The first song, "Try Me," with Young Noah is really a hit or miss. I have a feeling some people are going to love it, and others are going to hate it, which is mostly because of Young Noah. Personally I love the song, and it has become one of my pump songs. But I could definitely see where people could get really annoyed with Young Noah's hook. Even at times I can get tired of hearing his voice.

Any song with Lecrae is automatically going to be one of the top tracks on an album. "Show Out" is a great song with a really great message behind it, which is all about bragging on Jesus and how great He is. Flame said, in a press release, of the song, "Jesus showed up on the cross and showed out when he was resurrected." This song has some of the greatest lyrics and greatest one liners on the album. Lecrae of course did a spectacular job, but Flame did a really great job on his verse too. The two mix together really well.

"Trap Money" was the first song released from the record, and truthfully it had to grow on me. After listening to it probably three times though, it has become my favorite song on the record. The song deals with the trap that so many people fall into, which is that money will bring happiness - which is clearly false. Thi'sl's verse is spot on, and he sounds better than ever. Young Noah impressed me with his verse as well, and it has really made me excited to hear some new stuff from him.

After the sixth song, "Man," the album really drops off, which is pretty upsetting to me. The rest of the songs are really mediocre. The beats are mediocre and the rapping and guest vocals are mediocre. V. Rose really disappointed me with her guest spots. I guess I expect so much from her because of how amazing she sounded on "Surrender" from Flame's last album Captured. "Running" with Steve T is one I automatically skip over and I do the same with "Christ Alone." A few of the other songs I'll skip to a verse or two and that is it. I wish he had carried on the greatness of the first six tracks to the rest of the album. Probably the one song I like in the later tracks is "He Did it Again" with AD3. It sounds like secular rapper Flo Rida a little bit and has some great lyrics and one of the better beats.

I will give him one thing though, "Let Go," was a decent way to end the album. That is the other song at the end of the album I like. This new trend of having CCM artists on rap songs is really cool, and DecembeRadio was a really awesome choice. The song is all about how everything man is searching for is found in Jesus. It is only in Him that we are truly alive. He truly satisfies us.

Unfortunately The 6th was a little of a disappointment to me because I really enjoyed Captured, and I really liked Our World Redeemed. Do not get me wrong, there are some really good songs on this album, but as an overall project it just does not compare to his last two, but especially Captured. I have a feeling I will still be listening to this one every once and awhile, but I every time I finish listening to the album I come away feeling like something is missing from it.

Favorite Song: Trap Money

Favorite Lyrics: "Simply put man, we blasted. Hope you read me, printing press. One day we blastin' off, Apollo 11. Can't pay for your sin. It won't get you in Heaven." (From the song "Man")

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The album starts off with the best song on the album: the title track. It has a very catchy chorus that I get stuck in my head all the time, and the lyrics to the whole song are spectacular. If I had to choose one strong point for the album, it would have to be the lyrical content. I do not think there is a song on this record where the lyrics are lacking. Each song ministers to the heart, and it is easy to see that Baloche is a very gifted lyricist, which is proven right off the bat with "The Same Love." This is one song on the album I absolutely love listening to, and it is a great way to start off the album.

"We Are Saved" is another one of my favorites off the album. The song features Ben Fielding of Hillsong, which is definitely a great pairing. The song talks about how wonderful it is that Christ died so that we could live, and the song is all about how amazing the resurrection of Christ truly is. The track is truly uplifting and is really catchy just like the first song. "King of Heaven" is a little different than the first two, but a good different. It is a little simpler, which could have been influenced by All Sons & Daughters who are on the song as well. The concept of the song is that God is all-powerful and through Him we can do anything - a great reminder.

The seventh song on the record, "Oh Our Lord," is a cover of All Sons & Daughters' song by the same name, and they do some background vocals on his version . I loved this song originally when it was done by All Sons & Daughters, and Baloche did a great job with it as well. (I think I may still prefer the original though.) That song is followed up by the more fast-paced "Christ the Lord," which celebrates the resurrection of Christ. Then "Reign in Me" slows it down again with a very somber and passionate track that talks about surrendering to Christ and allowing Him to be the sole owner of our hearts, desires, and actions.

"Loved By You" is one of my favorite tracks near the end of the album. It features Kari Jobe and Angela Krusi, and I especially like Jobe's presence on the song. Her presence on just about any worship song is usually really good and it definitely made this one that much better. The song is a very comforting song that talks about how Christ is always there for us and is always there to love us. The album ends with a fast one in "Shout For You," which is a great ending to a good album. The song has a feeling of finality and is very enjoyable to listen to, and is all about telling everyone about how awesome Christ is and how great it is that he died for us.

