JJ Heller [When I'm With You] | Posted October-02-2010 When I'm With You is JJ Heller’s new album, released on October 19th. JJ says “This is by far my favorite record I've made. As the title implies, the theme of the record is relationships, and how they affect our lives.” In writing material for the new release, JJ poured her every day observations into her songbook: stories she heard while traveling, and those nearer to her heart. "This album is all about redemption," observes JJ. "Looking back on the songs, there's a lot of struggle written into them because that's life. Everyone has different problems to face, but in the end, the outcome hinges on how you deal with those struggles-- if you allow them to destroy you or make you stronger."
If you liked “Your Hands” from JJ’s last album Painted Red, don’t hesitate to get this album. “Tell It Again” kicks off the album with an upbeat and catchy song in the style of “Save Me” from Painted Red. Musically it reminds me of Tal & Acacia’s song “Merry Go Round” and expresses the truth “You’re the favorite part of this story, tell it again to me.” “When I’m With You” is written from the perspective of JJ as a new mother to her daughter Lucy. “You make me believe in love. I could never count all the ways that you change me…baby, every day the sky is a deeper shade of blue…when I’m with you.”
A song that will stop you in your tracks is the first single “What Love Really Means.” I have been married for 16 years and have 3 young daughters and everyone can really relate to the sincerity and sensitivity of this amazing song. The song addresses the broken cry of all of us, especially women who struggle with finding their true identity in Christ. All believers know that Christ is the only answer to the question in the extremely moving chorus “Who will love me for me?, Not for what I have done or what I will become, Who will love me for me?, ‘Cause nobody has shown me what love, what love really means.” Perhaps it's her insight and sensitivity that consistently draw a female audience to JJ's music. She touches on issues of self-image and worry, questions of faith, and feelings of loneliness; her songs resonate with women and offer encouragement. “For some reason, Christians (including myself) sometimes think, ‘if I’m following the Lord and doing the best I can, that life will be easy,’ and it’s not. That’s where grace comes in, and that’s where we grow.” “We have the choice to live in fear, or to live in the hope that God is in every moment with us,” JJ says. “That’s one of the major themes of this season in my life.”
“Kingdom Come” is another catchy and sincere song along with “Boat Song” which includes the great chorus “do you know we belong together, do you know my heart is yours?” What’s so relatable is how these “relationship” songs are relevant for everyone, but especially if you know Jesus, then you know the ultimate answer to the quest for love can only be found in Him. No song better displays that emotion than “Control” which includes the extremely moving description of someone seeking perfection and is a cutter who ultimately finds redemption in the “hope living in the blood that was spilled for me.” I started sobbing the first time I heard the emotional bridge of the song, it’s that moving and beautiful. The themes of redemption and relationship continue strongly with the rest of the songs “Love Can Make You New,” “Olivianna,” “No Fight Left” and “Until You Came Along.” There are no weak songs and lyrically this is easily the most moving album I’ve ever heard. JJ’s sincere and sweet vocal style has never been better and if you like Audrey Assad and Sara Groves, you need to pick up this album. You won’t regret it.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
This is one of those “gourmet” albums that only comes along every once in awhile. For me, I have to fight back tears while listening to several of the songs, especially the lead single “What Love Really Means,” which should win song of the year in my opinion, along with “When I’m With You” and the gorgeous and moving song “Control.” This is one of the freshest and most authentic albums of the year. Surprisingly, it exceeds Painted Red picking up where "Your Hands" left off and taking it up a notch in my opinion.
BarlowGirl [Love & War] | Posted September-29-2010
Since releasing their self-titled debut in 2004, Rebecca, Alyssa and Lauren Barlow have continuously inspired fans with such intimate portraits, as with their sophomore set, Another Journal Entry and with such bold challenges as 2007’s How Can We Be Silent. For BarlowGirl the focus is always on sharing what God has placed on their hearts. They continue to do just that with Love & War. According to Becca Barlow: “I think there are two continuous messages that we are trying to get across on this album: One is that time is short, and we don’t have time to not follow the Lord. We don’t have time to do the things we desire to do. It’s time to be bold and follow the calling God has in your life. The second message is that it’s all about being in love with the Lord and about that relationship with Him. If we don’t have that relationship with Him, we can’t have the boldness.”
