Bold Right Life
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Kierra Audiences have literally watched Kierra Sheard grow up in the spotlight, though now that the singer’s out of her teens and approaching womanhood, she’s making noticeable strides at more mature sounding...
Hail To The King
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Hillsong London In just over 10 years Hillsong London has grown from 100 congregants to well over 6,000. And considering the mass market modern worship contributions its sister church, Australia’s Sydney-based mega congregation,...
Christmas Songs
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Fernando Before his major label debut in 1997, Fernando Ortega recorded a variety of albums independently, utilizing mainly acoustic instruments and understated arrangements to capture the simple beauty of hymns...
SOLID RADIO ROCK FROM CANADIAN FOUR-PIECE | Posted September-24-2008
Downhere is still doing what they’ve been doing for most of this decade: crafting solid radio rock songs north of the border. The Canadian four-piece wows critics and wins awards yet still continues to mostly fly under-the-radar, regardless of the musical quality of each album. Perhaps that will change with this new effort.
Ending is Beginning finds the quartet working with producers Mark Heimermann (dcTalk) and Stephen Gause (Jars of Clay) to create a slightly expansive set of songs—a natural progression of studio familiarity and musical maturity. Still, Downhere fans will get what they want from this one.
The highlight here, by far, is “Cathedral Made of People.” The song is an exhilarating reminder of the power of the church and, musically, rises and falls perfectly. If only the rest of the album achieved the same height and depth. “Live for You” maintains the same musical intensity with its straightforward cry and prayer to live a life focused on God alone.
Don’t Miss Now” and “Beggar Who Gives Alms” slow things down via piano, and the sequencing is perfect in each case. The humility displayed on the latter closes the album well before giving way to bonus track “How Many Kings.” By the close of this collection, you realize these songs are too good not to be heard. Let’s hope this Ending is truly the beginning. –Matt Conner
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from Christian Music Planet. Click here to visit ChristianMusicPlanet.com today!
POPULAR HITS SONGBOOK DISAPPOINTS DESPITE PHELPS’ GIFTEDNESS | Posted September-24-2008
Celine Dion step aside. Josh Groban eat your heart out. David Phelps is the new master of vocal acrobats. Not that he hasn’t already proven his limitless peak. His magnificent range has been spread out over a decade of stellar concert performances and recorded product.
The versatile vocalist first made waves in the southern gospel industry as The Gaither Vocal Band’s showstopper tenor. But after releasing 2000’s Joy, Joy, Phelps turned a loyal handful of followers into a legion of fans, building the foundation for a substantial solo career.
The Voice, Phelps’ newest CD, lists a “Who’s Who” of classic songs. From Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is” and Sarah McLachlan’s dark “Angel” hymn to Turandot’s famous tenor aria “Nessun Dorma” and the overused “Unchained Melody” David utilizes his impeccable pipes to interpret a wide range of previously recorded tunes.
Covering popular songs is always a risk, and it’s a bold career move for an artist like Phelps who has worked so hard to create his own niche of original inspirational music. While David Phelps’ golden throat can turn almost any melody into a musical masterpiece, The Voice falls short of its recorded potential. Maybe it’s the lack of spiritual themes that resonate so richly in his dramatic voice. Maybe it’s the overreaching, Las Vegas-esque production. (Even with Monroe Jones being at the helm).
Whatever the listener may feel is lacking, for David Phelps, this record is just not the definitive songbook of standards it could have been. –Andrew Greer
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from Christian Music Planet. Click here to visit ChristianMusicPlanet.com today!
SELF-TITLED GEM PERSONALIZES NEW CHAPTER FOR NORMAN | Posted September-24-2008
Bebo Norman has spent a dozen or so years as one of Christian music’s most eloquent artists, publishing transparency as if it is normal to bare one’s soul to thousands of listeners in each and every song. But when Bebo first traversed the country as a 20-something in the mid-’90s his acoustic storytelling was something different—a fresh alternative to Christian music’s brand of programmed pop.
Conquering college stages with his laidback humor and honest music, Norman garnered a slew of young, loyal fans, selling thousands of homemade CDs in the process. Now, six albums and more than a decade later, Norman issues his self-titled recording on new label home BEC, inviting listeners to the next chapter of verse and lyric.
The first single, “Pull Me Out,” introduces the record with a pounding acoustic guitar and begging first stanza: “Tell me now/When does this start feeling like I understand/Everything I’m dealing with . . . This could be all about just letting go/Or this could be all about just holding on.”
Using one of the most universally recognized first names in pop culture today, “Britney” continues the candor, making an apology for the lies we’ve fed young women and our irresponsibility in helping them through the struggles they face as a result.
