Pieces of a Real Heart
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Sanctus Real Since releasing Say It Loud on Sparrow records Sanctus Real has been a consistent voice is CCM. Hits like "Things Like You (Everyone's Everything)," "I'm Not Alright," and "We Need Each Other" have...
Breaking The Silence EP
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The Letter Black Known as Breaking The Silence, The Letter Black or a Flyleaf/Fireflight re-make, one Tooth and Nail’s newest artists have now provided fans with their first project, Breaking The Silence EP. The band is...
Forget And Not Slow Down
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Relient K Forget And Not Slow Down sis not a Relient K album. Yes, on the side of an album is says ‘Relient K’, but comparing this release to Relient K’s career is difficult. This Relient K uses five new weapons...
Matthew West has Somthing to Say | Posted April-30-2008
Matthew West's brand new album Something to say certainly says something. First he says some really good stuff in his songs. Second his music is really awesome in those songs also.
Matthew West's pop/light rock/instrumental is blended nicely throughout all 12 songs in his album. his title track "Something to say" has a great up-beat pop sound and so is the song "the Center". Hit title track "you are everything" is a very nice song, and "the motions" has a nice light rock feel to it.
"Save a place for me" is instrumental, not a great sound, but has a very smooth exit. "Life inside" and "Moment Of Truth" are both fun pop songs, and tobyMac even helps on "Moment of Truth"... for one line. The album wraps up with "All The Broken Pieces" and "stop the world", which are both instrumental songs but the end of the album ends nicely.
The lyrics are a real treat from Matt, as he offers a verity of insight from a biblical worldview. While "you are everything" and "safe and sound" may be the weakest songs on the album, there is still a lot of depth. The messages are very emotional sometimes like on "Something to say really", and "motions" which both sport great messages. "Life inside" doubles as both a pro-life song and an anti-suicide message. "Moment Of Truth " is a fun song that celebrates redemption.
Something to say is a great deal of fun, not just to listen to for it's up-beat pop songs, but for it's very solid lyrics. Matthew West does a brilliant job at both the song writing and the music. This is a real treat.
Lamps is a major bright spot. | Posted June-30-2008
After a single album, Identity, the band Grand Prize broke up sending Lead singer Luke Cadwell and Tony Caruso to start a new band called Esterlyn. This Indie rock band's first album, Lamps, is a great start, and it already sticks out.
The experience from Grand Prize helped a lot, from the song writing to the music, you can tell that it's much more refined and smooth. While Cadwell's vocals are still there, there is not too much similar about the past band. Even Cadwells vocals sound better. The only songs that sound like the medium rock sound that Grand Prize had is "reveal your love to me" and "like the rain" which are solid songs but nothing spectacular and definitely the weakest when it comes to song writing. The opening song "tie the leaves" is a little disjointed at a line in the chorus, but it's upbeat and has a good pace. It may be hard to get into Esterlyns music right off but it grows on the listener which is the case of "kill your own despair" which evens out at the end and it sounds a little like Seventhday Glory.
"We all need" is light, and while it is not a stick out song it has no flaws. The album jumps into high genre with "seasons of grey" a great rock tune with an excellent refrain and a brilliant bridge. "This mystery" is a light rock song, and the old school "back to the start" is infectious. It's a little odd to have an upbeat song called "emptiness" but that's the way it is with the non conventional, and catchy song. The most reckless song, and the heaviest, "faster, faster" is great, and the overlapping lines in the bridge is excellent. The title track "Lamps" is a great ballad, and the guitar at the end of the first chorus is brilliantly blended with the guitar, and Cadwells vocals. The album ends with "about you" which is a little annoying at times, but remains strong.
The songwriting is brilliant, it has increased considerably since Grand Prize as the band has moved past its predictable and simple messages. However that doesn't mean that Esterlyn has vague, on the contrary the lyrics are more colplex while being fully faith based. The entire theme of the album is on Matthew 5:16 which about being a light. "Tie the leaves" is about going against acceptance if it's about a fake identity 'We seem to fight for what we are not'. The singer in "Seasons of Gray" struggles of letting go of pain, and "we all need" stresses the importance of "faith", "love", and "love". Themes about waiting for Gods intervention ("faster, faster"), "propose" (emptiness") and the challenge to see God as the mystery he is ("This mystery").
