Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. said in the U2 rockumentary ‘Rattle and Hum’ that “It’s a musical journey” and maybe this is the best way to describe the latest offering...
Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. said in the U2 rockumentary ‘Rattle and Hum’ that “It’s a musical journey” and maybe this is the best way to describe the latest offering from Californian band Switchfoot. In fact to say ‘Fading West’ is an album is almost incorrect, it’s more like the soundtrack of a journey.
‘Fading West’ is a musical photo album that shows us snapshots of Switchfoot’s tour around the world, taking in the new sounds they found, the sights, the struggles and the moments of insight.
An album of fresh breath, music and the magnetic pull of the sea…
This is the most personal Switchfoot album so far… it’s so fresh you can still taste the salt from the waves they’ve just surfed!
Before I heard ‘Fading West’ album I thought, “How can Switchfoot better their previous album ‘Vice Verses’? ”
‘Vice Verses’ could be considered one of the best albums out in the past couple of years, an album that is musically gifted, emotionally challenging and yet still accessible…”
How can you beat that?
The Answer… You don’t!
Vice Verses, was Vice Verses… It was the past, lets leave it there and give it the credit it’s due!
Fading West is something new something exciting, and something daring.
It’s daring because ANY band can live on past glory by bringing out an album of 12 songs that mimic what has been done before.
However it’s a risk for a band that says “Let’s create something organic. Let’s push ourselves into the unknown. Let’s discover who we are…”
This album is maybe more mellow than most people are used to hearing from Switchfoot. The screaming guitars and grunt of something more heavy have been pushed back to an extent as the band venture into new sonic inspirations. This might make some Switchfoot fans a little uncomfortable… and that’s GREAT.
Music is there to make you feel good, but there is often nothing that challenges you more than music either and having a band take you off your usual stride is good for the soul, and challenges the band the strive for something that is just as meaningful in other ways.
This is the perfect soundtrack for those who enjoy surfing/skateboarding/snowboarding or anything that gets you away from the crushing monotony of our busy lives… it was an album made for space… of fun and adventure.
There is no doubt this is a surf pop/rock album that is meant to be the soundtrack to your adventures, just as it was for the band.
There is plenty here for everyone and while it’s not going to please those who wanted a whole album with screaming guitars and solos, there are tracks like “Let it out” and “Say it like you mean it” that will cater to that market.
Tracks such as “Love alone is worth the fight” and “Who we are” will reach out to maybe a new generation, as poppier songs that still give emotional depth seldom seen in a pop song these days.
Buy or download the Surf/Rockumentary ‘Fading West’ (the film) and you will have a greater understanding of where the songs come from… While being able to admire the AMAZING surf skills of Rob Machado and Tom Curren.
I don’t think that this is a step in a new direction for the band…. I think it’s an album that shows the band at their most vulnerable.
SURFS UP… let this be the surf album for the adventure you were made for!
After listening to the latest album from Aussie Mega church Hillsong I found myself thinking… is this album suffering from split personality syndrome?
Now it’s not a bad thing… all the sounds that you would expect from a Hillsong album are there… great production, great musicianship and great songwriting… the problem is that half the album sounds like the sister band Hillsong United.
I’m not sure if Hillsong is having a midlife crisis… and trying to sound younger… but I was left thinking… I’ve heard it all before.
It’s obvious that Hillsong has got into a habit of writing songs for conference type environments, with big chorus… lots of space in their sound filled with Edge like guitar with delay, reverb and anything else to fill the sound without getting too full on.
That is until it gets to the track ‘The Difference’ – which has the drive and dirt of a United album, and to be honest feels a bit odd in the middle of an Album that is not quiet Hillsong but hasn’t dared to go far enough to become a United album.
There are some stand out tracks on this album, ‘Rise’, ‘The lost are found’ and the title track ‘God is able’ are my favorites, but I can’t say that I was left thinking Wow… I have to listen to that straight away.
In saying that I really like the start of ’Cry of the broken’… it was a great moment that made me want to listen as it introduced some new sounds…
As an album this is a pretty solid album… probably better produced than the last U2… however it’s been done.
As a worship album… there will always be the fans who will buy every album, as individual songs there are a few to bring to the table for church services, but if I was to be honest I have heard better this year (as individual songs)…
So where does it leave me?
This is a conference album… and the songs will certainly mean more to people who have sung these with a group of thousands… that’s just reality… it’s not a bad album by any stretch… but what I would like to see for the next Hillsong and United albums is two differnt bands… with two different styles. At the moment they are too alike… and a waste of my album buying money.
Use us God... we are HERE FOR YOU | Posted March-15-2011
There is something I really like about the music that comes out of the Passion conferences-fresh - timely - real... and 2011 is no different.... and all your favourites are back, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, David Crowder Band & Kristian Stanfill.