The first several songs build on the love and war theme with the upbeat opener “Come Alive” and the cry to “wake up, get out there’s no time to waste now,” which really gets to the heart of the matter, including the charge to “be the change we’ve all been waiting for.” “Open Heavens” keeps the theme of waking up going with the lyrics “can you feel the Spirit move you, calling all hearts to wake.” Both songs really grab me and fire me up to stand up for God and for my beliefs. Then, the first single, “Beautiful Ending,” hit me even harder with the challenging “it scares me to think that I would choose my life over You, My selfish heart divides me from You, It tears us apart”. The song is beautiful and encourages me to live for God.
“Stay With Me” keeps the theme of love going with the encouragement that “all I need is Your love pulling me.” “Our Worlds Collide” is also about love and the girls share how God has filled their hearts with love. The personal nature of the songs really draws me in as I have 3 daughters and want nothing more than for them to know the Love of God. If you are looking for this album’s “Never Alone,” “I Need You To Love Me” or “Here’s My Life,” this is it. “Love Is Marching” is another call to action with the very convicting lyrics “so when we breathe our last, can we say we have lived for more and did we live to die for love.”
“Running Out Of Time” brings back the war theme and makes me think about the choices I make and how I spend my time. “Time For You To Go” is the most rocking song on the album and possibly one of the most challenging songs with the lyrics “Isn't it nice to know, That the media will sway our votes, cause seriously we've got to see, that they choose what we know, our morals get thrown away, for the next big thing we've got to see.” The song finishes with the bridge reminding us that we’ve got to think for ourselves. “Sing Me A Love Song” is another personal love song that really paints a picture of BarlowGirl’s spiritual walk with the bridge ”cause You are what I need, all that I want is You with me.” The most challenging song for BarlowGirl to write was “Tears Fall.” The beautiful ballad focuses on BarlowGirl’s pro-life stance. “Tears Fall” is extremely moving and is filled with emotion, including the cry “God forgive us now.” The album ends with “Hello Sunshine,” which has an upbeat melody and optimistic cry to “let my eyes see the beauty.”
From the opening song, “Come Alive,” I was hooked by the theme and catchiness of this album, the best overall album by BarlowGirl in my opinion. From the standout first single, “Beautiful Ending,” to the gorgeous “Tears Fall” and the rocking “Time For You To Go,” this album delivers with BarlowGirl’s signature blend of excellent harmonies and great musicianship. Love & War has been in heavy rotation for me since it released.
Tim Milner [The Epic Hymns] | Posted September-29-2010
Tim Milner is a worship leader born and raised in eastern Canada. After receiving a double major in Pastoral and music studies at Prairie Bible College he served as a teaching Elder at a church in Nova Scotia. Now, after spending five and a half years ministering on the pastoral staff of two Churches in the New York and Philadelphia areas respectively, he has moved back to Alberta.
Singer/songwriter/recording artist/author/teacher; Tim's passion is to serve the church in North America by helping church leaders reclaim participatory, excellent, high energy, culturally relevant worship. Tim thrives leading gatherings that celebrate the greatness and goodness of God. He is also passionate about restoring true worship in the local church and leads seminars and clinics on worship and musicianship.
I have had the privilege to meet and worship with Canada's Tim Milner and he truly has a passion for praising our God. Right from the opening song on The Epic Hymns, "All Creatures of Our God and King," which is done in the same style as David Crowder*Band, Tim brings uplifting reverence and joy of worship to our King. Tim also includes new recordings of "All Hail The Power of Jesus' Name" and "O Worship The King," both similar to Chris Tomlin's versions from the Passion: Hymns Ancient and Modern album. The album also includes a nice hymn re-write of "This Is My Father's World" with Tim's wife Dorilee singing lead.
Some standout songs for me are Tim's recordings of "O For A Thousand Tongues" arranged in a very sing-able and catchy style and "A Mighty Fortress," recorded with an upbeat U2-like musical style. The album ends like it starts, with great recordings of the classic hymns "Take My Life And Let It Be" and "Draw Me Nearer." The Epic Hymns is a fresh take on the timeless hymns of the church. Modern arrangements, new choruses, and sometimes-complete re-imaginations help these deep and meaningful songs shine. I really enjoy the vibe of this album. Fans of Lincoln Brewster, Charlie Hall and Chris Tomlin should enjoy this solid worship album.
