A Rocking Song Admitting Self-Weakness | Posted April-29-2013
"Not Right" is the third of the B-sides single series from The Rocket Summer. The song is the most rocking of the three. There's a lot of guitar-driven energy and fierce vocals driving the chorus. The end result is an exciting and foot-tapping song about how our sinful natures makes each of us "not right" and in need of a savior. More of Avary's clever lyrics abound, such as, "I need someone to untangle / cut the wires inside / If we're honest, I am not quite right."
It's an effective message that is done often in Christian music, but which Avary helps give a fresh coating of paint.
Like it's two predecessors, this is a worthy song that transcends being a b-side and soars to qualities many artists never reach.
An Honest and Moving Display of Heart | Posted April-29-2013
"Anna" is the second single in The Rocket Summer's B-sides single series. The song carries a bit of an emotional and reflective presence from the start, although with the first chorus it picks up the pep a bit. The song seeks to reach somebody struggling with an honest display of one's own struggles. With lyrics like: "I didn't know real pain until I fell down / I never knew how to swim until I nearly drowned / …I didn't know hindsight until it broke my heart," it's another hit for The Rocket Summer.
Like with the first single, "Anna" is a song whose quality is worthy of being on any album. It's status as a B-side should not be a deterrent from adding it to your playlist.
A Great Song For Starting Over | Posted April-29-2013
“Cars and the Pixies” is the first of the B-sides singles series for Life Will Write the Words from 1-man-band, The Rocket Summer (that 1 man being the uber-talented musician Bryce Avary).
The song is everything you’d expect from an established and respected class act like The Rocket Summer. There’s some nice guitar hooks, a catchy melody, a worthy theme about getting a fresh start, with clever and meaningful lyrics to back it up (“who says it has to be the new year to start a new year?”).
This is the kind of standout material you’d usually see on a main album. To know that it’s just from a The Rocket Summer b-sides release should be a good indicator for the caliber of talent that Mr. Avary brings to his music.
Another Beautiful Chapter in the Life of The Afters | Posted April-10-2013
The Afters has been known for their uplifting radio pop for quite a few years now in the Christian music circles. With every album of theirs, you can be pretty sure that at least 2-3 of the songs will become huge radio hits that will find their way to the tops of several Christian music charts.
It's been a good while since the first single for the album, "Life is Beautiful," dropped last year as part of the October Baby soundtrack. From the opening emotional piano notes, it was clear that this was going to be a real winner. The single is a moving anthem about the beauty of God's creation and is arguably one of the best songs the band has penned to date. With passionate lyrics like, "Living and dying / Laughing or crying / If we have the whole world or have nothing / I know there are long nights / But we'll make it / With every sunrise comes a new light / And all of the things / That make us feel like we have it all," it left no doubt that the band hadn't lost their touch in the slightest. It showed quite a lot of promise for the album that was to come. Here we are about a year later and that album is finally here, bearing the name of that initial lead single.
Almost any of these songs would make fine and fresh additions to radio. The single "Every Good Thing" opens up the album with a peppy and exciting vibe that is sure to lift moods and get feet tapping. "Breathe In, Breathe Out" is sure to continue this feeling with a whistler of a opener that's sure to get you dancing if by some mishap the first track didn't get you moving.
"Broken Hallelujah" is next and is classic The Afters--a soaring and moving radio anthem giving glory to God. I'd say that if this weren't released as a radio single at some point, I'd eat my hat. But I don't wear hats, and I've also learned better than to wager on radio singles so instead, I'll just say that this should be a radio single. It's catchy and uplifting and definitely a highlight of the album, arguably among the best next to the title track. Some of its strong lyrics include the chorus: "I've seen joy / I've seen pain / And on my knees I call your name / Here's my broken hallelujah / with nothing left to hold onto / I raise these empty hands to you." It stands as a great humble worship moment on the album.
"Moments Like This," "Love is in the Air" and "What We're Here For" continue to bring the peppy, upbeat pop numbers--which are balanced well by the more reflective and slower numbers like the superb "Find Your Way" and the emotional closer, "This Life," about the temporal nature of this world and how the things of God are the only permanent things. The lines "We can't own it / we just get to hold it for awhile / this life" are truly relevant messages for a world where ownership and material wants seek to drive the day.
"In My Eyes" is another terrific anthem that fits in with the band's best material yet. In another inspirational chorus, the band proclaims, "In my eyes, you're more than complete / you're perfect to me / if you could only see the way that you shine / in my eyes if there's one thing's that's true / it's that I believe in you / you make the world look so bright / you put a smile in my eyes." It's another highlight on what is a pretty strong release.
Joshua Havens' vocals are as warm and soothing as ever and a perfect fit for the band's brand of pop. The piano-driven melodies throughout the album never get old and help give an added emotional layer to the deep lyrics the band has created.
