Following the success of his major label debut, Nothing Left To Lose, Mat Kearney returned with an evolved sound and an open-hearted album of self-discovery, City of Black & White which is a chronicle of the people he met and missed during that journey. Now, Mat returns with his fourth studio album Young Love, revisiting the heavy grooves, spoken word, and sing-able choruses fans came to love from sophomore-release, Nothing Left To Lose. After becoming a licensed cab driver in hometown, Nashville, Tennessee, Kearney found lyrical inspiration for Young Love through the conversations he had with passengers. "Down" will be the first single released to Christian CHR/AC radio, while "Hey Mama" can currently be heard on mainstream rock radio. I would describe Mat's style as a great mix of Jack Johnson, The Fray, Matthew West and Brandon Heath, which are among my favorite artists. The album lacks strong spiritual messages and reminds me more of a Jack Johnson album relative to the number of songs about relationships such as "Hey Mama," “Count On Me” and "Learning To Love Again" which are all great songs and remind me of “All I Have,” "Here We Go" and “Annie” from City of Black & White.
Super-catchy opening track "Hey Mama" describes the first meeting between Kearney and his new wife at the Anthropologie store in Tennessee that she was working at. After courting her for a few months, he stole her heart, and now it's all in the tune. About the song he says, "The album really began with 'Hey Mama'. After clapping into my laptop and programming this beat, I was dancing around the room actually freestyling words. This wasn't me sitting around with some friends and an acoustic guitar. It was this visceral writing experience. I tried to find a way to write stories to these beats." “Ships In The Night” is one of my favorite songs of the year and features Mat’s signature sound and a hooky chorus. "Down" is the “Closer To Love”-style spiritually-themed song of this album. I love the lyrics “can you hear when we call, there where we fall, standing our backs against the wall, Top of our lungs, hallelujah, where pain and love bleed into one, baby when all you see is darkness, coming down now, we all need forgiveness, coming round now.”
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Young Love is a great listen and includes several memorable songs including "Hey Mama," “Ships In The Night,” “Sooner Or Later,”"Down" and the closing song "Rochester." If you like the musical styles of Brandon Heath and Matthew West, you'll like the musical style of this album, but lyrically it is much more like The Fray and Jack Johnson.
With more than 11 million albums sold worldwide, Hillsong LIVE returns with 11 new songs for its 20th recording, God Is Able, set to release July 26th on Sparrow Records. The album was recorded live along with thousands of worshippers gathered together in Sydney Australia and features new songs by worship leaders Reuben Morgan, Joel Houston, Darlene Zschech and others. Hillsong is known for such worldwide worship anthems as "Shout To The Lord," "Mighty To Save," "Hosanna," "Desert Song," and many more modern worship anthems sung by tens of millions every week in worship services around the world. I eagerly await each new Hillsong release and God Is Able is truly stellar and is now my top overall album by Hillsong LIVE. In my opinion, Hillsong has managed to release their newest best album with each release since Mighty To Save.
God Is Able opens with a new song written and sung by Joel Houston called "Rise." Right from the opening drum beat and Coldplay-style guitar riffs, I was hooked immediately. If you are looking for new worship songs to sing with fellow believers, this album is chock-full of congregational songs, especially the next pair of songs, the Brit-Rock style worship anthem “With Us,” and “Unending Love,” which features gorgeous female vocals that remind me of UNITED’s “Like An Avalanche.” The anthemic “With Us” has an instantly sing-able chorus, “O God, there’s no end to Your Love, there’s no end to Your Love, You’re with us, You’re with us, there’s nothing in this world that could take You away, You’re with us.” Amen to that! The lyrics are excellent and worshipful and for me, this track order is the best of all of the Hillsong LIVE collections and sounds the most like a Hillsong UNITED collection. The musical styles blend perfectly.
