Chasing Brilliance | Posted January-29-2015 The Pitch:
David Gungor (brother of the renowned Michael) and John Arndt team up for a worship record seeking to blend liturgical tradition with modern worship.
What Works:
The album employs rich and intricate musical details to back its mellow and reflective tone. Songs like "Breathe" become quite breathtaking with the added layers of musical goodness. Its finale rises to the occasion with a dramatic piano backing that wouldn't be out of place in a television drama's climactic closing moments. "Love Remains" boasts some catchy vocal hooks, and the finale builds towards an intriguing synthesized finish.
"May You Find A Light (Reprise)" is another noteworthy addition, closing the album out with a complex and rich musical orchestral finish. The music carries a feel that is both Indie and traditional, which creates for a unique and intriguing blend that invites the listener to take time to peel back the layers and see what the music has to offer. And in terms of lyrics, the simple-yet-vertical approach makes a fitting complement to the savory musical blend.
What Doesn't:
When dealing with mellow music, care has to be taken to ensure that the music doesn't ever veer into simply pleasant background music. Brother succeeds in that only partially. It's a pleasant experience throughout, but there are some times it gets a little too comfortable and ends up coasting where it should be captivating.
Closing Thoughts:
For those who want worship music that takes a new and creative, yet subtle, approach to its musical offerings, Brother may be something worth checking out. There's definitely musical ability driving these tunes, even if their mellow nature may risk making their listening appeal fairly niche.
True Worship Music | Posted January-19-2015
Church-based worship acts have become quite the niche market in the Christian music scene. In the tradition of acts like Hillsong, Vineyard UK offers their musical chops to put worship of the Savior into song with this latest release, Waterfalls.
What Works:
This is true worship music. Look at the name and the tracklisting, and you pretty much get exactly what you want and expect. God is the center of this album. All of the lyrics point to our Savior and to our relationship with Him ("Let the God who filled the oceans fill our hearts today"). At no point do the lyrics ever stray from this aim.
The varied vocalists do a solid job of carrying each song, and the melodies are uplifting, both emotionally and spiritually. Songs like the title track even carry an accessible "radio" vibe with a subtle piano backing and driving riffs. Choral vocal backing drives much of the music, creating an atmosphere that invites participation from listeners to enhance the worship call. "River Run High" has one of the more memorable choruses of the album, with an emotional undercurrent that deepens the earnestness of what is being sung.
What Doesn't:
Again, you get pretty much exactly what you would expect. If the common traits of the genre do not resonate with you, this probably won't be an album for you. Be it the simple and often-repeated lyrics or the predictable song structures, the album definitely carries the "what you see is what you get" feel.
Closing Thoughts:
It is good to worship our Creator in song. If one enjoys the common elements of the genre that has emerged as worship music, then this is another solid and pleasant offering to add to your collection. If one is seeking a different worship experience than is typically offered by the genre, be it through lyrics that shoot for more rich territory or offer a more intricate musical complexity, this probably isn't for you. For what it aims to do though, Waterfalls succeeds on every front and should certainly give Sunday worship services some solid new material.
A Study in Connecting with the Christian Music Fan | Posted January-12-2015
I can only imagine the "we are I Am They" fun the band can have at concerts. But the band actually took the name from the Bible. Jesus regularly referred to his apostles collectively as "they," and the band seeks to remind us to "be the 'they' that Jesus referred to." With that in mind, the name becomes a little more intriguing. But what does the music sound like?
Name aside, this act promises to give the CCM crowd a healthy dose of all of its favorite goodies. The album features even a little country flare, as demonstrated in the peppy opener "We Are Yours" and later on "King of Love." The latter is a hook-laden romp that will get you singing, moving along and spiritually enriched all at the same time.
Soft piano moments are another must for modern CCM. The chorus of "We Are Yours" does this well, but "Over & Over Again" is the best example of a song that pulls this off throughout most of the song. And soft guitar driven ballads? Oh yes, even those, such as "Even Me," are here.