Even though it's a debut album this is a break out CD for Cadwell and the rest of the band. Strong faith based songwriting and impressive music is all on Lamps, which should bring Esterlyn out of the shadows and into the light.
Not yet a Symphony | Posted April-10-2008
The debut project Take me Anywhere by Chris Taylor is hear. One interesting thing that sticks out on his pop/rock album is that he has thirteen tracks on his CD, a mark that fewer and fewer artists are going for on their albums, especially on freshman CDs.
First thing that popped into my head while hearing this was the Afters, so think the Afters with a more serious mood. The first song on the CD is "turn me around" which has a light rock sound on a more solemn sound to it, the same could be said about "made for you" which is a little harder and has more of a pop feel than the previous song. The title track "take me anywhere" is where the album kicks into the highest gear when it goes to the refrain which is a fast paced rock beat. "Atmosphere" is borders on the heavier side of soft rock and the solemn mood continues.
The album picks up the pace with "I don't need to know" which is a very impressive rock tune. "Symphony" starts light but does pick up a little, but "speak to me in mysteries" just stays soft. Unlike other Christian artist who make the rock genre for no apparent reason Chris Taylor actually earns it, and it's shown on "found in you" which is as upbeat as it gets. "That's how it goes" is another light rock song, and "safe" is the only rock song on the album that sounds the least smooth. "lift me up" is a light song and "come around again" doesn't end the album with a spectacular tune.
The lyrics are full of spiritual overtones. "Turn me around" and "come around again" have good lyrics. The title track is about longing to stay with God, but it could be interpreted as being about a girl. "You see through me" is about Gods' ability to see the truth in everything, and unfortunately it's about as deep as it gets. The lyrics are inconsistent when it comes to "lift me up". The song's refrain starts like this "Lift me up where angels fly" but ends "I just want to fall into You" like that. A lot of worship songs and weak songs (particularly "symphony") makes for a unchallenging album lyrically.
Even among the songs that are impressive most of the music are not radio friendly, and the music gets a little bland at times. Deeper lyrics and more distinguished songs would help Chris Taylors cause a lot. As it is, this debut album, "Take me anywhere" is a solid collection of solid songs.
Good Work by this Band | Posted April-07-2008
A glance at some of the achievements of Jars of Clay is eight studio releases, two of which are platinum, and seventeen number one radio hits definitely deserves some applause. The bands most recent CD is Greatest Hits, a compilation of thirteen rock hits and one new song, "Love Is The Protest".
The album opens up with "flood (new mix)" which first put Jars of Clay into the spotlight; the song is a creative pop song with redemptive lyrics. The album starts from the beginning and moves on. "Love song for a savior" is of the bands self titled debut CD; it's a light song that is a little repetitive, a theme that is common with some of their singles. "Worlds apart" is a soft almost boring song but it speeds up a little at the end, the lyrics contemplates Christ's sacrifice.
Both "crazy times" and "frail" are off of the Much Afraid disc. The former, "crazy times", is good medium rock song that gets a little carried away with the electric guitar, and the "frail" has a haunting sound. It's gets simple and a little repetitive on "show you love", but the light rock song is decent. "Unforgettable you", off of their CD If I left the Zoo, is an upbeat song about the relationship between God and man. The verses of "I need you" are fun, but the song has simple lyrics and a repetitive chorus. Off of Jars of Clay's album, Who We are Instead, "amazing grace" has good lyrics but the music is unchallenging.
The band put on their worship caps on Redemption songs; a CD that put out "God will lift up your head" a solid worship tune. Jars of Clay broadened their music styled on Good Monsters and it gave us "dead man (carry me)" a great medium rock song about salvation. Among the many profound lines on the brilliant rock song "work" is "I have no fear of drowning/it's the breathing that's taking all this work". The new song "love is a protest" " is a fun up beat rock song about the redemptive power of love.
It's hard to believe that it's been twelve years since Jars of Clay's first hit single "flood", since then they have been putting out good music and have loaded the Christian airwaves with singles. Greatest Hits is a good compilation but a few songs lack either lack challenging music, or they lack inspiring lyrics. It may leave fans going "the new song is nice but, I've heard this before" or new listeners "some good stuff
Turn the same thing on (again). | Posted April-04-2008
Hawk Nelson's third studio album release is here and it sends a clear message: Hawk Nelson wants to be your friend. The band doesn't want just fans, but loyal friends who feel that they are esteemed by this band. So their newest CD Hawk Nelson is my Friend is all about a tribute to their fans... err friends.