Audrey Assad [The House You're Building] | Posted September-28-2010
Singer/songwriter Audrey Assad, originally from New Jersey and most recently Florida, weaves her captivating voice into a thread of contemplative yet accessible music and lyrics on her debut release The House You’re Building, released on July 13th. Individualistic. A free spirit. Untraditional. In junior high those labels are a death sentence. In adulthood, they usually describe people the rest of us wish we could be – creative, intriguing people like Audrey Assad. Truly one-of-a-kind, this intensely honest singer-songwriter is carving out her own unique path in the music industry and opening hearts to God along the way. She’s passionate about songwriting as well. She also penned one song on her own and shares a co-writing credit with producer Marshall Altman. “The record is about faith. It’s about the cross and fear and pain and how God is carrying me even though sometimes it doesn’t feel like it,” Audrey explains. “Marshall pulled things out of me emotionally that I don’t think I’d ever accessed, making me realize that every time I sing these songs, I have to channel my pain and walk through it.”
“For Love of You,” the album’s first single, was inspired by the Gerard Manley Hopkins poem “As Kingfishers Catch Fire” and is one of my favorite songs on the album. There’s no struggling or wrestling, it’s simply a celebration of the idea that there are traces of God everywhere. “The House You’re Building” is arguably the album’s most personal song. Written with Ben Glover, the tune finds Audrey comparing herself to a broken, misshapen stone. “It’s about being a misfit, of not feeling fit to be a Christian, but then realizing that the walls of God’s house are being built from oddly-shaped and misfit stones,” she says. “He does that on purpose so I know I have a place. There’s a hole in the wall that I fit perfectly in.” “Restless” was written with Matt Maher, and comes from the confession of Augustine. "If there’s any song I have that’s relevant to this generation it’s this one. We are so restless and transient and spread across so many social networks. Our relationships have increased in numbers and decreased in depth. Each generation has something that reveals the restlessness of the human heart, and I think this transience does that for our generation; it serves a purpose. My restlessness actually addresses that need. It’s a reminder that God should be my first source.” “Carry Me” has prayerful and very emotional lyrics, “As I carry this cross, You carry me”. “Known” has very vulnerable lyrics “As a lover knows his beloved’s heart / All the shapes and curves of her even in the dark.”
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Audrey has a phenomenal singing voice which reminds me of the top female vocalists in the business, Brooke (Fraser) Ligertwood, Christy Nockels and Adie, which is amazing company in my opinion. “For Love of You,” “The House You’re Building,” “Restless,” “Carry Me” and “Known” are all stand-out songs on this album, which is one of my top albums of 2010. I expect multiple GMA nominations for new artist and female vocalist for Audrey Assad, my choice for top new artist of the year. I haven’t heard an album that has struck me like this album since Albertine by Brooke Fraser. If you like that album, you need to get The House You’re Building.
Matthew West [The Story Of Your Life] | Posted September-28-2010
For his new record, The Story Of Your Life, Matthew West did something unusual: He turned the microphone around. Rather than write about what he was experiencing in his life, he asked his fans to submit the stories of their lives. When he opened up this opportunity to his fans, the message spread quickly – and soon almost 10,000 stories were submitted. Radio stations, media outlets, and retailers caught the vision and helped spread the word of this unique album. What emerged on The Story of Your Life is a powerful collection of songs that cover a diverse range of difficult subject matter.
The stories gave Matthew a window into what his fans had experienced in their lives. And they covered a wide range of human experiences and emotions. “My Own Little World” perhaps serves as a capstone to the entire album, describing a person who lived in their own “little world” and then was awakened to the bigger picture of need and God’s work in the world. Following the great trend already established by Matthew West of completely transparent and vulnerable lyrics, "My Own Little World" addresses the truth of personal selfishness that most believers are too proud to admit. I applaud Matthew for once again convicting me that my faith is not just for me and God, but needs to be expressed in outward appreciation for what God has done for me. “Strong Enough” is the most vertical worship song and my overall favorite song on the album. It includes a great bridge “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength, and I don’t have to be strong enough.” The song is based on Philippians 4:13 and is an uplifting, catchy and encouraging song.