I Am They has all your staples covered. There's even a bit of a Rend Collective vibe in lead single "From The Day" with gang choruses, a catchy guitar campfire beat, and the overall "big yet little" feel to the production. There are also a lot of guy/girl duets among the vocals, a feature that is always an appealing draw to acts in either pop/rock or contemporary circles.
Closing track "Amen" brings in a super finale with yet another standard solid draw, strings. The strings add a nice emotional layer to the pleading prayer. The song itself feels the most complete of the bunch, both musically and lyrically, and is definitely an appropriate and prayerful grand finale to this debut. The opening to the song, "I have no words to say / don't know what I should pray / God I need you. / O Lord My faith is tired / and tears fill up my eyes / but I will trust you / whatever comes my way / you have taught me to say 'amen'" demonstrates why this song serves as the most honest and vulnerable place on the album. It transcends the framework of vague corporate worship to be something greater and deeper.
Closing Thoughts:
One of the biggest areas in which the band has room to grow as they continue to develop is the lyrics. While everything is good, solid, vertical worship, there's a little too much reliance on common buzz phrases in worship music. This somewhat inhibits the heartfelt factor that good CCM needs. Given another album, this would be easy enough to correct, and the group displays the musical and vocal chops to carry stronger lyrics in the future.
I Am They has followed a recipe for success and should connect well with the CCM crowd. Their pleasant and intimate approach to the songs, solid vocal delivery, and peppy musical personality shines through and offers a promising future. While lyrical depth is an area to work on, songs like "Amen" do provide proof that the ability is there. How high they will climb is still in the "wait and see" phase, but there’s every reason to get excited about what I Am They can do in the future.
A Clever Christmas Collection | Posted December-01-2014 The Modern Tradition Blender:
It's become a staple of Christmas music of late to invent new melodies for classic tunes. It helps keeps things fresh and original in a crowded market of sound-alike offerings of the same pool of songs. Cloverton takes this approach to several of their new songs.
With Mac Powell-esque vocals, the band powers through a completely reworked "What Child Is This" and brings out a new contemplative side to the lyrics that makes the song feel almost new. Combining the power in the chorus with the quiet approach to the verses makes for an artistically dynamic contrast. And the emotional closer "I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day" gets an almost lamenting melody that fits well with the somber, yet hopeful, lyrics. This melody isn't quite as much a departure from the standard, but it's noticeable and gives the track a unique feel.
Children's Choirs Automatically Give Your Brownie Points, Especially At Christmas:
The title track, a take on the classic "Joy to the World," spices up the sound with added choruses and bridges. And towards the song's climax, it brings out the kids' choir to add charm and beauty to join in a crescendo of a finish, leading to an album highlight. It may be a bit of an old trick to fall back on children's choirs to add likeability to a song, but at Christmastime, it's not only forgivable, but fitting. The addition works very well here to help lift up the second half of the song.
Closing Thoughts:
Christmas music is getting crowded, and the bar is being raised higher and higher for attention. Innovation like what Cloverton offers is essential to making an impact, and the beautiful and reflective approach the band uses makes this an EP not to be overlooked.
Song to Download Now:
"Joy to the World (We Sing Joy)" (Get it on iTunes here.)
Smalltown Poets Christmas: The Sequel | Posted November-07-2014
Getting a band to release a full-length Christmas record? Rare.
It being a true artistic achievement worth annual replay? Even rarer.
Getting them to do it twice? Practically unheard of (unless you're a solo artist who's been in the biz for decades, like Smitty... priceless if you can pull it off).
Yet Smalltown Poets have done just that. They stormed back from a hiatus in 2011 with a full-length Christmas offering and now just three years later have offered up another--a Christmas album sequel--Christmas Time Again--and it's overflowing with Christmas goodies.
Traditional meets the modern!
"The Wassail Song" goes rock. There's a nice Latin choir intro track and then--BAM! It hits you with a "didn't see that coming" riff. "Merrily On High" gets a catchy, modern sheen. What a classic chorus! It's a lot like "Angels We Have Heard On High," only the "Gloria" is even longer.