Paul Baloche has so much experience in the Christian music industry, and this album definitely shows his professional experience. The album is very polished and the lyrics are definitely the highlight of the record. There are some songs on here that I have quickly grown to love, and will be listening to for a long time, but as a whole, the album feels like it is missing something. Overall it is not spectacular, but there are some songs on here that are definitely worth checking out.

Favorite Song: The Same Love

Favorite Lyrics: "Nothing can reach the end of all Your faithfulness. Your grace is with me through every shadow every test. I'm hanging on, I'm leaning in to You." (From the song "My Hope")

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The intro is a cool song that opens up the album very well, showing exactly what Json wants us to get out of the album: through pain and suffering comes growth in Christ. After that come two of my favorite songs on the album. The first is "Making Me Over," which features AD3 and Tedashii and is definitely a highlight of the album. The song has a sweet beat and spells out exactly what the theme of the album is, just like the intro did. Json sounds spectacular on the song, and it is evident that Tedashii was perfectly cast for this track. "2 Human" then follows that up with a much more emotional and heartfelt song. The song features Lecrae and is another one of the better songs on the album which talks about how he and all the other Christian rappers make mistakes because they are just humans. Many people put Christian artists on pedestals and then think that they cannot mess up because they should have an amazing spiritual life, but this song exposes that lie and Json says that really they are not unlike the rest of us - he is just a human.

"It's Alright" fits in the new trend of Christian rappers having CCM artists on their songs. Json chose Mikeschair to be on this song, which I believe is my favorite choice so far by a Christian rapper. The two mix together really well, and it made for a very emotional song that talks about how even in the hard times Christ is there for us ready to hold us up.

"Brand New" is definitely one of the lows of the album. The beat is alright, and the rapping by the guest artists is decent at best. The lyrics are great, and Json did a pretty good job, but the chorus really gets on my nerves after 10 seconds of listening to it. Steve T really seems to be striking out this year. He was on my least favorite track on Flame's album, "Running," and now he is on my least favorite on Json's album. He is a pretty good rapper, but they keep putting him on the weaker tracks unfortunately.

I am really starting to gain a lot of respect for Chris Lee. He does an amazing job as a guest artist on every song he touches, and "Behind the Clouds" is no exception; he always seems to mesh well with rappers, and I have come to really love his voice. "Behind the Clouds" talks about how through pain and hard times there is always a silver lining in Christ, and is a very uplifting song to listen to. "We Not Folding" follows up this song really well with a more hard hitting and true rap song. I love the beat to this one, and the guest artists are banging. Trubble is still not one of my favorite artists, but I think she is slowly growing on me. "We Not Folding" talks about how even in the hard times we do not have to give up, because we have Christ on our side.

Benjah has the utmost respect from me; I think I may respect him more than anyone in the Christian music industry. He can sing well, rap well, produce well - everything he touches seems to turn to gold. I love his part in Json's song "Credits Roll," which talks about the fact that when we become Christians the curtain comes goes down on our old lives and we can live in the freedom of Christ from then on. It is a great song, and one of my favorites on the entire album.

Json has proven once again that he is one of the premier Christian rappers who definitely deserves a part of the spotlight. Growing Pains is as mature an album as it gets, and I love the lyrical content on the record so much. The beats are pretty good throughout the album, and most of the tracks are solid. There are a few songs that I feel are not up to the level they should be, which is why I have given it a little bit of a lower rating. I would still highly suggest checking this album out if you like rap music.

Favorite Song: It's Alright

Favorite Lyrics: "Give me the scraps, I don't deserve the feast from your table. But Christ died for the broken, frail, weak, and disabled - meaning me. So I will not accept the sacrifice, do I think my righteousness comes in when I'm just acting right?" (Form the song "Credits Roll")

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"You Will Be My Song" is probably one of my favorites on the album. It speaks of how God is always there for us, and knows exactly what is best for us. The lyrics are very encouraging, and are a great reminder in this pessimistic world. The song reminds me of a lot of Michael W. Smith's old hits; it definitely takes me back to when I first started listening to 90s Christian music. "Somebody's Praying For Me" follows that up with, what I believe, is the best song on the album. It is one of the more catchy songs on the album, with a great lyrics that talk about how great it is in the hard times of his life to know that somebody was praying for him. He talks about how he could really tell when someone was praying for him, and that it made a huge difference.