Another of the album’s strongest tunes is “To Me,” which West wrote in response to a letter from a mother whose heart was aching over the way other kids cruelly treated her son in middle school. “So I wrote this song from the perspective of that parent,” West explains, “and it says, ‘they don’t know you like I know you and if they did I know they’d see. . .you are heaven’s finest invention by far, so even brighter than the brightest star, what I’d give to make you see who you are to me.’” Another powerful song about parenthood is “One Less,” a song about adoption that West cites as one of his favorites on the album. “There are a lot of stories that inspired this song, but there was one specific one from a family in Tennessee that went about trying to adopt this little girl from Guatemala,” he relates. “It’s an amazing story of redemption, both for the child and for the parents.”“Family Tree” deals with a dysfunctional family and a girl whose dying homosexual father talked about the family legacy. The girl who submitted the story felt God speaking to her saying “You have My legacy because you are My child.” It is a poignant and moving song and has a great affirming chorus from God’s perspective: “No, this is not your legacy, this is not your meant to be, I can break the chains that bind you.”
CLOSING THOUGHTS
From "More" to "You Are Everything" and "The Motions," I continue to hear a progression musically and lyrically from Matthew West. The Story of Your Life is yet another solid album from one of Christian music’s most prolific singer-songwriters. Certainly "My Own Little World," “To Me,” “Strong Enough” and “One Less” will all get heavy radio airplay and deserve recognition. Those songs all have very strong messages and are all catchy and uplifting.
Caedmon's Call [Raising Up The Dead] | Posted September-10-2010 Raising Up the Dead is the newest and highly anticipated release from Caedmon’s Call, and it released directly to fans on caedmonscall.com, Sept. 14. With career sales exceeding 1 million albums and going on 16 years in the industry, Texas-based band Caedmon’s Call has made the leap from independent act to Christian music mainstay. Caedmon’s Call has launched sixteen national releases and seven No. 1 radio singles. “This is our most collaborative project ever”, says member Derek Webb. “Everyone was involved in the writing process because we wanted to make a record that reflected the idea of community very strongly. It’s a big theme on this project.” Each of the 12 songs found on Raising Up the Dead were written by the Texas-based band. I’ve been a long-time fan of Caedmon’s Call and have collected every album since their major label self-titled debut in 1997 which spawned “This World,” “Bus Driver” and “Hope To Carry On.” If you liked that album and the folk-oriented worshipful style, then you need to get Raising Up the Dead.
“Family” was written by Derek Webb and is sung soulfully like the all-time great song “Dance.” With Derek having recently departed from his worshipful songwriting style from 40 Acres with such amazing songs as “Thankful,” “Somewhere North,” and “Faith My Eyes,” the minute I heard “Family” I greatly celebrated the return of one of my first loves in Christian music, Derek Webb. Next track, “Miss You” is hauntingly beautiful and is written and sung by Danielle Young, one of the most underrated female vocalists in all of Christian music. “Miss You” and “Come With Me” are both gorgeous ballads and remind me of “Shifting Sand” from 40 Acres and “Piece of Glass” from Long Line Of Leavers. “Time Inside Out” is fantastic, and again features Danielle singing her heart out. The song reminds me one of my favorite songs by Aimee Mann, “Say Anything.” If like me, you’ve always wanted more from Danielle, then this album is totally for you. Danielle Young single handedly contributed lyrics to six of the 12 songs and is highlighted on lead vocals in half of the tunes, including the powerful closing song “Free.” "Writing for this record has been a life changing experience,” shares Danielle Young. “I discovered I love to write. I discovered that the cathartic nature of revealing what is in my heart is worth the challenge it poses. I am thankful for this experience and for Derek and Sandra who held my hand and helped me through this process."
CLOSING THOUGHTS
For me, what works so well on this record is how much it reminds me of vintage Caedmon’s Call from 1997-2000 which was my favorite era in the history of this amazing band. “Family,” “Miss You,” “Come With Me,” “Time Inside Out,” “David Waits,” and the closing song “Free” are now among my all-time favorite songs by Caedmon’s Call right along with “This World,” “Table For Two,” “Somewhere North,” “Shifting Sand” and “Faith My Eyes.” If you liked those classic folk-oriented worship songs, then you’ll absolute love Raising Up the Dead. Welcome back Caedmon’s Call, I’ve missed you greatly!