Nashville-based artists have been covering Hillsong to much acclaim and radio success, most recently Laura Story's recording of "Mighty To Save," Chris And Conrad’s recording of “Lead Me To The Cross,” Kari Jobe’s recording of “Healer” and Natalie Grant’s recording of "Greatness Of Our God." For me, the stand-out song on this collection is the title track “God Is Able.” I can't get enough of this song and the extremely catchy and worshipful lyrics, “Lifted up, He defeated the grave, Raised to Life, Our God is Able, In His Name, We overcome, for the Lord, our God is Able.” You'll be singing along at the top of your lungs with the crowd and then at some point hopefully with your church congregation. It is an amazing song and this album’s “Stronger” in my opinion. “The Difference” has a UNITED rock style, like “Break Free.” “Alive In Us” is another catchy song featuring Darlene Zschech singing her heart out and reminds me of “Hosanna” musically. “You Are More” has another excellent female vocal and reminds me of “Desert Song” both in music and message. “My Heart Is Overwhelmed” features a sincere prayer, “I'm found in grace, In love's embrace, My heart is overwhelmed.” This standard-bearing worship album ends with a gorgeous ballad sung by Darlene Zschech, “The Cry Of The Broken.” It is wonderful to hear Darlene singing great new worship anthems as her songs "Shout To The Lord" and "The Potter’s Hand" all but started the female worship leader genre.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
I'm impressed by the consistent quality and fresh worshipful songs from Hillsong. I've been singing "The Stand," "From The Inside Out," "Mighty To Save," "Stronger" and many other Hillsong classics at my church for many years and I expect there will be several more worship classics from this album.This album is chock-full of congregational songs, especially "Rise," “With Us,”“Unending Love,” “God Is Able,” “Alive In Us,”“My Heart Is Overwhelmed”and the gorgeous ballad “The Cry Of The Broken.” I eagerly await each new Hillsong release. God Is Able is truly stellar, my top overall album by Hillsong LIVE and my top worship album of the year. Every single song could be added to your Sunday morning worship set.
Matt Redman [10,000 Reasons] | Posted July-08-2011
Matt Redman may be the premier songwriter in Christian music over the past fifteen years as the writer of worship classics "The Heart of Worship," "Better Is One Day," "Blessed Be Your Name," "You Never Let Go" and most recently “Our God,” which he co-wrote with Chris Tomlin for the Passion: Awakening collection and many more modern worship anthems sung by tens of millions every week in worship services around the world. Matt’s hit song "Shine" was part of the Passion: God Of This City album and “Here For You” is the opening track from Passion: Here For You. My favorite story about Matt Redman, a native of England, is that in response to his church having too much focus on music his pastor suggested they take a break from singing which led to his writing "The Heart of Worship." The lyrics "I'm coming back to the heart of worship, it's all about You" sums up Matt's ministry and focus on vertical worship. His sincere singing and songwriting style and biblical inspired lyrics have made me a huge fan of Matt Redman.
10,000 Reasons sticks to the style that fans have come to admire and respect about Matt, starting off with a great up-tempo song with Matt and a live audience singing “We Are The Free,” which has a great energy and reminds me of “Freedom Is Here” by Hillsong UNITED both in upbeat music and celebratory message. “Here For You” was also recently recorded by Chris Tomlin on the most recent Passion: Here For You collection and it’s a wonderful congregational song with the hooky and worshipful chorus: “To You our hearts are open, Nothing here is hidden, You are our one desire, You alone are holy, Only You are worthy, God let Your fire fall down.” Matt is truly a gifted songwriter similar to fellow British worship artists Tim Hughes and Martin Smith of Delirious.