Even though their second album, Smile it's the end of the World, which had a more diverse sound than their debut, Letters to the President, It was not really better than it. So Hawk Nelson put out a straighter punk rock album, which cuts the verity of music some. But it does allow the Punk to really become good. Which is what happened, at least in the first half. Hawk Nelson always like to start off their CD's with good fast rock song, "you have what I need" is closer to "the one thing I have left" without the poor ending, and just a better punk/rock sound which is the hardest song on the album.
The first single "friend like that is a fun punk song that moves fast enough to avoid the bits that sound off. The album keeps on moving with "turn it on" which starts off with a intro that sounds like a slightly toned down "Meant to Live" intro (by Swicthfoot). The song itself is a good fast paced punk song that isn't perfect but it's really enjoyable. An excellent part in the album musically is "one little miracle" a medium rock song, with an absolutely great refrain, expect it to be a hit soon. The album kicks back into high gear with "let's dance" which is really good and a really up tempo beat. By the time the snappy punk song, "ancient history is better", ends its feels as though it's just getting started.It's really sad that the average song length is about three minutes long, but the song is still awesome.
Then begins the second half of Hawk Nelson CD, which is about as boring as a bad Stellar Kart CD (pick one). The soft rock song "somebody else" is nice but it stops the flow of the upbeat good punk which is not a bad thing except that "arms around me" is even softer. The upbeat punk track "just like me" is almost dreadful, especially the chorus, which sounds like Hawk Nelson at their worst. "Not the same" is a light rock song which really is nothing impressive. "words we speak has a great chorus which is a great punk sound. The soft and touching track "I still miss you" is very basic, but that is not the strength of the song.
Stop the press! Hawk Nelson actually says something in virtually all of their songs! That is a huge step up from every other Hawk Nelson song that was about girls and parties. However don't get too carried away yet, no one said the lyrics were really deep. "you have what I need" has some good things to say. Right after 'All I wanted was honesty/and that was something only you give' is the line "It took forever just to realize that I had to give myself away/ so I could see your face". Not really amazing but definitely a step up.
A good anthem for the youth is "friend like that", and "turn it on is about living with purpose. "Let's dance" conveys the importance of the individual while urging the hearer to be content with one's own skin. A song about a Grandmother who passed away ("I still miss you") is the best song writing done on this album and should be up there with total Hawk Nelson hits. Some pretty solid lyrics but don't try too hard to interpret "words we speak". Also on the down side is "ancient history", and it might be hard for many people to appreciate the message in "not the same".
Hawk Nelson is starting to anger me. Hawk Nelson is my Friend had such a fabulous start musically that is was very disappointing to see it fall so in the second half. The Punk has hit its peak so far for the band and it would be nicer to see some more diversity and keep the good punk rock. But if the last three albums have been any indication, that might be asking a little too much. Even though this wasn't the breakout CD it will still please friends.
Rock On | Posted March-26-2008
A year after X 2003 (experience the alternative) comes the sequel: X 2004 17 Christian rock hits. The newest installment features seventeen (plus one bonus track) songs, which is sixteen songs down from the previous thirty-four track album, full of a perfect blend of rock, rapcore, and hip hop... wait wasn't this supposed to be a rock CD? Well it is for the most part.
The compilation begins with Skillet and their song "savior", which aside from being a great rocking song, has some good lyrics too. Kutless throws in "treason", a good rock song that has a few rough beats but evens out with some incredible lyrics. When it comes to "one phemon(remix)" the remix is harder (and better), so give tobyMac a hand for his rap fused rock song with a awesome bridge. And without Thousand Foot Krutch it just wouldn't feel like a Christian rock completion; we have no idea what "rawk fist" means but it sure sounds hard.
Wiped clean of the usual pop/punk act Relient K gives us a rock song with some good lyrics on "I am understood". The album takes its first fall from FM Static with their punk song "Definitely Maybe", while it's good punk it doesn't really belong here. "Bring me down" by Pillar is very heavy (no screams though), and KJ 52 reaches the collection with "rock on", which is rap/rock (emphasis on rap). Audio Adrenaline's "worldwide one" lacks a real rock song, but "running through my mind" is good rock by Big Dismal. "Freedom to feel" is a great song lyrically but John Rubens sound just doesn't feel (pun intended) right for a rock album.
