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Building 429: Listen to the Sound | Posted September-14-2011
I first listened to this album while I was playing basketball at the gym this week after I finished my AP World History exam. I had not really played in a long time because I was studying for the exam. Right after the exam I went to play and decided to listen to Listen to the Sound. The album was not only a great stress reliever, it also pumped me up while I was playing.
The album starts off with the song "Made For You," which is a really upbeat song. The song started off my workout pretty good and also made me excited about the rest of the album. Next after "Made For You" comes "right Beside You." This song has Dawn Michele from Fireflight in it; and she really added a new element to the song that could not really be achieved by a male vocalist. Personally I really like Fireflight, but when I first heard this song I did not know who the lady singing was until I did some research and fount out she was on it. Michele's vocals mixed with Jason Roy's vocals made the song really strong in my opinion.
The fourth song on the album is the title track "Listen to the Sound." The song is very strong and has very soft, mellow verses which are then followed by a pretty mellow sounding chorus. After "Listen to the Sound" comes "War Zone," which in my opinion is the best song on the album. "War Zone" is not as well known as "Listen to the Sound" or "Made For You," but I feel that it is a lot stronger than any of the other songs on the album. "War Zone" has true emotion in it. In the song Roy says, "My faith is worn and my hands are tired. My heart is torn between the truth and the liar. So, I run cause I'm done and I need You. You're the once that will come to my rescue." Roy seems to really pour his heart out in this song. When I listen to the song I picture him on the floor crying out to God and on his face before Him, asking why he has to struggle with sin. The song gives me such a wonderfully vivid image, for this reason I feel that the song is the best on the album. I could really relate to the song as well. Many times I find myself asking God why I struggle with temptations and why I am continually drawn back into sin. It truly is a war zone, but this song is a great reminder that God is there no matter what.
After "War Zone" Building 429 keeps with the emotion and mellowness; and the rest of the album is relatively calm and filled with emotion. Listen to the Sound really surprised me. I was not expecting such a great album. I had not really listened to Building 429 before, except for the occasional song on the radio. However, after listening to this album I cannot stop listening to it. It is continuously on my iPod now.
Favorite Song: War Zone
Favorite Lyrics: "Oh if you could only see His arms are wide open. Oh it's okay to be humbled and broken so let your heart be free, cause love has been spoken. Don't you know, don't you know love has been spoken." (From the song "Love Has Been Spoken")
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from The Christian Music Review blog. Click here to visit today!
Hyland: Weights and Measures | Posted September-13-2011
Going into this blog I wanted to find some bands that I had never heard of and review their music. Hyland is one of those bands. I had heard their song "This Love is Free" on the radio, but I had never heard any of their other stuff before. Then I found out that Weights and Measures was their first album. Then I found out that they are Tooth & Nail Records newest addition. Tooth & Nail has produced some of my favorite bands like The Almost, Thousand Foot Krutch, FM Static, Aaron Gillespie, Family Force 5, and Sent By Ravens. I was very excited to download this album and start listening to it.
The first time I listened to the album I absolutely loved it. After listening to it three times I started to nothing something about the album though: most of the songs sound almost exactly the same. Each song has its own little flare, but most of the songs sound really similar.
The two songs that really stuck out to me were "This Love is Free" and "Fireworks." "This Love is Free" is a nice worship type song with a rockish feel to it; and it is probably the most emotion-filled song on the album. The song compares to "Hero" by Abandon (see the previous review on them). The album really paints the picture of our Savior and His love for us. Singer Jon Lewis says in the song, "Love is leading me, holding nail-scarred hands, forgetting where I'm from or who I've been. Love has carried me on His broken back, to a place where I can finally see this love is free."
"Fireworks" stuck out to me mainly because of the chorus. Jon talks about disguising sing to make it look better, which is the fireworks (a way to disguise it). He says, "I'm tired of this lust disguised as love," which is one of my favorite lines on the album. The song is also very emotion-filled. It is a little bit more edgy than "This Love is Free," but it is almost as emotion-filled.
Hyland does a good job of mixing it up with fast paced songs and slow paced songs. They went from a song that makes you want to get up and just dance around ("Fireworks"), to a song that could put you to sleep (in a good way) because it is so mellow ("Coast to Coast"). However, all the fast paced songs pretty much sound the same, and all the slow paced songs sound pretty much the same.
By the time the CD reached the last song "Never" (appropriately named for the last song on the album) I was not ready for it to be over with. The CD has something about it that I cannot describe. It had so much emotion throughout the whole project. I cannot wait to see what else they put out in the future. I just hope their next CD will have more diversity as far as the sound of the songs.