House of Heroes [Suburba] | Posted August-16-2010 Suburba is an album like nothing else you will hear today. Since last album The End Is Not The End, I’ve been convinced that House of Heroes is the top punk band in all of Christian music. With this album, they are now my favorite punk band in all of rock music. I am a long-time fan of Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, Plain White T’s, Death Cab for Cutie and Relient K. If you like those bands, get this album immediately. House of Heroes won me over 2 years ago with “If,” “Lose Control,” “In The Valley of the Dying Sun” and “Field Of Daggers.” I have had the privilege to see the band in concert twice and heard them perform a few songs from this new album last month. If you like what you hear on this album, don’t miss out on seeing them perform live. I haven’t seen many bands who are even better in concert at performing incredibly tight guitar riffs and singing amazing harmonies than on the studio recording. House of Heroes are the real deal.
Suburba is hooky, ambitious, and dripping with honest, candid emotion. This is what a rock record is supposed to sound like. This is what a rock record is supposed to feel like. “I like this album because we chose to write about things that we knew,” states frontman Tim Skipper. ”We wanted it to sound very American and full of youthful energy. We kept a lot of what we loved about the last record, but we just applied it differently and I think it came out exactly the way we wanted it to. This record is about growing up in middle class suburbia,” states Skipper. ”It’s about fighting for your own identity in the face of society's ideas about love, money, religion and power. It’s about having big dreams and going after them with reckless abandon, yet having to reconcile the fact that things aren't always going to go your way. And it’s about realizing, throughout all of it, that God is real and is the one constant among all the variables of life.”
The opening moments of the first track “Relentless” will appeal to any fan of 1980’s electronic rock. The mix of diverse musical styles with Tim Skipper’s amazing vocals are an incredible combination that gets better and better with each album. The standout songs on Suburba include the anthemic album opener, “Relentless,” “Elevator,” “So Far Away,” “Salt In The Sea” and the epic “Independence Day For A Petty Thief.” House of Heroes went the extra mile this time around to create lyrics that are cool, calculated, and crafty, while remaining vertical all the while. On “God Save the Foolish Kings” they comment on the search for significance: ”And we fight ‘cause we'd rather break our bones than brave this loneliness, And we draw blood ‘cause we're just trying to draw out some significance, But I met God on the street tonight, He said, “Choose your battles wisely or you'll never find me." On “Love Is For the Middle Class,” they comment on materialism and unconditional love: “If all I gave was love, Would you give up on me? But if you measure love in false securities, I owe you nothin' at all..” Perhaps the most poignant moment of all on the record comes in its most worshipful, on the track “Constant,” where House of Heroes simply states the following: “All thru the night I was fallin', Straining to hear your voice callin'. You never gave out. You never gave in. You never quite gave up on me. You are my constant.”
CLOSING THOUGHTS Suburba is without a doubt the top punk rock album of the year. I can’t get enough of this album and expect multiple GMA and GRAMMY award nominations for this album. If you haven’t jumped on the House of Heroes bandwagon, don’t wait any longer. This album will stay in heavy rotation for me and although I didn’t think it was remotely possible to match the intensity and brilliance of The End Is Not The End, after constant listening of Suburba, I’m now convinced that this is their best overall album and one of my top 5 albums of 2010.
Natalie Grant [Love Revolution] | Posted August-10-2010
Powerhouse vocalist, social activist & founder of the Home Foundation to rescue victims of human trafficking, working mom, entrepreneur and four-time GMA Female Vocalist of the Year, Natalie Grant will be releasing her eighth album, Love Revolution, on Curb Records on August 24, 2010. Grant is also thrilled to announce her latest and greatest “revolution” – her second pregnancy with husband/producer Bernie Herms. This will be the Grant’s third child, following the birth of the couple’s twins Bella & Gracie in 2007. “Daring To Be” is yet another great up tempo opening song in the style of “I Will Not Be Moved” and is one of the musical highlights of the album. The pulsing beat sets the tone perfectly for the challenging and personal lyrics “I’ve waving goodbye to my pretty little life, taking Your hand and crossing that line…shout it out loud, I’m not ashamed, diving in now, I’m so not afraid, hello to all that You see and everything You make me…I’m daring to be.” The electronic musical arrangement will have you turning up the volume and jamming along with this great song.
