart of the human condition and the hope of the risen Savior.
"Tenth Avenue North's melodies are memorable and the musicianship is taut and inventive, but it's Mike Donehey's incredible lyrics that literally moved me to tears. He has an uncanny ability to put words to the hopes, fears, dreams, and struggles we all carry in our hearts and on our shoulders," says Billboard Magazine's Deborah Evans Price. "To say this band is going to be 'the next big thing' feels like an understatement."
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Extremely good debut by Tenth Avenue North| Posted December 03, 2008 Tenth Avenue North is another great new band to emerge on the CCM scene in the last few years. If you like Rush of Fools, Ruth and Starfield, then you should really enjoy Tenth Avenue North. The debut single Love Is Here is one of my favorite songs of the year and I can't get enough of the sincere and catchy chorus "Love is here, Love is now, Love is pouring from His hands, From His brow, Love is near, It satisfies, Streams of mercy flowing from His side, Cause love is here". The song is moving and biblical and is based on Romans 5:8.
Over And Underneath is an extremely good debut album in my opinion and just misses my top 10 of 2008 (#12 to be exact). The second song Lift Us Up To Fall is a great anthem of faith and will have you singing along in worship. A song I keep coming back to is By Your Side, also written as though being sweetly sung by Jesus. Lead singer Mike Donehey says: "By Your Side" is just a call to anyone who?s struggling or fighting against God thinking they have to work to earn it. It?s calling them to stop looking for what you can do for God and fix your gaze upon what God has done for you. Let that motivate you. We love because He first loved us.? Another solid song on the album is Beloved, which is a great confession in the style of Wedding Dress by Derek Webb. I also really like Break Me Down, Hold My Heart, and Satisfy. Tenth Avenue North is brimming with potential and earnest worshipful lyrics. For me this album scores 91% out of 100%, 4 1/2 stars.
SWITCHFOOT LITE, ANYONE?| Posted September 29, 2008
New Reunion Records band Tenth Avenue North comes off as a welter-weight version of Cali-rockers Switchfoot: similar voice, similarly breezy, pop/rock band, albeit with more obvious (and more obviously Christian) lyrics. The lovely, chiming first song, “Love Is Here,” seems primed for radio, its politely rocking chorus proclaiming, “Love is pouring from His brow…and from His side.” Both it and the equally pretty “Hold My Heart” could be adult contemporary mixes of undiscovered Switchfoot tracks, sans the philosophy major lyrics.
Instead, in a few instances, you get too-simple songwriting: “Lift Us Up To Fall” is beset by a too-sing-songy chorus, also a problem on “Let It Go” and elsewhere. Despite promising, energetic songs like “Break Me Down” and the disc’s more reflective second half, one never escapes comparing vocalist Mike Donehey to Jon Foreman. As comparisons go, that’s a happy one. Though it doesn’t reach the heights of Red or Leeland’s debuts, Over and Underneath is worth a listen on its own merits; it’s consistently listenable, if not wholly original, from start to finish. –Beau Black
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from CCMMagazine.com. Click here to visit CCMMagazine.com today!
Tenth Avenue North [Over and Underneath]| Posted September 24, 2008
[Main Review]
Tenth Avenue North, made up of members Mike Donehey (lead vocalist/acoustic guitar), Jason Jamison (drummer), Jeff Owen (electric guitar/background vocals) and Scott Sanders (bass guitar), has been featuring its brand of intellectual, melodic, pop-rock on tour in support of its single, “Love Is Here,” and its debut project, Over and Underneath. “Simply, our mission as a band is to know Christ and to make him known,” says Donehey. “It’s a grand adventure.”
With one listen to the music of Tenth Avenue North, it becomes obvious that songwriter Mike Donehey and his bandmates have a gift for expressing truth in a way that simultaneously educates, enlightens and entertains. They are as much teachers, as artists, demonstrating this through their intellectual, yet vulnerably accessible songs that echo the heart of the human condition and the hope of the risen Savior.
"Tenth Avenue North's melodies are memorable and the musicianship is taut and inventive, but it's Mike Donehey's incredible lyrics that literally moved me to tears. He has an uncanny ability to put words to the hopes, fears, dreams, and struggles we all carry in our hearts and on our shoulders," says Billboard Magazine's Deborah Evans Price. "To say this band is going to be 'the next big thing' feels like an understatement."
This album spoke to my heart in a way that other music in recent past hasn’t. The gifts that have been given to these guys and the passion they have using these gifts is amazing. They have a genuine sound and message in this album. After listening to this album you can tell that they are in it for the love of our God Jesus The Christ. This is the calling God has placed on their lives and I for one am happy to see them being obedient to God.
Their hit single which spent time at #1 “Love is Here” is an amazing song that lets you know no matter what God’s love is always here. The chorus says “Love is here. Love is now. Love is pouring from his hands, from his brows. Love is near, it satisfies. Streams of mercy flowing from his side. Cuz love is here.”. Next time you think you have it rough and you don’t know what to do just think of these words and know that Love is here.