Some other stand-out moments on this very catchy album are the amazing songs "10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)" and first single "Never Once." “10,000 Reasons” really excites me as a worshipper and musically is my favorite song on this great album, the most complete album by Redman in my opinion. I would love to sing this song with fellow believers as the song has great energy and reminds me of “I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever” by Delirious as Matt and the congregation declares in unity, “Bless the Lord, Oh my soul, Oh my soul worship His Holy Name, Sing like never before, Oh my soul, I’ll worship Your Holy Name.” "Never Once" is a great worship anthem and a surefire hit song. It has a Brit-rock musical feel and one of the catchiest lyrical hooks I’ve ever heard. The chorus has Matt belting out, “Never once did we ever walk alone, never once did You leave us on our own, You are faithful, God You are faithful.” Amen to that! One of Matt’s strengths is the strong biblical truth of his songs, and he prays and calls upon our King Jesus in every single song. There is absolutely no doubt Who these songs are about.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
I've been collecting Matt Redman’s albums since 1999's The Heart Of Worship and he is my favorite overall worship leader in all of Christian music. For me, the stand-out songs that you’ll want to start singing at your church are “We Are The Free," "Here For You," "10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)" and first single "Never Once," which are my favorite songs on the album. If you like Hillsong LIVE, Chris Tomlin and Tim Hughes then you must get 10,000 Reasons which is one of the best worship albums of the year and the best overall album by Matt Redman in my opinion. Matt enthusiastically sings Brit-rock style praise and worship and every single song could be added to your Sunday morning worship set.
Dara Maclean [You Got My Attention] | Posted June-25-2011
Fervent Records’ soulful new artist Dara Maclean is guaranteed to turn heads with the release of her debut album, You Got My Attention. Produced by Dove Award-winner Ian Eskelin (Francesca Battistelli, Sidewalk Prophets), Maclean’s debut combines the soul and urban pop influences that infuse her musical approach with soaring vocals in service to intelligently uplifting lyrics. A singer of incredible grace, power and control as well as a gifted songwriter, she wrote or co-wrote all 12 of the tracks on the album. Opening track “Suitcases” is the debut single driven by an infectious beat and a vocal approach alternately intimate and soaring, and is an offer of true release from “your burdens, heavy like gravity.” I was immediately hooked right from the opening notes and the song uses the metaphor of carrying suitcases as a perfect depiction of the weight of sin that we don’t need to carry with us if we’ve put our faith in Jesus for our salvation. Dara gorgeously sings “You can’t run when you’re holding suitcases, It’s a new day throw away your mistakes and open up your heart, Lay down your guard, you don’t have to be afraid.” According to Dara, “I wanted to paint a picture of God’s complete restorative love and how through Christ, we have an opportunity to live free,” she says. “This song does just that.” Amen. Dara displays the strongest vocals I’ve heard in years, and her Brit-pop sounding vocals are similar to Adele and Natasha Bedingfield wrapped around Motown style soulful music as displayed on upbeat title track “You Got My Attention,” which is one of several 5 star songs on this flawless 5 star album.
“Unreachable,”“What Love Looks Like” and “Yours Forever” are all very personal songs where Dara really unveils what’s on her heart.“What Love Looks Like” has a hooky slower tempo guitar pick groove and confessional lyrics, “it takes you in, holds you close, never let’s you go, picture all the best things in life, that what Love looks like.” Vocally the songs remind me of “Clearview” by Tal & Acacia. “Yours Forever” is another standout ballad where Dara personally prays, “Thank You for finding me when You did, You changed my life, Now I believe that Love is all that I’ll ever need, I promise my heart and all that I am, I’m Yours forever my Love.” Fans of R&B style musical songs will flock to “Free” and “Nothing You Won’t Do,” surefire hit songs with great dance floor tempos like “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield, both in music and message. They are great anthems about the freedom we have in Christ and that’s there’s nothing He won’t do to find us, even if we were the only one on the planet. He loves us that much.
Several of the songs include biblical lyrics, especially “The One” which has Dara declaring “You are the Way, the Truth, Jesus, You’re the only One.” “Had To Be You” is another beautiful and confessional ballad as Dara soulfully sings “I’ve been waiting all my life, just to find someone like You, Love You caught me by surprise, One look and I just knew, it had to be You, No One else can love me like You, Eternally I’m Yours, it’s true, nothing in this world can change the meaning of forever, me and You.” Closing songs “So Good To Me,” “Gratitude” and “Home” are all prayerful offerings of thanks. Dara is clearly a grateful believer who is unashamed of her salvation and many of these songs are invitations into Dara’s prayer life. If you don’t know how to word your prayers of thankfulness for what Jesus has done for you, just sing along with these incredible songs of faith.Don’t hesitate to buy this masterpiece!