Favorite Song: This Love is Free
Favorite Lyrics: "How many times can I fail you before you say your through, that you've had enough. A thousand times have I fallen and still you keep calling, you never give up. You said that you'd never leave me, you'd never forsake me, you'd never let go. You said you'd come to my rescue, that you'd be my refuge, to never lose hope." (From the song "Never")
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from The Christian Music Review Blog. Click here to visit today!
Eleventyseven has been a long time favorite of mine. I was introduced to them when I found their song "Love in Your Arms" for free on I think it was their PureVolume site. I had never listened to any Electro-Pop music before; but I instantly fell in love with them and their style. I could not stop listening to their music. "Love in Your Arms" quickly became my most listened to song on iTunes. When I heard they were coming out with another CD (technically an EP) I was super excited. It has been a while since have come out with anything. I downloaded it and I listened to it, and I listened to it, and I listened to it, and I listened to it. The entire project is super catchy.
The CD starts off with the song "Don't Want to Fall," which picks up where they left off with on their last CD "Adventures in Eville." The song carries on the them of love that Eleventyseven is known for. This time instead of talking about falling in love, they talk about being cautious of love. "Colleges Girls" speaks of the hardships of young love and hits on the immaturity of some guys. "Book of Secrets" talks about a girl who he just cannot figure out.
The first three songs made me wonder if something happened to Matthew Langston to change his views on love. This album took a completely different look at love than "Adventures in Eville" did. Eville had songs like "Nightmare" which spike of his life being a nightmare unless he was with this certain girl. Now he talks about how he cannot understand her and how he needs to be more cautious with love. Maybe he is just growing older, but it seems as if something happened with this girl. Maybe they broke up. I guess I will never know.
The next song is "Divers in a Hurricane," in which the vocals are amazing. Matthews has always amazed me with how smooth and clear his voice is. "Divers in a Hurricane" made me even more in awe of his vocalistic abilities.
"Quota" for some reason gives off a Hawaiian sort of vibe to me. I really cannot put into words how much I love this song. I am just in awe of how amazing this song is.
Of course "Take on Me" is an Electro-Pop version of the original song by a-Ha. Unless you have heard the original version and grew up with it, I am pretty sure you will like this version even more. In fact I think you will love it. The vocals are cleaner and the song seems to flow even better in Eleventyseven's version.
Overall the album is really good. I cannot really say anything bad about it. From "Don't Want to Fall" to "Take on Me," the whole album is rock solid. Eleventyseven never ceases to amaze me with their vocals and the greatness of their lyrics.
Favorite Song: Quota
Favorite Lyrics: "I don't wanna live my life just meet a quota, taking everyone's orders, marching around like a corporate solder. I wanna live life like everyday is golden. I'm gonna put my life on a hold up. I'm gonna take it over, take it over, take it over." (From the song "Quota")
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from The Christian Music Review Blog. Click here to visit today!
Abandon: Control | Posted September-14-2011
Before this album I had never heard of Abandon. It is a possibility that I have heard one of their songs on the radio without knowing it, but they have never been on my radar. Now they are one of my favorite bands. The first song on the album "Feel It In Your Heart" really cemented itself in my brain. I found myself singing it to myself throughout the day. After hearing it for the first time I was singing along with it each time.
The second song "Help" sounds to me like a mix between the musical style of DC Talk and the modernity of Relient K. It has that kind of old school flare to it.
The whole album really is pretty solid. The album really flows, but each song can stand on its own. All of the songs on the album could become hits on the radio if more people knew about them. I am pretty sure that "Feel It In Your Heart" is already being played regularly on the radio, but none of the other songs are. I could definitely see "Hero" being a huge hit if more people heard it. The song is filled with so much emotion and really awe at our Savior.
Abandon started off the album with four or five songs that are really upbeat songs and ones you just want to dance to. Then they transition into more laid back and mellow songs. The last three songs are extremely emotional.
Abandon has now become one of my favorite bands, and even after my three times of listening to it for the review: I cannot stop listening to Control. It is just so solid. I hope they are more recognized for this album. I cannot wait to hear what they do next.
Favorite Song: Feel It In Your Heart
Favorite Lyrics: "There He goes - a hero. A savior to the world. Here he stands with scars in His hands. With love He gave His life so we could be free. The Savior of the world." (From the song "Hero")
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from The Christian Music Review Blog. Click here to visit today!
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