Other songs on this album give us the message that He is by our side wherever we fall. All we have to do is remember that his hands are holding us. God will never leave or forsake us. All he wants us to know is that He love us and he will never let us go.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
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I thoroughly enjoyed this album. This album is something that I needed to remind me of key things about my relationship with God. Sometimes we get so caught up in our lives that we lose control. Well, God says let it go. It’s when we lose our lives that we find our soul. Let God be in control. Surrender your life to him and see how much better things get. Without God we are nothing, but with God “ALL” things are possible.
I would like to thank the band for being true and sensitive to the word of God. I know that you will have much continued success as long as your focus remains the same. God knows what is best for us.
Thank you guys for this blessing that you have bestowed upon us with this album. Thank you for the message in this album and the lives that will be and have been touched by God through your music. Keep following the will of God, and I look forward to the next project you guys come out with. God bless.
Rating: 10 out of 10 (100%, A+)
Review written by: Ben Collins
(ben.collins@christianmusicreview.org)
Review can also be found at:
http://www.christianmusicreview.org/tenthavenuenorth_overandunderneath.html
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from ChristianMusicReview.org. Click here to visit ChristianMusicReview.org today!
Perfect| Posted September 11, 2008
This is a newer band and I have to say that they are my new favorites! With that being said, I love all of the songs on this album. I really like the way it sounds and it's not rock or anything like that, but the music is great. Okay...it's alternative and it's time to say what the best songs are: "Hold My Heart", "Satisfy", "You Are", "Break Me Down", "Let It Go", "By Your Side", and all of the other songs are awesome. This cd is perfect, it gets 5 stars from me.
Not completely Satisfied| Posted May 10, 2008
The first single, love is here", off of Tenth Avenue North's new album is getting steady radio play already. Over and Underneath is a relatively quick release after the light rock worships bands last project Don't look back. On the surface the new one has skillful song writing and great soft music to back it up.
The opening song and single "love is here" doesn't challenge much in terms of music, as it's only a soft worship song. While "lift us up" is a decent upbeat light rock song, "by your side" has far more inspiring music to go along with it. Tenth Avenue North doesn't do much rock with "Let it go", but they send their hardest rock song comes in the form of "break me down", unfortunately with the worship angle on the song, the rock is not really convincing.
The emotional "hold my heart" is heavily helped by the light music and a good bridge. "Times" is run by an acoustic guitar and the song is strange because this type of ballad is usually the song that gets saved for the end of an album. The light pop tune of "beloved" is not really impressive, and although "you are" speeds up as the song goes on, but the trend of the light rock tunes without much difference is annoying. "Satisfy" is a light rock worship song and the albums finishes with worship track "hallelujah".
Behind the emotionally powerful music lie the lyrics that they cover. "love is here" has a nice salvation chorus but fumbles with the line ('come to the Father/you who work/and you will work no more'). The theme of the album must be going back to God since that's the way track one, two and three are constructed with a few small lyrical differences. "Hold my heart" and "times" both have a very emotional feel to them, but rearrange the songs music and it leaves you with messages that have been said time and again. The song "Beloved" can have two meanings: either Gods love for man or a slandered girl/guy love song, so take your pick.
The messages of two of Natalie Grants biggest hits ("held" and "in better hand") are fairly simple but are propelled by soft heart string tugging music, much of that can be said of Tenth Avenue North. Give credit to lead singer Mike Donehey for pulling ordinary songs into what appears to be an arsenal of hits out of decent and repetitive lyrics messages. Overall Over rand Underneath has a strong first half but when it comes to the many basic worship tunes like "satisfy" saying 'you're all I want/you're all I need' it also says 'haven't I heard this before?'.
Over and Underneath all expectations!| Posted May 06, 2008
I have loved this band for over 4 years now, and this latest release has gone above and beyond what I have expected. The new, and yet signature, sound that the band creates through their God-focused music is amazingly fresh and alive. Even after listening to the same CD's these past couple years, this new release will fill up my Tenth Ave. craving for the next year or two patiently awaiting what they will do next! Incredible sound, a real message that is focused on the gospel, and a focused, passionate group. What else can you ask for?
Helping| Posted January 03, 2014
This is one of my favorite albums that I have in my collection. Listening to these songs helped me so much this past semester at school. This album was added to my collection just in time for a series of craziness (seriously).
Inside and in between| Posted March 08, 2013
This is the first album of one of my favorite bands: Tenth Avenue North!
It's such an amazing album! And God talked to me in every song!
I think that every person have experienced that moment; when you don't believe in God just because you can't feel His presence. And than the you search for love in other person, in other place... As if God was not enough. And then God says: I am here, my love is endless, i'm with you.
The Reason.| Posted November 20, 2012
The reason I like Tenth Avenue North is because there music is relatable. I think that every person can relate to at least one of there songs. This is a band I suggest listening to. I know I have enjoyed them time and time again.
over and underneath| Posted March 15, 2011
My favorite album by them. I love the songs "by your side", "hold my heart", and "hallelujah." Definetly there best album. 10/10
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