Moen did a cover of Jesus Culture's famous song, "Your Love Never Fails," as the fifth track on the record. I have loved this song every since I discovered it this past Summer, because of how great the lyrics are and the fact that the instrumentals behind it are especially strong. The song is all about how during the hard times in our lives, God is always there with us, and His love never changes. Moen did a pretty good job with this song, and is definitely one of the stronger songs on the album. "Lord Have Mercy" is another track that feels a little more like the 90s, and is a decent song. His voice sounds pretty good on this track, but it feels like it might be missing a little something.

"My Portion You Will Ever Be" is one of the top tracks near the end of the album that continues on the theme of the rest of the album, which is that God is there with us no matter what the situation may be. If there is one thing that Moen is great at, it is writing lyrics and encouraging people through his lyrics. This song, along with the others, is very uplifting to listen to.

One of my least favorite songs, is the next to last song, "Thank You Jesus." I really like the lyrics, but the beat and how it is delivered feel like those really cheesy 90s songs that got old to me after the first 100 times of hearing them. It has that signature organ and a little bit of a choir, and feels a little out of place to me. The last song, "Burn," recovers pretty well though, with a really slow song that feels like the right song to end the album with. The song talks about Christ leading us and making us His own and allowing us to serve Him.

I am so torn with this album, because there are some really good songs on it, but at the same time I do not find myself wanting to go back and listen to it other than the purpose of reviewing it. I think if you like Don Moen, 90s music, and maybe even Michael W. Smith, then you will probably like Uncharted Territory. It is not one of my top albums of the year, but it definitely has some great lyrics and a few pretty good songs on it as well. If you are on the fence about the album after reading this review, I suggest going and listing to some previews of it on iTunes. The highlight tracks, that I would suggest listening to are, "Somebody's Praying For Me," "Your Love Never Fails," and "You Will Be My Song."

Favorite Song: Somebody's Praying For Me

Favorite Lyrics: "We lift a song in the light of our need for You are able always in all things and in this moment we fall at your feet. Lord have mercy." (From the song "Lord Have Mercy")

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"We Are" is a great intro that features a kid talking about the greatness of God. "Look Up," the title track, follows that up with the first real song that has a techno, pop type beat. The track has a few really cheesy lines in it, but other than that, it is one of the better songs on the record. It feels perfect for kids, and reminds me of music I liked when I was the age Gateway Next is targeting with this CD. The song talks about how through God we can do anything, and that all we have to do is look up to Him and realize that He is right there for us.

"You" is another one of my favorites on the album, which talks about the fact that Christ is there with us at all times and is our best friend. The vocals on this song are great, and the beat is decent - not one of the best beats, but it is definitely alright. "How Great Your Love Is" is right now my favorite song on the record, and I could automatically recognize Dara Maclean's voice on the song. She has a very distinctive voice, and I believe it sounds amazing on this track. "How Great Your Love Is" is pretty self-explanatory as far as the theme goes, in that it talks about how great God's love is for us.

Kari Jobe is the one that does the sixth track on the record, "Gonna Love You." Her voice sounds spectacular on this song, and it is definitely a highlight on the album. The song teaches kids to love God with all their hearts and to serve Him with all their hearts as well. It is a great track to play for kids, and Jobe's vocals will definitely be appeasing to any child's ears.

"Secret Place" talks about being secure in Christ, and teaches kids to go to Him when they feel afraid because He is always there for us. The lessons each of these songs teach are really good, and is definitely better at doing this than most children's CDs I have heard in the past. "My Heart" is a very upbeat song with a little bit more of a techno beat, like the title track. I feel like this song is executed a little better than the title track, and will definitely get kids on their feet. Then "Masterpiece" closes out the album on a slower note that talks about giving thanks to Christ for how amazing He made each of us.

If you are looking for a good children's album, look no further. Look Up feels like a really good worship album for kids, that has a mixture of really fast-paced songs, as well as slow songs to get them worshiping. The downside is that some of the lyrics feel a little cheesy to me, but that could be just because I am teenager and I think everything is cheesy. So maybe you can even chalk that up to me just being a teenager. The fact that Dara Maclean and Kari Jobe are on the album make it that much better. Definitely consider buying this album if you have kids or you work at church in a children's ministry and want some good stuff to play for them!

Favorite Song: How Great Your Love Is

Favorite Lyrics: "I am a masterpiece in your eyes!" (From the song "Masterpiece")

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To start the album off, "Lights" sets the pace of the album with excellent heavy instrumentals and intense guitar playing. The song has many impressive qualities, and most of them come together well. The vocals are decent, but I feel like there could be an improvement in that area. Although, the instrumentals do a great job of complimenting the vocals in the music that The Burial makes on Lights and Perfections. This song is definitely one of my favorite metal songs to come from Facedown.