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Dara Maclean's debut album You Got My Attentionblew me away! This is my top album of the year for sure and Dara Maclean is the best new artist I've heard in CCM since Francesca Battistelli. Her sound is a perfect blend of Brit-pop soulful female artists Adele, Natasha Bedingfield and Duffy. I can’t get enough of this album which for me is flawless with twelve amazing songs. For sure you’ll be hearing her name and her songs. Dara is my surefire choice for best new artist, female vocalist and pop/contemporary album of the year.
Owl City [All Things Bright And Beautiful] | Posted June-05-2011
Owl City is back with a new full-length studio album – All Things Bright And Beautiful – due out June 14th worldwide on Universal Republic. Produced by Owl City’s Adam Young and recorded at Sky Harbor Studios the album features twelve new songs. All Things Bright And Beautiful is the follow-up full-length studio album to Owl City’s platinum-selling debut Ocean Eyes. Ocean Eyes’ sales were led by the runaway single “Fireflies” which is currently quadruple platinum in the US. On All Things Bright and Beautiful, the music and lyrics conspire to make listeners feel as if they were stepping into another world — a musical dreamland where “reality is a lovely place, but I wouldn’t want to live there,” as Young sings on the opening track “The Real World.” That statement sums up the theme of this album well. Adam seems to write and sing songs that are mostly about living for something greater than this world. About how music and his faith merge, Young says, “Music is something that is fused to who I am. It allows me to breathe deeply, it lets me feel, imagine, aspire and dream in the most beautiful ways imaginable. Music is something that I can't imagine living without, and though it means more to me than the world itself, there is something that weighs significantly heavier on the scale of all things valuable and important in my life, that being my relationship with Jesus Christ.”
Images of abundance, like a backyard of butterflies in “Honey and the Bee,” blossoms filling a room in “Hospital Flowers,” and “sunsets that dazzle in the dusk ” in “Dreams Don’t Turn To Dust” unfold alongside starry-eyed imaginings of cherry bombs staining blackbirds red in “Kamikaze” and dipping one’s toes in the galaxy in the first single “Alligator Sky,” featuring Shawn Chrystopher. Young follows opening track “The Real World” with “Deer in the Headlights,” a playful song about feeling the pressure to be the perfect guy where Adam sings “It's suffocating to say but the female mystique takes my breath away.” Through each song, even the more melancholy ones, such as “Dreams Don’t Turn To Dust” and “Plant Life,” Young retains his ever-present optimism, letting the listener know that no matter how tough times get, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. There are also songs with a dance floor tempo, in particular stand-out tracks “Angels,” “Galaxies” and “The Yacht Club,” which features guest vocals by Canadian singer Lights.The female vocalist on “The Honey and The Bee” is Breanne Düren. She is the vocalist who sang on “Saltwater Room” from Ocean Eyes. Closing track“Plant Life” was co-written with Relient K’s Matthew Thiessen.
Like everyone else, I was hooked by “Fireflies” and “Vanilla Twilight” fromOcean Eyes. At the time, I didn’t even know Adam was a Christian and then he recorded a brilliant cover of “In Christ Alone,” and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. Some of the Christian focused lyrics are found in my favorite song “Galaxies,” which is right after Adam plays a sound clip of President Ronald Reagan speaking about the victims of space shuttle Challenger that exploded on “January 28, 1986.” In the sound clip, Reagan pays tribute to their bravery and how they “touched the face of God.” I got the great opportunity to interview Adam about the song and we spent time discussing these lyrics in “Galaxies”-“For He is the saving grace of the Galaxies! He is the saving grace of the Galaxies! Dear God, I was terribly lost, When the galaxies crossed, And the Sun went dark. Dear God, You're the only North Star, I would follow this far.” He shared that the song is from the perspective of the astronauts before the explosion and is a prayer to God expressing his devotion to Him as “the saving grace of the Galaxies.” Amen.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Something about Owl City’s music that I’ve consistently enjoyed is the ability to escape daily stress and pressures while listening to the songs. Adam Young has a unique gift to make catchy and optimistic songs while still challenging me intellectually. My favorite songs on this very solid album are “Angels,” “Dreams Don’t Turn To Dust,”“Honey and the Bee,”“Galaxies,” “The Yacht Club,” and stunning closing track “Plant Life.” Knowing Adam’s faith as a Christian allows me as listener to share his optimism that we weren’t made for this world. All Things Bright And Beautiful is easily the best alternative music album of the year. I love that this album is chock-full of optimistic messages wrapped around some incredibly hooky beats and dance floor tempos. If you liked Ocean Eyes, you’ll be thrilled by All Things Bright And Beautiful.