The next two songs "land slide" and "poor man" (by Seven Places and Plus One) are not highlights on X 2004, but they are solid. It takes a little stretch to put Superchic[k] on here, but with a strong message and a great rap bridge it sneaked aboard. Tait makes it with "numb" which is good, and Jeremy Camp's rock song is in the form of "stay". "Crash" by 12 Stones is a very god rock song. The bonus track "livin' it" by the Cross movement is really a harder rap song, which is probably why it's the bonus track.
X 2004 17 Christian rock hits improved from the '03 version by raising the bar, this time only a few song made it on the completion that shouldn't have. But it's a strong release with a lot of good rock hits, as long as you don't mind the occasional rap and light rock tunes.
Echos of Potential | Posted March-24-2008
Echoing Angels is a pretty unlikely story, but a group of five Georgia guys managed a feel good story about regular guys who got a big break. In their first album, You Alone, they take a swing at worship music with some medium rock dabbed in.
Comparing the music to a popular a artist is not really hard, for Echoing Angels' music is very similar to Building 429 with a few harder tracks, but with fewer inspirational songs. The worship music is pretty standard, when their title track "you alone" came to the radio there wasn't a huge uproar about the light worship song. Unfortunately the same went for their second single "coming back to life". The album showcases similar average songs like "make it better" which is a upbeat light rock song which has a cheesy switch from verse to chorus.
Songs like "free" and "rise up" are, sad to say, weak songs that sound like they came from Building 429 weak songs. The lighter, more inspirational, songs "move me" and "hallelujah" sound nice. On the other side of the album though are some rough, but surprisingly decent medium rock songs. "I will" has problems concerning the refrain and the whole sound sounds is a bit off, but it is still okay. "My way back to you" is another medium where the bridge sounds very impressive. The best song in the album is "Let Go". " the rock/techno intro is great and the song fallows suit.
The lyrics are pretty typical of debut worship artists. "you alone" is nothing great and neither is "coming back to life". Despite the music "Move me" and "hallelujah" are pretty shallow lyrically. The album does have some good moments though, like on "I will" which is from Gods prospective of the lost and lonely and "let go" is a great song about doing the work that God has called us to. The worship songs "make it better" and "rise up" are nothing spectacular.
Echoing Angels' rock music has potential, and so does their lighter music, but they are at crossroads: go from harder music and have some lighter tracks, or stick with the worship music that they have done. The solution is probably a mix of both. If they work on making a good rock sound add more depth to their worship songs and add more God filled songs that people can relate to, it could be a good mix similar to Jeremy Camp's mixture. Right now they are stick with a lesser Building 429 where they will likely stay. Unless you are into the worship music that they do skip You Alone, but watch this bands progress.
I Will Go is not the Loveliest Sound | Posted March-19-2008
Starfield hit their peak Beauty in the Broken but now the Canadian praise and worship/rock guys are trying to surpass that. Their latest album I Will Go is a ten track CD with basic medium rock and unoriginal concepts for their songs.
The album hits stores the twenty-fifth of March, just in time for Easter, and it only makes sense that Starfield wants to honor the occasion with Hillsongs' song "hosanna". Even though the song isn't theirs it is still a nice addition to the album plus the intro is great. To compare some of this albums songs to something popular, just take the Lincoln Brewster's "everlasting God" sound and that take care of "from the corners to the earth" and "the loveliest sound". The latter is a worship song with a good bridge but it drags on too long.
The title track "I will go" has a heavy rock guitar intro but it does not show up anytime the singer is singing, so the song is only so-so. The album also has some light rock tunes like "remain" and "only hope". There are times then Starfield sounds like a heavier mercyme especially on "The Loveliest Sound". The album ends with "only hope which is a nice soft song. For the most part the music is not new and it's more often than not the music is easy to listen to and easy to forget.
The lyrics are not complex at all; they are mainly worship songs with basic and used ideas. "From the Corners of the Earth" is just a worship song and so is "Hosanna" and this might come as a shock but so is "holy is our God". There are a couple of songs that deal with sacrifice like "I will go" and "reign in me" and they are nice. The songs "remain" and "all we need" are yawners and "only hope" is nothing special lyrically.