The crowning jewel? "Patapan"! What's a patapan? It's a sound of a drum. (The old fashioned kind, not those new high tech things rock bands play around with in packed arenas.) There's a Christmas song named after that? Yes. You might've even heard it popularized instrumentally by Mannheim Steamroller. But a modern pop band covering it? They must be crazy--or brilliant? Because this song is an album highlight that is surprisingly amazing. Opening with an unassuming pop/rock melody, the traditional verses are peppy and danceable. But really, it's the new chorus/bridge that really stands out. The Poets have turned a quirky little renaissance-sounding carol into a moving and soaring worship song. Can you say "wow" to that? I am. Other common carols get Poeticized and would've fit on the first album as well.
Shiny New Toys!
The title track, "Christmas Time Again," is an emotional and moving original ballad about coming home that just resonates on all levels. There's lots of good Christmassy imagery that balances the secular and the sacred aspects into one nice familial package. This is a good Christmas dinner tune for sure and succeeds in reaching for classic status.
The A Capella Invasion!
An a capella cumulative song? What in the name of Hermey the Elf is a cumulative song? Think "12 Days of Christmas," only different. "Children, Go Where I Send Thee" is a traditional African carol with such a structure. After the near-a capella "His Delight" the last go-round, this one feels appropriate. And the band knows not to stretch it too far and cuts the verses at an appropriate place before things get tedious. Let's hear it for trying new things and them working.
Other stocking stuffers!
There's a "Christmas Lullaby," which is a nice little addition. Like last time, there are some interludes: the aforementioned intro, a children-lead "Sing We Now Of Christmas," and a mostly instrumental sendoff of "Auld Lang Syne." There are lots of good presents to unwrap from this release for sure.
Closing Thoughts:
Smalltown Poets have done it again. Their first Christmas release was one of the best-kept secrets of Christian Christmas music of the past few years. If they'd stopped there, we'd still have been lucky. But they went and crowdfunded a second outing. And on top of that, bucking the trends of sequels not living up to their predecessors; this sequel actually can stand on its own legs. Which one is better is a matter of preference, but really, what does it matter? This record is an enjoyable listen from start to finish and that's uncommon for Christmas releases.
Smalltown Poets has an uncanny ability to blend all the ingredients necessary for a memorable Christmas release and Christmas Time Again exemplifies that perfectly. Don't you dare miss this one. Together with the first release, it solidifies Smalltown Poets as one of the strongest forces to be reckoned with in the Christmas Music rodeo.
Taking" Listeners Back to the Start | Posted October-30-2014
For those of you who may not remember Delirious?, here's a quick refresher: they were a major CCM player of the 90s and early 2000s, giving us hits like "Majesty." A British pop/rock band for the Christian market was quite the recipe for leaving a permanent mark. When they broke up, many may have thought that that would close the book on that legendary sound.
But lead singer Martin Smith kept on writing and recording. Co-writing Chris Tomlin's recent smash hit "God's Great Dance Floor" was a precursor to releasing 2 full-length worship albums of the same name, parts 1 and 2. Now comes Back to the Start, a North America-exclusive compilation of the best of those two albums.
The album opens with the title track, which is essentially just "God's Great Dance Floor" (a live variation will end the album later). For those familiar with Tomlin's hit version, this version offers a similar take with a bit more flair courtesy of Smith's BritPop vocal aid.
Radio-worthy "Emmanuel" is next, proving to be one of the standout cuts from this collection. With its piano beat and cheering chorus, here we find Smith at the top of his game. Even lyrically, things are clicking: "You were there when the battle raged / now these scars are a song of praise / all I've ever known is you beside me / You were there in the lion's den / you keep me safe ‘til I'm home again." Smith's vocals drive a majority of the album, breathing life into songs that otherwise wouldn't resonate.
"You Are My Salvation" is another great highlight that packs some surprisingly musical power. With some orchestral backing and a surprisingly emotional performance, this one is unexpectedly stunning. "Only Got Eyes" is a pop hit from start to finish, with a danceable veneer that never feels too techno. Smith walks a fine line to ground the track from becoming forgettable.