Alluding to the anxiety that has plagued Bebo backstage for years, “Ruins” is the most poignant and personal cut on the disc. Vulnerable lyrics demonstrate Bebo at his best: “Laying flat upon my back/All the world in motion/Everything goes by so fast/I feel like I’m frozen . . . This is my holy hour, this is my world on fire/This is my desperate play, this is where I am saved.”
What’s so interesting about Norman’s music is his aptitude for good pop while never forfeiting the integrity of each and every line. And on Bebo Norman the singer/songwriter takes the next step in a career that is sure to be celebrated for many years. –Andrew Greer
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from Christian Music Planet. Click here to visit ChristianMusicPlanet.com today!
FAR FROM THEIR COMFORT ZONE | Posted September-24-2008
After more than two years without a new studio project, veteran British rock/worship outfit Delirious? extends its relevance on the modern soundscape with Kingdom of Comfort. This time around the band drew inspiration from its travels to impoverished countries like Rwanda, Cambodia and India. The result is an extraordinary magnum opus reflecting times of deep introspection as well as a newfound commitment to compassionate outreach and social justice.
An otherworldly title track delivers a spiritual body blow right from the start, leveling an indictment against materialism (“Save me…from my unhealthy lust of material things”). Several cuts later, the urgent intonations of “Love Will Find a Way” reveal the band’s discomfort with feeding children in the slums and then staying at a posh hotel (“I stare in the eyes of this flesh and bone/I’m a tourist here, so tomorrow I go home”).
Just when things get intense, the quintet deftly unveils beguiling hymn “How Sweet the Name.” Showcasing Martin Smith’s stout vocal aplomb with Bono-esque fervor, the song presents a compelling reminder that “every soul needs a Savior.”
Synopsis: The group’s finest work to date, Kingdom of Comfort represents a band in its prime musically and far from being spiritually indifferent. Thank God for that. -- David McCreary
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from Christian Music Planet. Click here to visit ChristianMusicPlanet.com today!
BORN TO ROCK | Posted September-24-2008
Sarah Kelly's latest effort successfully combines familiar concepts with unexpected melodies, arrangements and production, while maintaining a consistent focus on Kelly's raw, emotive voice to produce an album that's energetic, uplifting and a worthy addition to anyone's rock collection.
From the start, Born to Worship treads a fine line between “just right” and “over the top” production but manages to keep everything in the realm of good musicianship and an accessible overall effect.
The star of this album, undeniably, is Kelly’s voice. She is clearly a singer who knows how to style her phrases, wrap her vocal chords around a melody and deliver an authentic performance every time. There isn’t a single track that doesn’t sound convincing and genuine. Add to that some cool surprises—a choir in the background, perhaps?—and this album is a clear step forward in this developing artist’s repertoire.
Kudos to Kelly for taking risks with production, instrumentation and electronic effects. While those same effects have the potential of diluting the message within the lyrics, in this instance, everything comes together in a complimentary way. Instead of serving as a distraction, every effect, counter melody and nuance seem to gel, leaving one clear message behind—this is a girl who is genuinely, passionately in love with God. Not only that, but she tries—and succeeds—in passing that love along to her listeners…all with a unique melody and beat that just won't quit. -- Caroline Lusk
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from Christian Music Planet. Click here to visit ChristianMusicPlanet.com today!
SONGS FOR OUR GENERATION | Posted September-24-2008
With two successful major-label albums under its belt, Canadian band Starfield returns with I Will Go. The band kicks off the album with a strong sound and message in “From the Corners of the Earth.” Building from the theme of its previous album, Beauty in the Broken, and the track “My Generation,” it should come as no surprise that the band continues a focus on global missions.
Sonically, the album rocks from one track to the next, but still maintains the group’s brand of genuine, relevant worship, as Starfield seek to be a voice for its generation. The title track contains some of the most solid, defining lyrics of the bunch with: “Let me not be blind with privilege/Give me eyes to see the pain/Let the blessing You poured out on me/Not be spent on me in vain/Let this life be used for change.”
Songs such as “Reign in Us,” “Remain” and “All We Need” could easily be used for Sunday morning worship, though stylistically there is a familiar thread of normality throughout. One of the strongest songs is the Hillsong United cover, “Hosanna,” shining with electric guitars and the vocal melodies of brothers Tim and Jon Neufield. What the band lacks in originality, they make up for in a well-produced yet heartfelt crop of new worship tracks. --Rachel Harrold
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from Christian Music Planet. Click here to visit ChristianMusicPlanet.com today!
I HEART HILLSONG | Posted September-24-2008
The band has been around since the turn of the millennium, but it’s only been in the past few years that Hillsong United has unequivocally exploded in popularity. This has posed a serious quandary for the thousands of cash-starved youth stateside and abroad that go crazy at the group’s stadium-sized worship gatherings: Which album is the one to get?