Closing Thoughts:
The Afters have crafted another winner here to add to their discography. They may not crank out albums at the speed some other bands do, but when they do, you can be sure that it's going to be quality. There are several songs here destined to join previous hits like "Beautiful Love" and "Lift Me Up" as CCM classics. Check this off as another winner among the Spring releases this year.
An Infectious and Danceable Listening Experience | Posted April-05-2013
The guys of Salvador are no strangers to the CCM scene. They've been offering a little Latin flair to the Church for more than a decade now. However, things have been quiet for a few years. Until now. Make Some Noise takes the stage and brings back all the things you love about Salvador--and some new things, too.
The title track ("Make Some Noise") opens the album and is the perfect example of Salvador's sound. With peppy horn backing and a foot-tapping chorus, the song is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. A cover of Steve Winwood's "Higher Love" is well done and another high point on the album. "Deeper In Love" is a celebratory song about falling deeper in love with our Creator. It's another of the many fine cuts on the album.
Standing above all of them is a song that actually sounds the most like what you'd hear on CCM radio, but more memorable. "God of Forever" is a true standout. The vocals truly reach new levels of passion on the chorus and there's and the piano hook helps make the song truly feel even more complete.
"Tirate" and "Este Corito" are the album's Spanish-language cuts. They are quite fun and make you want to get up and move. At just two songs, they are a welcome presence on the album and don't ever present an obstacle to the overall listening experience.
Lyrically, the album is unashamed in its Christ-centric message. The chorus of the "God of Forever" is one of the most powerful and encouraging moments on what is a fine and uplifting album: "I see the beauty that is you / shining like the perfect shooting star / so hold on, don't give up on love / and even if your heart's in a million pieces / and there's nowhere left to run / tonight no matter where you are / the God of forever loves you the way you are."
Album closer "Not Alone" offers a familiar but no less relevant message: "It's out of my hands / I'm letting it go / It's time that I've finally surrendered control / it's over my head / too heavy alone / to carry on my own / with you I'm not alone." It's always reassuring to know that Christ is always there in the midst of our trials and will help us if we only let him.
These fine lyrical moments are plentiful on the album and help ensure that this release is rewarding both in its music and its message.
Closing Thoughts:
Salvador's latest is a strong and uplifting collection of music. It balances the Latin flair with the contemporary, the upbeat with the soft and reflective, while keeping Christ the focus throughout. It's never boring and succeeds in being a highlight of the genre so far this year.
A Unique Perspective for a Worship Release | Posted March-26-2013
This Baptism Unplugged release by 1211 can essentially be summed up in short as a worship service in an album format. It's a live recording and the quality of the recording is superb. It feels like you're there but it also sounds great as a recording.
Musically, there are common worship staples here in "Lead Me To The Cross," "Beautiful One," and "Angus Dei." All are covered successfully here. There are even some horn accompaniments in some of these to help add some interesting musical layers to it all.
There's even a Coldplay cover thrown in at the start, in the form of "Brothers (Lovers in Japan)." The lyrics are adapted to be Christ-centered and this clever transition fits well and is surprisingly effective where it could've easily been cheesy. This is ironically probably the best song on the record. Perhaps it's the surprise of seeing a mainstream pop song adapted for a worship service, but it's musically very urgent and genuine.
There's a roughly 10-minute story by Eric Bryant in the latter half that's quite inspirational. It might slow down the project's feel as a music album, but it fits well enough in the context of a worship service.
The album closes out with a cover of "Manifesto" by The City Harmonic. It's a fitting closer to round out what is an effective and uplifting worship service.
It's clear that this album won't be for everybody. Musically, it mostly covers territory covered many times before. But if you're looking to feel part of a big crowd gathering together to worship Christ in music, this release does an effective job of capturing that.
Closing Thoughts:
There are some surprisingly well-done musical gems here. The music and vocals are solid throughout. There's little to complain about if you take the release for what it is. There's nothing here that doesn't work and it's hard to find anything legitimately wrong with this release. Its appeal might be fairly limited, but those to whom it does appeal should definitely feel fulfilled and satisfied with this release.
The New Hawk Nelson Shows What They're Made Of | Posted March-12-2013
Hawk Nelson had become quite the staple of the Christian rock scene since they debuted on Tooth and Nail records in 2004. After five albums full of hits, the band released a curious hits project. Such projects usually only come before a major change for the band. Alas, this time was not to be an exception. Frontman Jason Dunn soon announced his departure from the band to focus on solo ventures.
Lead vocalists are often the most definitive parts of a band, and very few bands can successfully transition between them at all, let alone do so while still keeping the sound that has made them famous. But Hawk Nelson wasn't announcing a breakup, so it was clear that they were going to try and find another vocalist. And lo and behold, they found one, from within the three remaining remembers of the band. Guitarist Jonathan Steingard was promoted to lead vocalist and soon, a new era of Hawk Nelson would commence.
