Excellent Album, Top 10 of Decade! | Posted June-27-2008
I've been a huge Jars of Clay fan since I first heard Flood over 10 years ago and I credit them for leading me to become a Christian. The self-titled debut album is one of the all-time best, and I've loved everything in-between, but Good Monsters is my 2nd favorite overall by Jars of Clay and one of the top 10 albums of the decade in my opinion.
What I love most is that Jars of Clay has managed to keep growing as a band. From the opening guitar riff of Work, I've been hooked by this album for the last 2 years. I just listened to the album for the 20th time and between Dead Man (Carry Me) , All My Tears, Good Monsters, There Is A River and Oh My God, this is the strongest album since the amazing debut. You can't help but be challenged by the introspective lyrics and uplifted by the alternative folksy rock that Jars of Clay pioneered.
"I Will Go" with Starfield, Top 10 of 2008! | Posted June-26-2008
I have LOVED this group since the first time I heard "Filled With Your Glory" which we still sing at my church. Their 2004 debut album also included the biblical and catchy "Tumbling After" and "Alive In This Moment" which all hooked me. Then, in 2006 they took it up a notch with "Beauty And The Broken" with the hit song "Everything Is Beautiful" and one of my favorite Starfield songs, "Obsession".
Now in 2008, along comes "I Will Go". Like the 1st two albums, this is alternative rock praise and worship and arguably their strongest album to date. "From The Corners of the Earth" kicks it off in classic Starfield style and then they totally rock "Hosanna", an amazing cover of the Hillsong United song. "Reign In Us", the rocking "I Will Go" and "Hiding Place" are my other favorites. Fans of Delirious?, Leeland and Sanctus Real will want to "Go" with Starfield.
Great Album, Top 10 of 2008! | Posted June-25-2008
Natalie Grant has seemingly risen to the ranks of Amy Grant and Rebecca St. James as a multiple female vocalist of the year winner. "Relentless" is an important album in Natalie's career as it follows up Natalie's best-selling "Awaken" and it doesn't disappoint her fans and will probably win her some new fans. I am very impressed with the opening song "I Will Not Be Moved", which resembles power pop like Kelly Clarkson and has the awesome bridge referencing Christ as our Solid Rock, such as in 1st Corinthians 10:4.
The hit song "In Better Hands" is next and it is one of the best songs I've ever heard, and the strongest track overall. The other highlights for me are "Back At My Heart", "Let Go", "Perfect People" and "Our Hope Endures", written by Christa Wells who wrote "Held". Overall, it is a great album and top 10 of 2008 in my opinion.
Great introspective album | Posted June-17-2008
Jason Gray's "All The Lovely Losers" kicks off with the beautiful "Blessed Be" which cleverly begins with the album title as the opening lyrics. One of my favorite passages in the Bible is The Beatitudes which serves as the inspiration for the opening song and album title. You can read them here: Matthew 5:1-12. Jason has a speech handicap and this song and album really speaks to how God loves us and blesses the poor in spirit, the meek, the lame, or to quote Jason "the losers", no matter what our circumstances.
The 2nd song "Sing Through Me" has a soaring chorus that arises from brokenness to lift praises to God. The bridge prayerfully says, "Be the strength inside my weakness / Be the song when I am speechless." "This Far", "Move" and "The Cut" are also standout songs. This is a great introspective album and I'm looking forward to more by Jason Gray.
Amazing album, best of 2008! | Posted September-30-2008
I have really enjoyed this band since "Fight The Tide" and "Everything About You" hooked me. I read somewhere that Sanctus Real is filling the void left by Audio Adrenaline retiring and that is a great description of a great Christian band. I find their sound to be in line with my favorite Christian alternative rock bands, Jars of Clay and Downhere. This is a key album in their career, following up the great "Face of Love", which was among the best of 2006. "We Need Each Other" grabs you right away with the stand-out songs "Turn On The Lights", the title track, "Black Coal", "Sing" and "Legacy", which rank among the best ever Sanctus Real. There are no filler songs and my favorite song is "Whatever You're Doing (Something Heavenly)". In my opinion, so far this is the best album of 2008!