"Redemption Day" is a song that goes beyond just impressive vocals, providing some impressive melodic moments, including an impossibly infectious electric-driven hook. Singing of Christ's death and resurrection, the song is a great Easter offering and helps keep the album up to speed during the second half.
Closing Thoughts:
With a dynamic collection of songs covering a range of speeds on the musical spectrum, Martin Smith has crafted an engaging collection of worshipful tunes that can stand up against the best in the industry. If you have his previous solo ventures, I suppose there would be little reason for you to check this out. But if you don't, Back to the Start offers a fine and sonically pleasing sampler. It might not quite bring back Delirious? to fans who miss them, but it might just be good enough that it will please fans of the band while holding its own in the genre as a whole.
The Impersonator Leaves His Mark | Posted October-15-2014
Marc Martel was already somewhat renowned in the Christian music industry as the recognizable co-vocalist of the moderately successful Canadian rock group Downhere. What wasn't as well known, except to the band's diehards, was that Martel had an uncanny vocal resemblance to (or at least a baffling ability to channel) the late Queen singer Freddie Mercury. Seemingly by the hand of God, just around the time Downhere was thinking of ending their ministry, a door blew open for Martel: the Queen Extravaganza.
His video audition for the vocalist spot on an official tribute band to the legendary rockers went viral, and it came as no surprise when he got the gig and carried the tribute band to touring success. But not content to just be known as a Mercury mimic to the mainstream market, Martel began to work on a full-length solo debut. An EP and single later, and we finally have that solo album in our hands.
While his previously released songs tread contemporary pop waters, Martel is a rocker at heart. And one listen to the aptly titled Impersonator shows that he's come roaring back to what he knows best.
Opening crunchy guitar-driven "Say The Word" sets the pace for an album overflowing with bass driven goodness, epic rock vocals ripped out of the best of the 70's, and tongue-in-cheek wit that Martel is a modern master of. Songs like "Dead Ringer" and "Ringo Starr" can knock you out of your seat with their raw power. And "Straitjacket" is relentless in its piercing, infectious beat.
Not surprisingly, the search for identity drives a large numbers of selections on the album, whose very title pays homage to the fact that most know Martel only for who he sounds like. With songs like "Dead Ringer," "The Remake" and the title track, Martel acknowledges his search for his own unique musical identity. Musically, I think it's clear that he succeeds. While there is definite Queen and classic rock homage, Martel's spin is unique and unpredictable from track to track. He infused each song with his personality, and this helps each track make a solid musical statement.
Martel hasn't forgotten his knack for creating pop smashes either. "Magnetic" and "Our Best" tap into the well of pop gold to form some of the catchiest choruses on the album. "Stalemate" takes on ballad territory and proves to be an effective sonic balance to the album's more bombastic moments.
Of course, the crowning jewel of this album is the lead single "Paradise." Starting off as seemingly another of the album's throwback rockers– complete with high-pitched choruses– it explodes towards the end into a truly stunning musical experience. With legendary guitar work and slamming orchestral backing to Martel's vocals, it makes for a grand finale finish to the song that nothing else on the album ever matches.
Another lyrical theme revolves around Martel and his wife, with several songs being straightforward love songs, and some even addressing the direct temptation a married man faces on the road. Indeed, "Straitjacket" offers some of the more meaty lyrics on the album. In this song, Martel tells how his marriage to his wife keeps him from falling away: "She keeps my hands tied safely behind me / I never thought that giving up my heart could free my soul / no waking up cold with no stranger beside me / tonight I'll take the warm embrace of my straitjacket." In an age where music glorifies reckless gratification, it's refreshing to hear a song acknowledge that there's something to restraint.
Closing Thoughts:
Martel has always been one of the best kept secrets in the music business in general, let alone in Christian music. Despite his exposure, the indie release and vibe of this album is unlikely to change that. But for those who dare to discover what he has to offer, you'll find one of the most delectable pieces of musical goodness of the year. With a flawless blend of modern and classic rock, Martel's musical chops make for an unforgettable and engaging listen.
