Twenty years after
sweeping into the CCM world and marking a more personal lyrical shift in her
music, the songs from LEAD ME ON are being released in re-mastered form—causing
it to seem like Amy’s standing there in our living room beside our stereo
speakers with her acoustic guitar. The sound quality is literally incredible
and personal, sounding like we’re listening to many of these songs (again) for
the very first time. Heavily influenced by the 1987 birth of her first child,
the songs on this project spoke to personal feelings with an honest and vibrant
sound. A companion disc offers previously released acoustic recordings, live
recordings from the 1989 Lead Me One Tour and an interview with Amy. By the
way, Amy refers to LEAD ME ON—which was released between UNGUARDED and HEART IN
MOTION—as her first “adult” recording.
Already the most-sung
CCM artist in modern U.S.
worship services, Chris Tomlin focuses on the emotion of “love” on this his
fourth recording. With lyrics that sound like something read during a communion
service and joyous melodies that lift up the name of Jesus, the driving
pop/rock music supplements the energy of HELLO LOVE. These heartfelt tunes
speak of the love our Savior expressed in coming to earth, and the gratitude
(love) we should feel in return. “Sing, Sing, Sing” is the first Tomlin tune to
be written “as a band,” and has energy and passion sure to please listeners.
“You Lifted Me Up” is based on Psalm 40, “I Will Rise” speaks to those
encumbered with grief, and “Praise the Father, Praise the Son” was a
last-minute recording that talks of peace and healing (much like the Psalms in
the Old Testament that King David wrote). “Jesus Messiah” was already a hit on
Christian radio three months before this album’s September release, indicating
that we’ll once again be enjoying many of these same songs in future church
worship services.
Kicking off with a
cool piano-driven instrumental, this live modern worship CD soon blasts into a
celebratory experience—with the audience often joining in with shouts and
claps. Recorded live at Dallas-based Christ for the Nations Institute (where
the German-born Klaus attended college), these European pop/rock sounds are
often reminiscent of the tunes of Matt Redman, with lots of spontaneous worship
that makes everything seem relevant and real. Lyrics are, of course, directed
heavenward, exemplified by song titles such as “Abba Father,” “The Lord Reigns”
and “Breath of Your Spirit.” If you enjoyed the passion of Keith Green with
love songs for Jesus, you’ll love this one.
The debut from Tenth Avenue North
contains straight-ahead pop/rock music with joyful worship lyrics. Guitars and
key and drums are ever-present but not overwhelming, giving OVER AND UNDERNEATH
the ability to focus on words that stress a personal relationship with Jesus.
These songs are catchy, and listeners will easily find their toes tapping along
as they hum at first listen. Hardly holding back any lyrical punches with any
same-old/same-old expressions, Mike Donehey thanks the Lord for becoming a
sacrificial Lamb and challenges listeners to accept the free grace offered by
the only One who can truly offer it.
Rowdy rock music
defines the sound of the first song on the sophomore project from DecembeRadio,
the group that won a 2006 GMA Dove Award for their self-titled debut. Lead
vocals sometimes have a quality similar to former Kansas frontman Kerry Livgren, and the songs
often have a smooth Southern swank feel. Complicated guitars, driving drums,
screaming keyboards and wailing vocals rock the title track, which talks about
the satisfaction of a life based in Christ, while other songs offer heartfelt
testimonies of faith. The harmonic vocals throughout complement things well.
Expect lots of fun grooves—both light and heavy—from this CD, which guarantees
to leave a smile on the faces of rock ‘n’ roll-loving believers.
There was a time—not
so long ago, actually—when some of us would listen to the simple sounds of CCM
and pray they would jazz things up just a little. You know, maybe add a little
more energy and become cutting-edge, for once? In our wildest dreams we
probably wouldn’t have ever imagined something as energetic and “full” as the
sophomore project from Canadian pop/rock ground Article One. At times the horn
section brings back recollections of early Chicago albums (especially on “Without You”),
while a unique violin often adds a nice finishing touch to several of the
songs. Keyboard interludes, whispered lyrics, the occasional space-age sound
effects and unique percussion sounds—all amazing. And then to layer those
sounds with lyrics that speak of the love of God is what makes COLORS AND
SOUNDS so enjoyable.
The early buzz about
the piano-rock outfit Seabird told of a Cincinnati-based band that sings about
real-life struggles, relationships, losses and the courage to share love.
Meanwhile, the release of TIL WE SEE THE SHORE is sure not to disappoint. Sure,
the band was influenced by early groups such as Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd,
while their own sound could be compared with modern groups such as Travis and
the Doves, but Seabird takes music to another level. For example, check out the
banjo that kicks of “Stronger”! With a unique combination of soaring rock and
ever-present keyboards, the group’s Beatlesque vocals are always encouraging to
listeners, especially on their songs “Rescue” and “Patience.” In the end, there
are songs that are exciting both lyrically and musically. “There is a redemptive
quality present in this record, even in the darker moments, “says frontman
Aaron Morgan. “We hope it will be an oasis for those who were left thirsty by
years of heartache.”