Title track “Love Revolution” keeps the musical flow going as Natalie frames the mission-minded focus of the album “Oh Great light of the world help us see, what can save us now, hands are reaching out, walls are falling down…it’s a love revolution.” Natalie is entering her 5th year as Founder and Chairman of her non-profit The Home Foundation, which helps build restoration homes for survivors of human trafficking. Natalie also continues to serve as a mentor and inspiration to young girls coping with self-esteem and eating disorder issues, helping them to heal and to achieve positive futures. Through her new record title, Natalie Grant shares her passion for the need for a “Love Revolution” in our culture and across the world today. “We need to have a revolution with our own heart,” she says. “So many people these days are waving banners of their faith, but the God that they are preaching about and talking about I don’t recognize. Love transforms. We don’t go around pointing our finger and telling people how they are supposed to live. We’ve gotten so confused with religion and politics. I often ask, shouldn’t we be living out an example Jesus gave us to follow?” The album’s first single, “Greatness of Our God,” is a ballad recognizing our fragile existence in view of God’s incomprehensible greatness. The song, written by Reuben Morgan, Jason Ingram and Stuart Garrard, and is also on the latest Hillsong LIVE album. In the song called “Human,” co-written by American Idol’s Jordin Sparks, the influence of change is heard through lyrics such as: “We’ve gotta do better than this, cause we’ve only got one chance to make a difference….”
Another musical and lyrical highlight is “Beauty Mark,” where Natalie sings: “Lookin’ the part just to play the game, Cookie cutter faith that looks the same, Religious rock stars making a name, So Church-ified it is a crying shame. But I’ll point the finger at nobody else but me. It’s time to be the change we need.” “Power Of The Cross,” “Desert Song,” “Your Great Name” and “You Deserve” are a great set of vertical worship songs which really showcase Natalie’s excellent vocals. All four songs are completely worshipful and focused on the reason why we are mission-minded, which is in gratitude for our salvation from Jesus. “Someday Our King Will Come” has a great gospel-feel including a gospel choir and picks the tempo back up reminding me of classic songs by Sandi Patty and CeCe Winans. The album closes with the worshipful ballad “Song To The King” which has a very personal feel and testimony from Natalie, and is one of the vocal highlights of the album along with an acoustic version of “Your Great Name.”
CLOSING THOUGHTS
I really like how Natalie doesn’t play it safe or get overly cliche in her lyrics and for me, this album is a great mix of worship and pop. In my opinion, this is Natalie’s best overall album and one of my top 10 albums of the year. I like every song and don’t skip any of them and this album is in heavy rotation for me. I fully expect several GMA nominations including artist, female vocalist and pop album of the year.
newsboys [Born Again] | Posted December-28-2010
Genesis, Van Halen, newsboys. They all did it. Many legendary acts have introduced a new lead singer amidst their career without missing a beat. So when newsboys announced that dc Talk vocalist Michael Tait would take over for exiting front man Peter Furler—after a natural period of surprise—the band and its fans alike began to relish the positives and possibilities of this fresh start. Some have forgotten that newsboys already changed lead vocalists from original singer John James after Take Me To Your Leader to Peter Furler starting with Step Up To The Microphone. This new album opens with “Born Again,” the amazing title track which reflects how newsboys became a band completely renewed. “We’ve all believed in lies at some point. I had some prodigal years in the past,” says Michael Tait. “But I hope the song encourages others to make the same decision I did: “I’m giving Him the best of everything that’s left of the life inside this man / I’ve been born again.” Crowd-rallying “One Shot” is where Michael’s childhood dreams ("All I wanted was to do the rock thing") meet the newfound joys of being center stage with newsboys, helping spread their kingdom cause even further ("We say there’s one way / when push comes to shove we’re gonna sing of His love").