While Downhere fans may long for the days when Martel gave us overt spiritual lyrics, there is still a lot of positive, clean fun to be had here. It's a bit less spiritually nourishing, perhaps, but still a worthwhile musical endeavor. Don't let this one slip through the cracks!
Good Music is With Us | Posted October-13-2014
Jamie Nunnally wades into the crowded CCM pop/rock ocean with peppy confidence in his latest release, God is With Us. Solid opener "Jealous For Me" displays just enough crunchy guitars and poppy chants to polish off the solid chorus and create a definite radio hopeful. The title track follows next, applying a similar formula to produce catchy and upbeat hooks that help make the album smooth and enjoyable.
"We Are Yours" is another standout, blending soft balladry with an anthemic chorus to create one of the album's more dynamic offerings. The subtle little touches here help this track shoot for its potential, from a quiet guitar riff to a vocal performance from Nunnally that packs in a bit more emotion. And lyrically, the song is also a standout: "We are the seekers / we are chasing after you / we are relentless / we'll never cease in our pursuit / we are an army / our weapons are the ways of love / we are expecting / to see Your kingdom flood the earth / we are Yours."
Nunnally proves himself capable of seamless transitions between soft worship and energizing choral highs. In contrast to the energy of the early tracks sits "You Are Wonderful," which carries some spine-tingling verses that perfectly find the intriguing territory in the laid-back musical field.
Closing Thoughts:
Jamie Nunnally has a solid album here with something enjoyable found in every track. Planted solidly in vertical worship, there's plenty here to point to Christ as well. All in all, there's pretty much everything you'd expect from a good worship record thrown in here and delivered with an earnest zeal, leaving Nunnally as a name to watch.
A Bright Work You'll Love | Posted September-27-2014
With a nature-themed geometric album cover and an album title that doesn't immediately encourage high expectations for something memorable, it'd be a bit easy to write this album off as another cookie-cutter worship/pop ride. But not so fast: what if I told you that this project actually holds some rocking guitar intros and solid melodic choruses that carry genuine urgency? You should stick around, because you might be treated to one of the sleeper surprises of the season.
When the emotive vocals of "Let Me Love You" hit you, you definitely start feeling that there's more to this band than meets the eye. There's a sweet spot between contemporary pop and rock met here, and the result is a catchy and dynamic hit that's going to sweep you away. The chill verses give way to one of the album's signature choruses, and the contemplative lyrics are top-notch: "You may run like a prodigal son / you might swear that you'll never come home / you keep chasing the setting sun / but I've been right here all along / let me love you."
The song speaks to fallen away believers who are resisting the love of Christ. This little gem was definitely not something I was expecting to find here. But fortunately, despite being arguably the album's crowning achievement, there's still more treasure to be mined here.
"Difference" carries a solid piano/synth beat and a strong chorus that makes it another standout on the album. Charging us to go and make a difference in the world, it's familiar territory delivered in an uncompromising way, and it resonates as another effective moment. The title track opens with a fairly thunderous guitar intro that amps up momentum even more.
If you thought you were going to get a breather, you were wrong. Brightwork keeps the goodness coming with more hits like "Now or Never." The group definitely knows how to keep momentum going from start to finish. Even when some of the non-highlights come through, everything is still working well enough to keep things from slipping into mundane. In today's musical landscape, that's something to be lauded.
Closing Thoughts:
Brightwork definitely caught me off guard. With a balance between accessible contemporary pop and emotional rock, the band manages to hit a sweet spot and produce a high caliber record that's poised to leave quite the impression.
Unto Us A Christmas Classic Is Given | Posted September-15-2014
In Christian Christmas music in our day and age, it's pretty much a given that two to four major players every year will give us a full length Christmas album, a few others an EP, and several more still a single or compilation contribution. Christmas music has become significant even in mainstream, and Christmas projects often serve as a sort of career milestone. With spirits so high during those last 6 or so weeks of the year when most of us really listen to Christmas music regularly, who wouldn't want to be a part of that?