The Road is the new solo worship album by Superchick lead vocalist Tricia Brock. If you’ve always wanted to hear Superchick record a praise and worship album, then don’t miss out on this gem which releases June 7th. I’ve always loved listening to Tricia’s singing voice, in particular as she passionately sings the more spiritually themed Superchick songs “We Live,” “Stand In The Rain,” “Beauty From Pain,” “Hero” and “Still Here.” If you like those songs, then you’re in for a real treat with The Road. Tricia didn’t set out to record a worship project, yet she found herself in a spiritual desert in between album recordings. Tricia’s always felt the call to lead worship as she and her sister Melissa were raised in a Christian home and they have experienced their share of adversity and struggles while trying to nourish their faith throughout their teenage years and as members of Superchick for the past twelve years.
The Road was produced by Tricia’s husband Nick Baumhardt in his home studio. All eleven of these songs are refreshing and worshipful. Six of the songs were co-written by Tricia and the other five songs are covers that Tricia and Nick carefully selected to record for the album, including the lead single “You Are My Shepherd,” which was co-written by Jennie Lee Riddle and Jonathan Lee. The song is a great example of the cohesive theme of the album which is about trusting in God’s plans for your life regardless of circumstances. Tricia and Nick have walked through that valley that “You Are My Shepherd” references from Psalm 23, having lost their first baby as Tricia recently shared in her blog post: http://alovelierplace.blogspot.com/2011/05/his-mercies-are-new.html. My wife and I have been blessed with three young daughters, yet we also lost a baby after our first daughter was born and my heart really goes out to Tricia and Nick and any family who has suffered that pain. This entire album has songs that bless and heal me as a listener. Tricia beautifully sings the opening tracks which she co-wrote with Nick, “Breath of God” and “Lean,” which are also about learning to rely completely on God’s mercies. “Breath of God” includes the biblical Truth, “Breath of God, You give us life, only You can satisfy,” and “Lean” has the gorgeous and moving chorus, “So I will lean upon the Cross, I will lean into Your love, Your Spirit’s living in me, So I will lean.”
Several of these songs get me choked up as I dwell on God’s tender mercies and these first four amazing songs are capped off by “You Hear,” which was co-written by Nick Baumhardt and Sarah Hart. “You Hear” is my favorite song on the album and has an incredible bridge, “And from the weight of Mercy’s Cross, You whispered words that saved us all, So love could be the only song, You hear, You hear.” As pretty as these songs are to pray and sing along with, they are even more powerful in their worshipful lyrics. Wedged between two great new versions of the popular songs, “Jesus I Am Resting, Resting” and “Always,” is “The Altar,” which is another stand-out original song co-written by Tricia and Nick along with Jonathan Lee. I love how transparent and vulnerable these songs get, as “The Altar” has a chorus that literally wrecks me, “Come to this place, Come seek His face, find the hands of forgiveness, Look into the eyes of Grace, run to Redemption, with tears of joy and pain, let fire fall and purify our hearts, come to the altar, come to His arms.” “Impossible,” “Everything In Me” and “Overwhelmed” keep the worshipful flow going right into the closing song which stops me in my tracks, “Broken For Love’s Sake.” Just like the other songs it has a tender and moving confession, “Should my heart break, when Love’s the only way, So be it Lord, may I be broken for Love’s sake.” Wow, what an incredible sentiment and sacrificial offering to our Savior Jesus. Amen.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Along with the hit album Blessings by Laura Story, The Road by Tricia Brock is my top inspirational worship album of the year! I fully expect this great album to be nominated for several GMA awards, including inspirational album, female vocalist and inspirational song, “You Are My Shepherd.” This is the most moving album I’ve heard this year and I can’t get enough of the standout worshipful songs “Lean,” “You Hear,” “The Altar,” “Impossible” and the gorgeous closing track “Broken For Love’s Sake.” Do yourself a favor and buy this album immediately. You’ll be refreshed, nourished, encouraged and ‘lean’ on God for your strength. This album reminds us that the pain of this world is temporary and to live for Heaven.