While I will go will please fans it is not a great CD. It's a solid collection of decent songs with decent lyrics, that are not shallow, but they don't challenge anything either. To improve Starfield needs more inspiration lyrics and more ear catching music.
This album needs more Work | Posted March-18-2008
From the title Good Monsters the album seems a little scary, and it gets creepier when their first single is called "dead man", plus the cover of the CD has a bunch of worn down cavemen. But really Jars of Clay is not focused on weird things (at least it didn't appear so), but putting out a musically and lyrically complex studio album; their eight in fact.
From the first taste of the album "dead man (carry me)" it looked like a serious rock album, and it was verified by the song "work", alas, the album does not have a serious sound, more of an off, light rock, upbeat sound that just doesn't fit them. The hit single "work" is a rock song with an excellent sound, the best part of the album in fact. While "dead man (carry me)" was good, it was grossly over played. After that though the albums entire mood changes. The light rock song (which is not even their song) "all my tears" is nice, but ends badly, and the soft "even angels cry" doesn't challenge anything musically.
The song "there is a river" is okay but nothing great, it's like a lot of the songs on the album: a slightly upbeat tune but nothing beyond that. The title track "good monsters" another odd light rock sound, is a lame song to title their album. "surprise" is not bad, but "Oh my God" and "take me higher" are not very impressive. A bright spot on the album is the song "mirrors and smoke" a more upbeat light rock song with guest staring Leigh Nash. The album ends with "water under the bridge" and "light gives heat which are nothing to brag about.
The lyrics are as odd as the music in some places. "work" has a bundle of interesting sayings but none outdo "I have no fear of drowning/it's the breathing that's taking all this work". "Dead man (carry me)" is based on getting rid of the old man (or dead one in this case) and putting on the new man, and "all my tears" has good lyrics. the songs "there is a river", "even angles cry", and "water under the bridge" leave something to be desired. A few other songs are confusing. "mirrors and smoke" is a love song but its falls with this lyric "You always make me sad/But that's what true love is all about".
With the exception of "Work and "dead man (carry me)", It takes a certain mood to enjoy most of these songs. That's a shame because from the outside (radio singles and previous albums) the album looked like another fun Jars of Clay release. Good Monsters is not a great one and might not even please Jars of Clay fans.
Nothing but air | Posted March-14-2008
Jaci Velazquez has sold over 3.5 million records, racked up 6 Dove awards, and has put out 13 records. An impressive collection, but Jaci has but silent of late (greatest hits album don't really count), but she returns with Love out Loud, what she claims to be her best record to date.
Her music is basically light pop andpraise and worship, with a little Latin music (on tracks "tango" and "Por Escrito). Her voice which is to be fantastic seems to fall short on this record, which is sad. The first song "nothing but sky" has a nice pop, upbeat sound, and her voice is nice, "It's not you it's me" is a light rock song. The title track "Love out loud" is a light pop song and so far the album, while not impressive, is not bad. Unfortunately the album goes on with" Jesus (the way)" a soft song which is unimpressive and repetitive, and "my Alleluia" is similar, without the repetitive part but add a pathetic part.
Probably the worst song on the album is "Weightless" which is long and very repetitive and the music is not very good. The Latin songs "Tango" and "Por Escrito" are nothing good with the latter being the worst. Her husband, and front man for the band Salvador, Nic Gonzales assists her out with and "Por Escrito" but the song, done in Spanish, has little appeal for most listeners. "Into the light" brightens (pun intended) things up a little bit, but the upbeat worship song does not save the album.
What's the worst thing about Jaci Velazquez album? It's not the music, it's not her voice it's her lyrics which are truly pathetic. The best messages are on the title track (which tells us we need to live our faith out) and "It's not you it's me", after that everything is not so great. "Nothing but sky" fails to say anything of lasting value, "Jesus (the way)" is doesn't say anything either, and "My Alleluia" doesn't send a strong message either. The song "weightless" needs to say something more than "I'm weightless". The song "tango" means nothing and "into the light has no lyrical depth.
This is not Jaci Velazquez's great return, it's a musically weak, lyrically shallow and uninspiring, and the vocals don't win any prizes. Expect to see Love out Loud in the sales racks, but unless it's a really, really good deal skip it.
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