'Here For You' was built on the thought 'Worship & Justice'... and as you wander through the songs there seems to be a sense that through the power of God we can be a real force for good in the world. As I listen to the tracks I am reminded of the types of songs David wrote in the Psalms, he wrote about defeating the enemy through his utter dependance on God - knowing he couldn't do it on his own. There seems to be this real sense of worship become less about the music and more about the living... and the knowledge we havethe power of God within us to do it - without fear.
And so the Album begins with Chris Tomlin singing the title track 'Here for You' sounding out "Let our praise be your welcome"... To be honest Chris Tomlin spends a lot of time on this album leading the songs, and those fans of his style would love that... I'm not so sure - I personally wonder if the amount of time Chris is leading (almost half the songs) creates a predictability that past Passion albums never had... or maybe Passion is just growing up, in saying that Passion is always going to through some curves at you.
One of the biggest curves is Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae cutting loose on David Crowder Bands 'Shadows' and then again to close the album off... it adds a much needed kick to the middle of the album.
There is heaps of songs from this album that are ripe for a church setting and there will be no doubt many being played in churches around the world as you read this, and it follows the tradition of other Passion conferences sending songs around the world... one of the main reason(I believe) is because of the active role that Matt Redman played in the songwriting process on this album, Matt has this real gift of taking hard ideas and put them in a really simple scripture based song... Every generation needs a Charles Wesley maybe Matt is ours?
In the middle of the album David Crowder adds a vulnerable moment singing...
When we’ve given up
Let Your healing come
When there’s nothing left
Let Your healing come
‘Til we’re rising up
Let Your healing come
Where You go, we will follow
Where You go, we will follow
It's moments like this that make Passion so popular... because most people have been there, they have been to the place where they have given up... and it's reassuring to know that others have been there too... and more importantly they can tell our God about it -
I think the world needs to know that we aren't perfect... but our God is.
Stories of Hope | Posted March-13-2011 I love the IDEA of concept albums... and sometimes it really works (Jars of Clay presents: the Shelter is a great example of this... ) but sometimes the concept IDEA can over power the music so it's a fine balance, between the thought and the music behind it. So I started listening to this album with skepticism, and I was left pleasantly surprised.
Basically the concept of this album is 'HOPE' or as another commentator put it"the feeling that events will turn out for the best"
I found this album while searching for songs that would provide a soundtrack to those living in the wake of the Christchurch earthquake. I was searching for songs of hope... not the kind of hope that people 'just know' - the head knowledge... I was hunting for songs that were about hope from people who have experienced hopelessness... and discovered the grace that comes in these times.
Lead singer Mark Stuart and bassist Will McGinnis both from Audio Adrenaline, formed the group after talking to people around a camp fire and discovering that their stories of hope through turmoil were being echoed from others also - and the more they talked to other people the more they discovered that others had similar stories.
And so from that spark Know Hope Collective was born.
Now lets get down to the actual album itself... It was publicized as a "this ground-breaking initiative combining worship music with stories of hope and inspiration" personally I'm not sure of that description- I just think that it's a really great idea. To often there are 'worship' albums with church in mind... or 'secular' focused albums with the lost in mind... An album that combines what we do in church and what happens in our lives (both good and bad) is what makes an album 'real'... and I guess makes it more of a 'worship' album in doing so.
Almost half the albums you may have heard before... “Ocean Floor”, “The Good Life” and “Hands and Feet” were previously released on Audio Adrenaline albums, but these are new fresh cut back versions... the same treatment has been given to "Build us back"that was a song co-written by Mark Stuart and ended up on the latest Newsboys album 'Born again'. All of these remade songs are tastefully done... however I wonder with so many of them already known are they a distraction from the flow of the album... Do they fit with the theme? Yes... Do they enhance the story process? I'm still not sure... but they are great songs (Especially 'Build us back' a personal favourite of mine in light of the recent earthquakes in New Zealand)
The album is a real, back to basics album... almost acoustic in feel... almost live... it's music that draws you in. It's like coming to sit at the feet of an old story teller who draws you close and whispers "there is hope even in brokenness... and this is how I know”.
Drawing from Psalm 23 the first single 'Attention' Mark begins the album with these words...
"You call me here from all the things I’m chasing. You bring me to this place to lie down. You pull me from the wars I’ve been waging and remind me there’s a table set for us. Exhale, shut my eyes, let me slow down and be still.Speak. You have my attention, Lord."
If you're in the middle of turmoil in your life... if you're not sure of your future... then listen to this album... listen to the stories of others who have been were you are... but more importantly find out why they KNOW that there is hope.
after the aftermath... | Posted March-13-2011 Church music is becoming less and less like church music and the paradox of this fits well with the new United Album 'aftermath'. The album's theme is about the paradox nature of the cross... a symbol of failure and death, now a symbol of life and victory.
So what does church music sound like?
Well if you are a fan of Martin Luther then you may be a fan of church music sounding like the music that is played outside the church... if that is the case then you might like this album. This album has a real UK Indie rock feel... and it adds to the album as a whole.