Fast forward about a year and we have the first full-length release with Steingard's vocals, Made, released on their new label home, Fair Trade Services. We were told that we'd get a stylistic shift with the new vocals. From the first track, this is fairly noticeable. While it's not hard to picture Jason Dunn singing any of these, the pop/punk/rock sound that had defined Hawk Nelson for five albums is largely replaced with a more radio pop/rock sound, with only a few hints of the band's previous sound remaining.
It's not that Hawk Nelson hasn't had softer, pop songs before; it's just now, that seems to be the focus of their albums. So yes, we are definitely dealing with a brand new Hawk Nelson here, even though the remaining three members are the same.
But the important question remains, is it any good? And the short answer is: definitely.
"What I'm Looking For" is a peppy opener with enough rock to make it feel alive. It's definitely an appealing radio-ready song with just enough of Hawk Nelson in it to make it feel at home on the record. Steingard's vocals are crisp and upbeat. It's difficult to picture him singing some of the edgier HN classics and so the style shift is understandable. This style complements his vocals quite well and makes for an appealing musical experience.
Lead single "Words" (featuring MercyMe's Bart Millard) is arguably the best song on the album and an excellent choice to introduce the new Hawk Nelson to listeners. It's got a terrific message about making everything we say glorify the Lord: "Let my words be life / Let my words be truth / I don't wanna say a word / Unless it points the world back to You," and it's got an infectious melody that you'll be singing to yourself for months. There's even a bit of the old Hawk Nelson in this too, while still feeling like its fresh and new.
The title track, "Made," is another standout. Its message of self-acceptance is a common one but the band makes it feel fresh and relevant. Plus, these lyrics are particularly heartwarming, calling to mind the love God had for each of us when he created us: "Brighter than stars that shine / You light up the Maker's eyes / And you'd believe if you could see / The smile on His face / The moment you were made."
"Love Like That" and "Faithful" are other great moments on the record. Some of the songs are clearly more memorable than others, but there's not a bad song in the bunch. The album is solid start to finish.
Hawk Nelson's truly managed to pull off a stunning transition between lead singers. Their passion for God is as apparent as ever and this music is a great fit to CCM without sounding watered down or copycat. Steingard's vocals might make for a different Hawk Nelson than we're used to, but it's still great music.
Closing Thoughts:
I'll definitely miss the old Hawk Nelson, but the new Hawk Nelson has given us a new sound to love. The edge might be gone and the sound a tad more generic, but the heart and passion, as well as the clever and relevant lyrics, remain. This is an exciting new chapter in the band's life, and one I hope sticks around for a long time.
An Enjoyable Sound for Worship | Posted March-12-2013
Citizens is another group hoping to join the ranks of popular contemporary worship bands on the scene. While the song titles for their self-titled debut might not indicate a very original project, the music is actually surprisingly fresh.
"Sweetness of Freedom" is an upbeat pop/rock number and a decent opener to the album. There's a definite edge to the vocals that fits well with the music. "In Tenderness" has a strong piano intro that leads into another strong pop track.
It was also at this point where I started to become very much reminded of another act in Christian music, Seabird. There's a definite musical similarity but even vocally, the similarities are almost enough to go and check the artist again. In fact, most of the album sounds like what a worship album from Seabird might sound like. Luckily, this isn't a bad thing at all. The music is consistently catchy and upbeat, with a lot of cheers and shouts to create an exciting and engaging listening experience.
"Made Alive" is when the album really shines with an opening keyboard hook destined to get stuck in your head. The song as a whole works great as a single and is a highlight of the album as a whole. "Sins of my Youth" has a synth-backing that creates a bit of an eerie feeling that fits with the penitent nature of the song. The song explodes into create a rousing and musically complex bridge. There's a lot going on here and it's another outstanding moment on the album. There are even some hints of rock in here. All in all, this is quite the musical standout.
"Praise to the Lord" is a soothing and rousing cover of the classic hymn. The powerful music that has driven the entire album breathes new life to the melodies and the powerful vocals bring a whole new level of honesty to the praise classic.
There are numerous musical highpoints on the album that will help it to standout from the pack. Lyrically, though, it's pretty much the standard fare. There's nothing particularly bad or cheesy. "You have brought me back with the riches of your amazing grace and relentless love," is a worthy chorus. There's a lot of scripture-based praising of our savior throughout the album. It doesn't really break any new ground but it also doesn't particularly have to. The album more than accomplishes what it set out to accomplish.
Closing Thoughts:
Citizens manage to find a workable balance between catchy pop music and uplifting praise and worship. It's not always an easy balance to find but these guys seem to know what they're doing and that helps the album feel above average. Those looking for a fresh take on the genre would do well to give this album a listen.