The musical hooks and Michael’s stellar vocals have raised the bar on what to expect from newsboys. From someone who has collected their entire catalog, this is without a doubt their best album in my opinion. My top 3 albums by newsboys are Born Again (2010), Go (2006), and Going Public (1994). “When The Boys Light Up” is destined to be the album’s most celebrated track. A biographical anthem of reignited belief and purpose penned with longtime newsboys collaborator Steve Taylor, it puts every transitional issue anyone might raise to rest. “I was feeling all overcome / Had a faith gone dim and then some / Got a call from a band of brothers . . . / All the doubters I heard them say “now the band’s gonna fade away” / But the ‘boys are back for a second act / No excuses. We’re lighting fuses.” “Running to You” emphasize the change that must occur in a relationship with God: “More than just emotion, my broken heart has chosen / Jesus, I’m running to You.”
What worked for both Go and Going Public is in full effect on Born Again which is that this is a complete album with no filler songs. “Be Still” is an amazing album track from Going Public and “The Mission” is an example from Go. As great as the “hits” are from Born Again, the songs “Impossible,” “Build Us Back” and “On Your Knees” are stand-out album tracks that really complete this album in my opinion. The themes are all relatable and I keep coming back to the album tracks which are rich both lyrically and vocally. As if the 10 new songs aren’t enough to make this a stand-out album, Born Again also includes 2 surprises at the end, “Mighty To Save” and “Jesus Freak.” As arguably the most influential songs of the 1990’s (“Jesus Freak”) and the 2000’s (“Mighty To Save”), what a great way to cap off this excellent album.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Born Again is the HOTTEST album of the year! In comparing top albums this year from former dcTalk members Michael Tait versus TobyMac, advantage Tait and newsboys. If you are looking for musical hooks and lyrics that are not ashamed of the Gospel, you need to get Born Again, hands-down the best album ever by this legendary band. Newsboys already have over 20 #1 hit songs. I expect a few more #1 hit songs from this incredible album, one of my top 5 albums of 2010. “Born Again,” “One Shot,” “Impossible,” “Build Us Back” and “On Your Knees” are among my favorite songs ever by this incredible band.
Tenth Avenue North [The Light Meets The Dark] | Posted May-11-2010
In the two years since its national label debut with Over And Underneath, Tenth Avenue North has become a radio fixture with back to back hit songs “Love Is Here” and “By Your Side” and back to back Dove Awards for New Artist of the year and Song of the year. Tenth Avenue North’s anticipated sophomore project, The Light Meets the Dark, is a great collection of confessional and authentic expressions of faith. It appears that the success of the band has allowed them to creatively express themselves and for me that has really paid off with an improved second album. The album’s themes are brokenness, healing and mercy. Once again the songs are poignant and powerful, and in recording the new tunes, the band brings a more seasoned level of musicianship and intensity, reminding me of Robbie Seay Band, Coldplay and Seabird lyrically and musically.
The first single “Healing Begins” encapsulates the theme of the new album. It’s where the title of the record comes from. It’s basically about confession -- confessing your sins to one another that you might be healed, which is a scary thing to do. You can believe in God and love God, but confessing the things that you keep secret and hold on to -- that keep you tied to your past and weigh you down --confessing those things is not easy. The opening four tracks, all released as singles already, are all among the best songs I’ve heard on any album in the past few years. “Strong Enough To Save” and “You Are More” kept me hooked lyrically as Mike’s vocals are very engaging and I was able to relate to every theme. “The Truth Is Who You Are” really grabbed me musically as the guitar part at the end of the song reminds me of “Fix You” by Coldplay, one of my all-time favorite songs. “Empty My Hands” is a gorgeous ballad and the closing track “Oh My Dear” is a story-song written from Mike to his wife about her confession to him.
Lead singer Mike Donehey describes The Light Meets the Dark this way: “We wanted it to be a collision between our hearts and God’s truth. Sparks will fly. His grace collides with the dark inside of us. His blood can cover us and I’m trying to call people out and say ‘Look, please do not hide your darkness. Expose that to the light.’ I know that’s the scariest thought, but it’s where freedom and healing start to take place. It’s where it all starts to happen.”
The Light Meets the Dark is a great second album from a band that continues to improve. It will be hard to not rank this album in my top 10 albums of 2010. For me the stand-out songs are “Healing Begins,” “Strong Enough To Save,” “You Are More,” “The Truth Is Who You Are” and “Empty My Hands.” With one listen to The Light Meets The Dark it is obvious Mike Donehey, Jeff Owen and Jason Jamison are taking a bold step forward on their musical journey.
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