The I Heart Revolution solves that. The two-disc set is a true-to-form representation of what one encounters in the thick of a sweaty, hand-raising mosh pit at a United show: a can’t-sit-still, nonstop hit parade encompassing all the highlights from the group’s breakout albums Look to You, United We Stand and All of the Above.
The results are electric—heart-pounding even—stripped of nearly all the post-production gloss that’s commonplace in today’s live offerings. The raw, almost bootleg sound quality makes for a rough listening session in spots, but there are so many huge moments of unabashed praise, one is willing to overlook the coarseness.
But then again, consider the logistics: United captured every song on location at different stops in the band’s worldwide travels, from New Jersey all the way to London, Cape Town and Buenos Aires. It all makes The I Heart Revolution one terrific, post-concert keepsake, as well as a faithful documentation of the group’s heartfelt journey to change the world one worshipper at a time. --Andree Farias
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from Christian Music Planet. Click here to visit ChristianMusicPlanet.com today!
UNNECESSARY HYMNS PROJECT | Posted September-24-2008
Certain collaborative projects seem like such a natural extension of the artists involved that you have to wonder why they haven’t worked together before. Then there are some, like In Christ Alone, combining acoustic songstress Bethany Dillon with Matt Hammitt, (lead vocalist for Sanctus Real) that feel forced and more a commercial pairing created with dollar signs in mind rather than artistry.
In Christ Alone energizes a dozen British hymns written in the last decade or so with Dillon and Hammitt largely taking turns with lead vocals. Dillon seems more at home in these waters, but both come off just fine. But perhaps that’s the problem.
This is not a bad album, but it’s not necessarily good either. The Tim Hughes/Martin Smith collaboration “Clinging to the Cross” leads off the disc on a darker note and, with a buoyant string arrangement, is one of the best tracks on In Christ Alone. The title track follows with deep, punching percussion that drives the familiar song forward. But others like “Jesus is Lord” and “Adoration” are largely forgettable.
While there are some gems here, there are stronger artistic arrangements and collaborations than In Christ Alone available for your worship gatherings. -Matt Conner
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from Christian Music Planet. Click here to visit ChristianMusicPlanet.com today!
ANDREWS' DEBUT HOLDS ITS OWN | Posted September-24-2008
As the worship leader of Chicago’s 12,000-member Harvest Bible Church, Meredith Andrews is accustomed to performing her own work. This experience is reflected in her debut album—characterized by her sweet, confident voice—proving she can hold her own in the Christian music industry.
The Invitation showcases her singing and songwriting talent in 11 songs, all of which she wrote or co-wrote. “God is extending an invitation to you, to you personally, calling you by name. He knows where you’ve been, and He knows your background. He knows your family situation. He knows the things you struggle with, but He’s calling you by name, and He’s inviting you to come in and to meet with Him and to know Him,” says Andrews of the title.
While most of the songs have a light melodic pop sound, the lyrics reveal a thoughtful expression of the universal struggle to draw closer to God, as in the album’s centerpiece, “You Invite Me In,” where lyrics explain, “I’ve been...ashamed of the shape I’m in/Afraid you’ll see who I really am, but you invite me in.”
This young singer/songwriter is on her way up—she was highlighted as one of Billboard’s 2008 “Faces to Watch” and just completed a tour with “New Artist” Dove winners Aaron Shust and Brandon Heath this spring. –Emily Wenstrom
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from Christian Music Planet. Click here to visit ChristianMusicPlanet.com today!
SOARING VOCALS PROPEL SEASONED WORSHIP LEADER | Posted September-24-2008
In keeping with the times, pioneering worship label Vineyard Music introduced its Varietal imprint to catch up to the artist-driven nature of the American worship scene. In the past, the label was content with simply introducing songs for the church, never individual worship leaders, but the times they are a-changin’.
Though new to Varietal, worship leader Sheri Carr is a seasoned vocalist for Vineyard—10 years worshipping with them and counting. But not too fast: Carr’s national debut, Fearless Now, is fiercer and more radio-friendly than anything she’s recorded in the past, coming across like a caffeinated, high-powered version of Passion’s Christy Nockels…and then some.
The Nockels comparison isn’t too farfetched. The project was helmed by Christy’s husband, Nathan Nockels, a longtime Passion collaborator and worshipper who knows a thing or two about producing worshipful pop acts. Carr herself is one heck of a pop singer, a powerhouse who can soar to insurmountable heights in one song (“Sing Your Praise”) only to deliver a fragile prayer in the next (“Just as the Angels”).
The latter is perhaps Fearless Now’s most congregational tune—most everything else is too performance-oriented to leave a mark in corporate set lists. Still, the album packs enough emotional punch and is carried by such a strong vocal from Carr, one can readily forgive the fact that, more often than not, the tunes are melodic to the point of overload. –Andree Farias
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from Christian Music Planet. Click here to visit ChristianMusicPlanet.com today!
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