Since the young age of 5 years old, Cortni Bilderback has been entertaining crowds with not only her voice, but her passion to reach a hurting world. A native of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Cortni has spent her life singing and writing not only on her own, but as a member of The Bilderbacks, her family’s southern Gospel group. But while her family’s musical roots live firmly in Southern Gospel, Cortni’s heart has always been with the big vocals of pop and gospel music. On May 10th, this young artist released her debut album The After Party. Opening tracks “Trophy Man” and “The After Party” really set the tone for this upbeat and entertaining album. Fans of mainstream pop singers Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and Pink looking for a faith-based alternative will enjoy these opening two songs. The message of “Trophy Man” is great for girls who struggle with the idea that they can find true hope and security in their relationships with worldly guys rather than godly men. The song is super-catchy and has solid lyrics as Cornti belts out, “I don’t need a trophy man. I need a guy who’s gonna act right, treat me right. I want a man who sees me through God’s eyes. I don’t need a trophy man!” “The After Party” has a catchy dance beat and in the song Cortni wants to remind us that while standing up for your faith isn’t always easy, we are told in the Bible to be full of joy: here, now, on Earth. Why wait until Heaven to have fun? We can have a taste of heaven right here and love life now, and Heaven can be our “after party.”
The message of finding love in the right place is furthered in debut single “True Love.” The song intimately shares Cortni’s story of spending life in and out of bad relationships. Even at her young age, Cortni realized her search for love was repeatedly ending up in all the wrong places. “True Love” exposes that nothing can fill that void other than the true love from God. The song is a beautiful ballad and a confessional love song to God. I have three young daughters and this is a great anthem for girls and guys to express what it means to know the biblical truth from 1 John 4:8-“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.“ In the song Cortni very passionately sings, “Is this true love I feel? For the first time in my life? Is my search over? Can You fill the void inside? ‘Cause I’ve let others in before, and my heart can’t take much more. Emptiness, is this true love I feel inside?” Later in the song, Cornti confesses that her search is over, and that God is her “true love.” It is a beautiful ballad and Cortni’s strong vocals are very engaging and passionate. You can hear Cortni’s yearning and sincerity in every word.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Recently, Christian artists Charmaine and Beckah Shae also released “dance” and urban-style albums and overall this album has some songs that also fit that category, along with pop, rock and gospel. Cortni lists Kirk Franklin and Beyonce as her musical influences and their musical styles can be found throughout this album. In particular, there are gospel-style songs, “Sunshine,” “Love Is Always Waiting,” “Change Me,” “God Knows,” “Walls of Glass,” a rock song “Alone With You,” and catchy pop songs, “Trophy Man,” “The After Party,” “Dream Big” and “Ruin Me.” Don’t miss stand-out single “True Love,” one of my favorite songs of the year. Cortni’s got strong vocals, relevant messages and The After Party is a solid debut album from a talented young artist.
Nobody does tours like NewSong. When the group introduced its annual "Winter Jam Tour Spectacular" in 1995, NewSong started to change the public face of Christian music. The mega-event on wheels has become one of the Gospel music world's biggest annual tours, with some history-making moments along the way. To this day, NewSong's multi-artist, ticketless concerts give thousands the opportunity not only to hear incredible music but, of course, to also hear the Gospel message. During 2011's Tour, more than 100,000 Winter Jam attendees made either a first-time commitment to follow Christ or rededicated their lives to Him. More than 500,000 fans attended the 46 dates of the 2011 Winter Jam Tour ranking it as the largest tour of any kind in the world during the year's first quarter according to Pollstar.