Great debut album! | Posted May-15-2008
I've enjoyed "You Are" by Ruth since last summer and it's my favorite song on "Secondhand Dreaming" with the extremely spiritual lyrics: "You are the waves that I feel when I'm sinking / You are the storms that I feel when I'm dying / You are God / I know / You are God", however the more I listen to the whole album, the more I like it.
Dustin Ruth writes lyrics and sings with an emotional honesty that really draws you in. "One Foot In, One Foot Out", "Cross The Line", "Always Yours", and "Mr. Turner" are my other favorites on this very solid debut album. Fans of Switchfoot, The Fray, Leeland and also Third Eye Blind and The Wallflowers will enjoy Ruth which could be an acronym for "Return Us To Him."
Solid 2nd album, top 10 of 2008 | Posted September-30-2008
I waited to review this album until I savored it awhile because at first it didn't measure up to "Sound of Melodies", but not much does in my opinion. So, I spent more time getting into the music and lyrics of "Opposite Way" and I am now convinced it is a top 10 album of 2008. "Count Me In" gives a great way of thinking about our calling as Christians: "I didn't choose You, You chose me first" and is classic Leeland emotional alternative rock, and the other highlights are "Let It Out Now", "Enter This Temple", "Brighter Days" and my favorite song is "Opposite Way" which is an amazing worship anthem encouraging believers to follow Christ's example of being in the world, but not of the world.
Great album, very emotional songs | Posted May-13-2008
Mainstay is a great new alternative rock Christian band who I've liked since I heard "These Pages" and "Take Away" from "Well Meaning Fiction". Mainstay has managed to take it up a notch in my opinion with "Become Who You Are" as the title track, "Where Your Heart Belongs" and my favorite song on the album "Believe" all reflect emotional themes that resonate with me as they are in essence daily reminders of who we are meant to be in Christ. This is a great album that fans of The Afters, Ruth or Leeland will enjoy.
Brilliant Breakout Album | Posted April-25-2008
I don't know what took me so long to jump on this album. Perhaps only having 6 songs seemed like it wasn't enough material to embrace, but I was completely missing out. Most people have heard the breakout song "Let Go" and it's truly a highlight and one of my top 10 favorite songs of the year. Grey Holiday's musical style resembles NEEDTOBREATHE and Jackson Waters, 2 of my favorite new Christian "southern rock" bands.
Laura Sproull from jesusfreakhideout perfectly captures the theme of "Let Go" being the "tendency we have as Christians to clutch all of our hopes and dreams" ("I've been holding on to things like dreams that never seem to die"), "and how we need to just let go and let God" ("What I need is faith"). Laura was very kind to give me permission to quote her. Please enjoy the rest of her excellent review here.
All in all, these are the best 6 songs on one album I've heard all year as there are no filler songs. The opening hooks you with "Glorious" and swells to a beautiful close with "Low" with the rocking "Revolution" adding to the anthemic clever album title involving both the 1st and 4th tracks. Catchy, deep introspective biblical lyrics and completely worth the ep-priced investment. A brilliant breakout album in my opinion.
Highly Recommended | Posted April-10-2008
"Waking Up" by Bethany Dillon is one of those albums that unfortunately got overlooked last year in year-end rankings of the best of 2007. Perhaps she was overshadowed by Britt Nicole, Jessie Daniels or Krystal Meyers and if you like those artists, then you should love Bethany Dillon who is so mature beyond her 18 years. In fact, I'd compare her more to Adie, Nichole Nordeman and Natalie Grant which is saying a lot. Her maturity shows in the power of her songwriting and singing, including love songs to her now husband Shane Barnard of Shane and Shane. Check out the awesome wedding pictures.
Both of Bethany's first two albums impressed me, particularly her singing voice. I picked up "Waking Up" expecting more of the same and she really took it up a notch in my opinion. From the opening Biblical truth of "The Kingdom" showing Bethany's searching for things of God over materialism right to the sweeping "You Are On Our Side" this is her strongest album to date. For me, the highlights are the title track, "Tell Me", "Top of the World" and my favorite is "Let Your Light Shine" based on Matthew 5:15-16. Great album and great message, I highly recommend it.
KevinDavis_NRT's Music and Book Reviews 