"Apathy and Petition" does a great job of following up the opening song. One of my favorite things about this song that becomes prominent on the rest of the album is its lyrical intensity. I believe that Christian bands should express Christ in their music as much and as powerfully as possible, no matter what genre. The vocalist did a great job of bringing out the lyrics that expressed his beliefs. I thoroughly enjoy listening to this song, as well as "Salt and Wrath." Not only does this song have powerful lyrics, but the instrumentals seem to be heavier in some parts of the song, which I feel fits well with The Burial. They almost sound like For Today's old album, Portraits, in this song. They have a lot of talent as a band and do a good job with these two songs in particular.

Some of The Burial's songs on Lights and Perfections I find to be particularly long, like their last song, "Perfections." This song is one that I think is slightly mediocre for them, even though it is still good music. The instrumentals are fast-paced during most of the vocal parts, as is normal throughout this album, and by now, the scream has become slightly repetitive. The lyrics are still powerful, and the music is still really good. The ending to the song is especially notable; they do a good job of closing out Lights and Perfections.

I enjoy listening to The Burial's music, and I hope to hear more from them in their career with Facedown. They have a great talent for making music and their album is worth buying, even if you have never heard them before and enjoy some of the other bands from Facedown.

Favorite Song: Lights

Favorite Lyrics: "Lord, I wish to serve you... Your grace, it sustains." (From the song "Apathy and Petition")

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The title track is a spectacular way to start the album off, and it automatically had me very optimistic for the rest of the album. The song is a very uplifting one that basically tells everyone that we are all worth more than gold, no matter what anybody tells us. Her voice is definitely spectacular, and she proved right off the bat that she is back and stronger than ever. She even does a little rapping on the song, which is pretty awesome! The next song also happens to be the first and only single released from the record, "All This Time." The song is really one of the more emotional ones, and made me very excited for the record the first time I heard it on the radio. Britt talks about how even in the hard times in her life she has found that Christ has been walking with her the whole time, she just had not realized it before.

"Look Like Love" follows that up with a great song that I think might be a good one for the radio. It has the potential to be really popular and it also has a really great message that talks about wanting to lead by example. She says she wants to look Christ's love so that other people can see through her how great Christ is. It is a great song that carries a great reminder for all of us. "Who You Say You Are" feels like another one of the more emotional songs on the record, which could be because of the slower beat. She talks about the constancy of Christ and that he is alway there for us in every situation.

The best song on the album, and maybe all year, is definitely "Ready or Not," which features the amazing Lecrae. I thought I loved Lecrae before this song, but the fact that he hopped on a pop song and absolutely killed it, gave me even more respect for him. Britt killed this song as well, and they definitely proved that they are a great duo. If mainstream pop artists can do songs with rappers, then why can Christians artists? This song is so much fun to listen to, and I cannot help but dance every time I hear it, even if I cannot dance to save my life. The song talks about shining the light of Christ in everything we do and just not being ashamed of Christ.

I am going to jump down to the seventh song "Stand" next, which reminds me a little bit more of her older stuff, and is definitely a great song. It talks about only being able to stand on Christ's strength, and the fact that He is always there when we need Him most to help us stand. The song is a great one, that has some of the most uplifting lyrics on the album.

"Amazing Life" is another one of my absolute favorites off this record. The beat is super fast and definitely has a beat that can compete with any mainstream pop song out there. Britt proved with this song, and with this entire album really, that she is a force to be reckoned with, and that she also has the talent to compete with any mainstream pop artist out there. Give me Britt Nicole over Lady Gaga any day!

"Still That Girl" is a dangerous song for me to listen to because I always get the chorus stuck in my head, and trust me, it is a little peculiar to hear a guys singing, "You're still that girl! You're still that girl!" I love this song, but I try not to start belching out the lyrics when other people are around...so guys beware!

I used to listen to Britt Nicole all the time in middle school, and this album definitely takes me back to those good old days. Gold is such a spectacular album, with not a single bad song on it. I love listening to this album so much, and I do not think it will ever get tired of hearing each of these songs. If you like pop music, or even if you just like Christian music, I highly recommend buying this album! Gold is one of the best albums of the year so far; Britt definitely created a masterpiece with this one.

Favorite Song: Ready or Not

Favorite Lyrics: "All this time from the first tear cry to today's sunrise and every single moment between you were there, you were always there. It was you and I, you've been walking with me all this time." (From the song "All This Time")

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