I got the chance to experience the band performing the first two songs from One True God, the title track and “Love Is The Medicine” at Winter Jam in Reading, PA. I’ve followed this band since I was saved due to seeking Jesus after hearing the Gospel messages of Christian music in the mid-1990’s, for which I’m eternally grateful. Everyone has heard “The Christmas Shoes,” and my favorite NewSong album to date is Sheltering Tree. The band has undergone multiple line-up changes and Russ Lee is now back as the main lead vocalist, and keyboardist Matt Butler shares lead vocals on the title track, which is one of the stand-out songs of One True God. The message of the song is powerful as Butler professes the strong lyrics, “When the dust has settled and this world is no more, every saint and sinner will confess that You are Lord.” The next two tracks are catchy and inspirational adult contemporary songs. In “Love Is The Medicine,” Lee passionately sings that “Jesus is the remedy,” and in “The Same God,” Butler softly sings “the same God with you then is with you now, the same God who led you in, will lead you out, take all the fear and doubt, go and lay them down, the same God with you then is with you now, He’s with you now.”
The song I can’t stop playing is the stand-out track “The Way You Smile,” an incredibly infectious duet sung by Russ Lee and Francesca Battistelli. The song was co-written by Lee and Eddie Carswell for Eddie’s youngest son’s wedding. Extended-family NewSong member Francesca Battistelli adds a gorgeous female vocal which reminds me of Natalie Grant’s vocals on “When God Made You.” It is a super-catchy love song that would be great for Christian weddings and I love the bridge, “If God be for us, who can be against us.” Francesca’s husband Matt Goodwin was the drummer for NewSong when they met during Winter Jam in 2009 and her father-in-law Billy Goodwin sings on “Strong City.” “Why Worry?” is a another catchy song filled with the biblical truth from Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” One of my favorite songs on the album is the worshipful ballad “Between The Cross And Crown.” In classic NewSong style, Lee, Goodwin, Carswell and Butler all share vocals and harmonize the worshipful chorus, “Lord, give us strength, here and now, in the days between the cross and crown.”
CLOSING THOUGHTS
I love songs that are filled with biblical truth, and several stand-out tracks on the album have biblical references, especially “One True God,” “Love Is The Medicine,” “Why Worry?” and “Between The Cross And Crown.” The album is filled with catchy and inspirational adult contemporary songs. Don’t miss the amazing duet “The Way You Smile,” featuring Francesca Battistelli. If you like MercyMe, Casting Crowns and classic NewSong, One True God is their best album since Sheltering Tree.
Beth Williams [You Can Be Loved] | Posted May-06-2011
You Can Be Loved is the debut five song EP by Beth Williams who is a worship leader at Valley Bible Fellowship in Las Vegas. After much prayer and counsel with her pastor, Williams recognized the opportunity to lead the worshippers at Valley Bible Fellowship Las Vegas as a legitimate call from God to be a light in a dark place. Beth says, "Las Vegas is a pretty crazy city. There is some serious spiritual warfare and you feel that when you come here," Williams says of the city she now calls home. "I really believe that God has protection over me. If I weren't supposed to be here, or if I came here on my own accord, maybe I wouldn't have that kind of protection and it would be a little harder for me."
The album opens with two excellent new worship songs, “Always” and “You Can Be Loved.” For me, Beth brings sincerity and relatable themes that get deeper with each listen. My favorite albums are the ones that continue to provide new revelations over time by savoring them and You Can Be Loved has already done that for me. Both songs include biblical lyrics and relatable themes. Next, the album includes an incredible cover of "In The Light," one of my favorite songs of all-time, written by Charlie Peacock and most notably recorded by dcTalk. I would love to hear Beth and Michael Tait sing the song as a duet! The last two songs, “Somebody Dance” and “Amazing Savior” are also catchy and worshipful songs. I’m sure this album will continue to challenge, inspire and move me. This is truly a great album and uplifting worship experience.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Beth Williams has pure and strong vocals that remind me of GMA's Dove Award winning worship artist Meredith Andrews. I consider Beth someone to watch out for in 2011 and based on this album, she gets my nomination as the best new artist I've heard this year. "Always" is a stand-out track with the overwhelming biblical truth that God will never leave or forsake us. Beth has captivating and catchy songs filled with inspirational lyrics. Don't miss her incredible cover of "In The Light," one of the five great songs on this solid debut album. I'm looking forward to more songs from this up and coming singer-songwriter.