I remember once, back
in the early days of Audio Adrenaline, helping the band set up for a concert in
the gymnasium of a local high school. Jumping off the stage, I landed on a
quarter-inch bolt that pierced through my right shoe and up into my foot. “Hey
Jeff,” lead singer Mark Stuart whispered to me once we figured I’d survive, “I
know the Bible says we’re to be crucified with Christ, but I don’t think it
means that literally!” Alas, most good things must come to an end, and all the
fun we’ve had at live AA shows are now a thing of the past—but not without a
double-disc CD/DVD to assist with our memories. ADIOS: THE GREATEST HITS
contains 18 songs on the CD (which includes two new tunes, “Goodbye” and a
cover of Bon Jovi’s “Blaze of Glory”) and a DVD packed with the band’s 8 music
videos along with a photo gallery. Listening to Mark’s ever-grittier vocals on
the two new recordings, I think this is an indeed the time to say goodbye to
the performance years. Adios, amigos, and yes my foot healed just fine!
I think I have at least
three double-disc collections containing the “best” songs from CCM pioneer
Keith Green, but then again we can never hear too much from this amazing
musician/minister. While THE GREATEST HITS contains 18 of our favorites from
the founder of Last Days Ministries, THE LIVE EXPERIENCE succeeds in capturing
the passion and zeal of this modern-day prophet. These projects are a good
reminder that believers will some day be spending the rest of eternity with
Keith Green in Heaven, but just as importantly that for now we need to be
intent on sharing our faith and becoming more like our Creator.
The WOW series
continues, this time with discs containing 30 of the past year’s most-popular
gospel artists and songs. This 2-CD set contains hits from Kirk Franklin,
Donnie McClurkin, Smokie Norful and Fred Hammond. Other tunes come from classic
musicians such as The Clarke Sisters and Mighty Clouds of Joy, as well as
amazing newbies such as Tye Tribbett and Nicole Mullen.
Tree63 was the first
Christian band to find mainstream success in South Africa, with songs such as
“Treasure” and “Stumbling Stone” reaching #1 on the music charts in that
country. In 2004 Billboard Magazine itself awarded the group the #1 Song of the
Year for the blatantly worshipful “Blessed Be Your Name”—a song that is today
sung in thousands of church services every Sunday morning. BLESSED BE YOUR
NAME: THE HITS brings us 10 of the band’s most popular tunes, including a live
version of their version of “Amazing Grace.”
With vocals that are
at times reminiscent of the mainstream’s John Mayer and other times of CCM’s
Jon Gibson, Jimmy Needham uses a carefree style of breathy singing to express
his love for the Lord—and, at times, his wife. At times led by a harmonica and
at other times guided by a bluesy guitar, Needham’s
voice is always ‘rapping’ and soaring and using a conversational tone to share
his faith with whomever is listening. NOT WITHOUT LOVE, a sophomore project,
tells in more serious songs of Christ being the One who completes our faith
(“The Author”), of keeping God in the center of all life’s decisions (“Tossed
by the Wind”) and of the redemption story (“The Great Love Story”). Love songs,
meanwhile, include the quirky “Firefly” and the romantic “Unfailing Love,” the
latter of which he wrote as a proposal to his new bride. When it comes to
vocals, Needham
is a natural, alternating between crooning and improving, and when it comes to
lyrics he succeeds at a masterful alternation between love that is heavenly and
that which is earthly.
Already familiar to
loads of tweens through their appearances on Radio Disney, the five boys
(ranging in age from 12 to 14) who make up Mission Six (with God being the
sixth “member”) have released a debut project of catchy and energetic songs.
Christ is the “Superhero” on the song of that title, while “Better Me”
encourages kids to follow God’s will and “Tomorrow” is a reminder to everyone
that God is in control. “We Got the Beat” is a Go-Go’s cover redone to fit
teenagers, while “Tonight Tonight” sounds like it also came straight out of the
1980s. I can only imagine what kind of music these five boys will be creating
when they grow up, but for now it sounds like they’ve gotten off to a great
start. Oh, how I wish I still had the energy of these young people!
By the age of 7 Josh
Wilson was already playing the piano, drums and guitar, so it wasn’t a surprise
to anyone that he eventually moved to Nashville
to continue his musical training. The result is the masterful collection of
heartfelt songs that make up TRYING TO FIT THE OCEAN IN A CUP, from a
singer/songwriter who writes seriously about his relationship with God while
occasionally slipping in his sense of humor. While “Savior Please” is a
Psalm-like prayer for answers in the face of life’s many struggles, for
example, “Dear Money” is a witty “love/hate letter” to finances. His songs are
becoming hugely popular already with listeners, as exemplified by his
well-received “3 Minute Song,” which Josh explains as follows: “Sometimes when you’re
writing about God, fitting bid ideas into a little song can be complicated,” he
states. “That challenge is actually where the imagery for the album’s title cam
from. It’s like trying to fit an ocean in a cup.”
Aptly
titled, A ROOMFUL OF QUESTIONS (Tracy Gallup) is a simple and short book
dealing with life and living. The artfully illustrated book begins with a quote
from Rainer Maria Rilke—“…be patient
toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions
themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign
tongue. Do not seek the answers…Live the questions now.” The book then
commences to pose thought-provoking questions designed to make the reader pause
and think. Many of the questions might be ones directed to the Creator, such as
“Who plants the seeds in the garden of thought?” Others are downright
humanistic (“Is magic in every one of us?”), while still others might have
multiple answers for the same person depending on their circumstances of life,
such as “Are tears the beginning or the end of things?” Regardless of motive,
however, the most endearing part of this short 16-page poetic book is the
drawings, which in each case put into sight the words that dot each page, all
the while posing questions designed to make the reader think.
Music Reviews 