Building Bridges Between Genres | Posted February-26-2013
Bridgecity strives to blend several different genres into the modern worship genre. Their debut, self-titled effort is big, bold, and throws a lot into the mix in what feels like an attempt to engage a younger audience into worship.
There are definitely a lot of intriguing elements to this approach. Opening track "It's All Because" opens with a catchy electro riff with a slower, yet emotional chorus. There's a rock feel to it that just works. It's an album highlight and starts the album off with promise.
There are a few other electronic elements sprinkled throughout in tracks such as "Can You Feel." However, most tracks rely on pleasant piano-driven intros to hook the listener in, and it mostly works.
"Forgiven" is a slower song that grows into its harder edge in the second half of the track. It would make an excellent single and feels like one of the more developed offerings on the album. "Power" is a surprisingly raw rock track that feels a bit out-of-place among the softer worship. Nonetheless, it's a refreshing change, and so it's welcome. It actually feels like something that Petra would've done.
The entire album is pleasant and offers a creative and upbeat spin on the genre. Some of the tracks feel a tad too long at times and the album could use a little bit of trimming to create a bit more focus on the album's true highlights.
Lyrically, the album is safe and straightforward. It no doubt brings glory to God. Yet, from an artistic point-of-view, there's little here that you haven't heard before. "I'm forgiven / my past erased / it's all because of your great love and mercy / my sins forgotten / you took my place" is an example of one of the stronger choruses on the album.
"Our God reigns / forever God be glorified" and similar common phrases in CCM sound very good set to these uplifting and energizing music. Listeners content with that will find Bridgecity a refreshing and enjoyable act. Those looking for more lyrical meat will probably be disappointed.
Closing Thoughts:
Bridgecity has done a good job with their first effort. There's a lot to like musically and a few of the tracks are definite standouts that it would be wise to promote. They're well on their way towards distinguishing themselves with a unique worship sound.
Silverline Turns The Power Up | Posted February-12-2013
Silverline has quietly made a name for themselves in the Christian rock scene with a slew of hits from their first two releases. (At only 7 and 8 tracks respectively, they sort of fell between the typical sizes for EPs and full lengths). Now the band is back with their third major release--and to my delight, the first that reaches 10 tracks--entitled Lights Out.
Silverline has always had a sound that was interesting. The vocals carry a peppy vibe to them but the music and melodies are pure rock. This led to an interesting dynamic where in one song, you could hear a chorus that would fit well on pop/rock radio but then some screams and yells were thrown into verses and the bridge that made it sound a lot edgier. I thought it was an interesting musical approach and one that Silverline always pulled it off flawlessly. And this album is no exception.
"Hold On" opens this record with a perfect example of said sound. It makes it quite evident that the band's signature sound is in full force on this album, possibly more so than ever before. It's a fun and memorable rock track that sets the pace for the entire album. This flows into the energetic first single and title track. There's a powerful and catchy rock chorus in this one and it's among the strongest on the album. With lyrics like "I wanna wake and see the truth / let's take the old and make it new / 'cause it's lights out / light's out / and the game is over," these songs will be easy to rock out to and sing along with in concerts.
The rock goodness continues through several of the albums cuts. Just about every one of these rockers could fit well on Christian Rock radio while still having a unique sound due largely to the recognizable vocals. "Vicious,""Found in You," and "War" are all excellent and memorable tracks that help lift this release to a strong and memorable rock release. Silverline's always been good at making great rock, but it feels like they've finally hit their stride and have released a full and complete album that can stand up to the best in the business.
Of course, what would a rock album be without the slower songs? "With The Angels" is a beautiful offering that would sound great on CCM stations. It carries a fresh feel yet still feels pleasantly familiar and is a very uplifting high point on the album. It's simple chorus still feels honest and relevant: "With the angels I'm singing / Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty." It's a truly stunning point on the record.
"Be Still" carries a similar feel. As the chorus sings, "Be still and know that I am God / Be still and know that I've got the world in my hands / When your life is crashing down on you / when your world is sinking in / be still," the listener cannot help but be captivated by the angelic and soothing melodies. Silverline have proven themselves as experts at turning simple heartfelt prayers into soaring and comforting ballads.
Songs like "Never Looking Back" and "Something Better" balance the best of the rock and the ballads and are effective crossovers. "Too Far Gone" ends the album in appropriate soaring fashion. It's a strong sendoff to a great rock album.
As noted before, the album is top notch in just about every area. Lyrically, vocally, and musically, Silverline is at the top of their game with this release. Fans of pop and rock will both find plenty to love here.
Closing Thoughts:
There's really little fault to be had with this album. It's definitely got the potential to really put Silverline on the map. And they're one step closer to releasing a truly game-changing rock record. If these guys keep at it, you can definitely expect to see them among the top tier of Christian Rock's biggest names.
JJFrancesco_NRT's Music and Book Reviews 