Building 429 [Listen To The Sound] | Posted May-04-2011
Dove Award winning band Building 429 continues to gain attention for the hit title track off its fifth studio album, Listen To The Sound, released May 10. The 10-song project is produced by Jason Ingram, Rusty Varenkamp and Rob Hawkins. Blessed with one of the most distinctive voices in any genre of music, lead singer Jason Roy, wrote or co-wrote nine of the ten tracks on the new album. Building 429 is best known for its 2004 breakout hit “Glory Defined,” which was named BMI’s Christian Song of the Year in 2005, and that same year Building 429 was named New Artist of the Year at the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards.
I’ve collected all four previous albums and considered the last two albums, Iris To Iris and Building 429 to each be the band’s best album respectively. Now, yet again they’ve released their newest “best” album. Right from the opening choral-backed “Made For You,” I knew I was in for a treat with this gem. The song was co-written with Jason Ingram and kicks off the album with a Hillsong UNITED-type rock anthem with the awesome bridge, “You are God there is no other, I won’t bow before another, I was made for You.” This band has consistently made albums that are worthy of the band name’s theme verse, Ephesians 4:29. “Right Beside You” is a guaranteed hit song in all formats, and includes a stellar guest vocal by Fireflight’s Dawn Michele. What’s especially impressive is how instantly catchy and musically engaging this album sounds after just one listen. After having played the album non-stop for the past couple of weeks, I have to give it 5 stars and there are no weak tracks, and several stand-out songs. “One Foot” is another great track, and the first four songs are on par with any album I’ve ever heard, reminding me of The Light Meets The Dark by Tenth Avenue North.
Hit title track “Listen To The Sound” is the band’s best song since award winning “Glory Defined.” The song has become a personal worship anthem for me with the very inspiring lyrics, “You’ll never know what faith is, till you don’t understand / Sometimes it takes the silence to finally hear HIS plan / So listen to the sound of Hope that’s rising.” The band’s “sound” has evolved from the prior albums’ grunge rock and Brit-rock tendencies to this album which has the most CHR-radio friendly pop/rock accessibility to date. “War Zone” and “Where I Belong” anchor down the middle of the album. I can’t get enough of the hook of “Where I Belong,” co-written with Jason Ingram and with another choral-backed and inspiring chorus, “Take this world and give me Jesus, this is not where I belong.” I love how bold these statements of faith are throughout this incredible album. “You Save Me” and “Walls Are Coming Down” were co-written with Jason Ingram and Rob Hawkins and are some of the best album tracks I’ve ever heard. Each song includes biblical truth wrapped around super catchy melodies with the lyrics of “Love Has Been Spoken” reminding us “we’re fearfully and wonderfully made” right from Psalm 139. Closing song “Awaken Us” ends the album as strong as it begins with the challenging lyrics, “We are questions that beg for the answers, we are poems awaiting the rhyme, we are riddles that long for solution, with Your breath we come alive.” This is truly a band worthy of being named after Ephesians 4:29 as this excellent album is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Sometimes a band has an uncanny ability to connect with a listener and I truly had that experience listening to this album.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Listen To The Sound is the band’s crowning achievement in my opinion. If you’re looking for some songs that you’ll love to sing along with at high volumes and in praise to our Savior, then you’ll totally want to “listen to the sound” of Building 429. I recently listened to all 54 songs by B429 and these 10 songs all rank in my top 15 songs ever recorded by this amazing band, along with “Glory Defined,” “The Space In Between Us,” “You Carried Me,” “End Of Me” and “Always.” No filler tracks, just one solid song after another. I have no doubt that Listen To The Sound is among the best albums of the year.
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