The album starts off with a delicate almost 'Dylanesque' song called 'Take Heart' written by Joel Houston starts of the album... a song about hope in the middle of all the doom and gloom in the world at the moment, a perfect start to ANY ablum... the next song 'Go' slides back into the style you are most used to with this band, good old fashioned indie rock... this proves to be a red herring.
This album is really diverse and I love this album for that... but at the same time this album seems strangely familiar, United have been doing their homework... taking the best of their favourite bands and artists and making it United-ish... there was more than a couple of times when I thought "wow that sounds just like..." but it really didn't matter, because it was done so well. 'Bones' has Sarah Mclachlan almost celtic feel.
'Aftermath' builds in a way that only Hillsong can (similar to 'This is our God') using the bridge as the high point of the song, I can't remember a Christian band doing this so well since Delirious?
The real difference is for this album the keyboards are starting to come to the front once again... this comes out the most on 'Light will Shine' mixing a quirky keyboard motif and pop rock styles usually the realm of bands like David Crowder Band... and with bands touring more and more together with conferences like Passion there may be more bands trying new styles. I personally think this is great, anything to get Christian music sounding better gets a thumbs up from me...
Those who have known Hillsong for any length of time would know there is always at least one anthemic 'Conference' song and 'Nova'foots that bill directing everyone back to God... imagine a whole conference singing "Our God be praised forever"
The album finishes with a song we've been singing along with for a while the Reuben Morgan and Chris Tomlin collaboration"Awakening"... now before you think "I'll skip that song... this has been done differently to what you have heard before this version is a lot more raw, even grungier.
This is a great album...
Is it a great church album? I'm not sure... there may be a few songs that can be used "Search my heart" comes to mind...
But I'm in the belief that the songs have to be simple... in a good key for people to song and easy to pick up... I'm just not sure that 'aftermath' ticks all those boxes.
It is however a great Christian album.
If that's enough for you to worship with... then listen to this album.
If you like this album check out: Leeland 'Opposite Way'
Soul looses it's soul | Posted September-02-2010
After listening to the New Israel Houghton @ NB album I found my self thinking "what just happened here???"
I mean here is a guy who is known as a worship leader, a multi instrumentalist, and a great song writer... and apart from every now and then thinking, wow that was well done, I was left with disappointment.
The first track Love God Love people was just a modern Michael Jackson rip off... please people Christians should -if anything, should be more creative because we are in touch with the God of creativity, any douche can re-hack something. I thought maybe it was just a bump early in the road so I continued listening... the more I listened the more I felt like I was listening to a Disney soul soundtrack,It was all clean and gleaming, but the soul was shallow.
the Album didn't start getting 'real' until Kirk Franklin turned up on the track Mercies and did what only Kirk Franklin can do - he did "chuuuuurch!".
Take away all the effects and the 'Auto tune'... and you could have a good album... a real album.
But this is just and over produced album.
The boys light up... | Posted July-09-2010
Finally, with the latest reincarnation of the award winning and ever changing Newsboys has offered up their most complete album since 1996's 'Take me to your leader' graced the charts.
With the Departure of the long time front man Peter Furler it gave the band the chance to really find itself and rediscover the sound that is going to drive them to the next part of the bands amazing journey. The problem would have been who has a personality big enough to fill the shoes of someone like Peter... and the answer is long time Newsboy friend and Christian music pioneer Michael Tait (formerly DC Talk/Tait)... to be honest when I heard this was going to be the new lead singer I was thinking that it was only a gimmick and would be short lived... I have to admit, I was wrong - it turns out that this was a stroke of genius. Taits voice has meant that the NB's have been able to bring an album that takes in all aspects of the rock spectrum... when it's not rockin' it has a nice pop feel, when it's not poppin' it's dancing... it really is very very well done and at no point are you thinking that this isn't how NB's should be? It just feels right!
NB's have added more Australian influence to this album than we have heard for a while with a cover of Aussie Worshippers Hillsong's 'Mighty to save' and 'the boys light up' is heavily influence by Aussie band Australian Crawl with NB's taking the main chorus of the Aussie crawl song 'boys light up' to flavor their own song.
How else could the blend of the two biggest Christian rock groups of the past two decades end... with DC Talks 'Jesus Freak' of course (with KJ-52 adding the rap flavours)... and it sounds good.
So this album is the best of Newsboys and DC Talk past and present... and it certainly looks good for NB's future.
This album really does show just how well the NB's really do light up... and SHINE!
gooseman00's Music and Book Reviews 
![Passion: Here For You (Deluxe Edition)[Live] by Passion](thum_creater/phpThumb.php?src=../images/album_cover_images/cover_9885.jpg&w=60&h=60&hash=8759ddffc659769bb9e844f1cab99911)
![Passion: Here For You (Deluxe Edition)[Live] by Passion](thum_creater/phpThumb.php?src=../images/album_cover_images/cover_9885.jpg&w=90&h=90&hash=8759ddffc659769bb9e844f1cab99911)