The problem comes in that the over-saturation can make Christmas releases feel incomplete or like cash-ins. While there are a lot of very terrific Christmas songs from Christian artists, few artists can really put out a full-length Christmas album that succeeds in making a memorable artistic statement as a whole. But every few years, we get a Christmas album that actually aims for and achieves more than being just your favorite artist delivering the standard holiday fare. Aaron Shust's Unto Us is just such an album.
One of the potential pitfalls of Christmas albums are general, mainstream holiday songs that have been done so many times in the same way that new renditions become white noise. Shust's Christmas offering avoids these problems by focusing entirely on Christ from start to finish, and also by having a higher dose of original content (about half the album) than most comparable records. With two of the tracks being an overture/interlude, it's important that each track carries even more weight. Luckily, Shust's songs achieve that.
Opener "Star of Wonder" is dazzling, channeling Mannheim Steamroller influences to produce a grand musical introduction to one of the most breathtaking Christmas collections you'll find this year. Shust recorded this album with the Prague Symphony Orchestra, and the result is one of the most grand-scale, reverent Christmas projects in some time. I'm all for fun Christmas songs that make me think of fireside Christmas nights or decorated shopping malls, but there's something special about a record that captures the feel of choirs of angels singing in a grand cathedral.
This feeling is part of the magic of the next track, "Gloria." While at times it feels a little too long/repetitive for the lyrics (a few lines from the "Gloria" prayer), the execution is so spectacular that it works. With children and adult choirs both backing up Shust's simple worship, this is a track that succeeds in bringing you to your knees. Throw a little liturgical Latin into any song (especially during Christmas) and you score some artistry points. The slow-building track takes a simple concept, runs with it, and turns it into something truly beautiful.
Enter the album's title track and destined radio hit "Unto Us." Beginning with a piano hook that screams winter snowfall, the song is a dynamic musical smash that ranges from a calm piano hook to heavy orchestral bursts. I definitely hear some 90's Smitty Christmas influence here, among other influences from Christmas music at that time. This song is massive, with soaring choruses and bridges. It's pretty hard not to get caught up in the experience. As Christmas songs go, this one is simply magnificent. Lyrically, this song mostly draws on some basic Christmas concepts, yet Shust has managed to breath new life into old phrases. "God Has Come To Earth" is another example of this style. "Advent Carol" and "Sanctuary" offer softer originals to help offer stylistic variety to the project.
Shust's renditions of traditional carols make up the last four tracks. "Keep Silent" is a take on a classic hymn melody ("Picardy") that is surprisingly beautiful and moving, and it fits well despite not being traditionally used/known as a Christmas song. "Bethlehem" (as in "O Little Town of") again gets a new melodic treatment that mostly works while "Go Tell It" closes the album in appropriately grand fashion.
However, sandwiched between the two is another highlight in "Rejoice," which offers a more epic take on the classic ("In Dulci Jubilo") than most I've heard, complete with choral backing and a rousing chorus. A part of me actually wishes that this was the final track as I think that thematically, stylistically and musically, it fits the grand finale mold. Still, the song shines as a fine musical triumph towards the album's conclusion.
Closing Thoughts:
Shust set out to divide the album into three sections: proclamation, adoration and celebration. This feeling is definitely apparent when viewing the album as a whole. There's not a weak track in the bunch, and several of these could become modern classics. Lyrically, I wish there was a bit more said on some of the originals, but the musical scope makes up for any deficiencies. Overall, the lyrics are more than adequate. Take these lines from the title track: "Unto us a child is born / hope to all the world / Unto us the son of God has come / Sing Hallelujah / Everlasting Father / Name Above all Names / God is with us." From the piano-driven intros to the chilling choral harmonies, this is one record that is authentically Christmas.
Aaron Shust has created a modern Christmas classic that flirts heavily with terms like "masterpiece." Given the deluge of same-sounding efforts we've seen in recent years, it's so refreshing to finally have another Christmas album that aims to make a true artistic statement— and succeeds. Aaron Shust has truly outdone himself. Whether you're looking for contemporary songs to sing along with by your Christmas tree, reverent worship or a grand showstopping musical experience, Aaron Shust has got you covered.
JJFrancesco_NRT's Music and Book Reviews 
