The North Pole Project
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Number One Gun I've always been a big fan of Christian rock, and listen to the radio frequently. Quite some time ago, I heard the song "Wake Me Up" by Number One Gun, a band I had never heard of, on a local Christian...
Hero (Single)
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Skillet I've always thought Skillet were kind of average, but I was hoping Awake could be an album to put them on my radar. After hearing "Hero" I couldn't help but be disappointed. This song is nothing but an...
Innocence & Instinct - Deluxe Edition CD/DVD
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RED I got the new Red album today (yes I know I was surprised too, it was 8 days before the release date) and I have to say, I am very impressed.
The album starts out great with the two great rockers "Fight...
A great album, especially for one guy | Posted November-24-2009
I've always been a big fan of Christian rock, and listen to the radio frequently. Quite some time ago, I heard the song "Wake Me Up" by Number One Gun, a band I had never heard of, on a local Christian radio station. Althought the style was simplistic and the bridge was long and relatively boring, the chorus was catchy, passionate, and hit me hard with honest lyrics. I went home that night and looked into it. What I found was one of my new favorite bands.
First off, although Number One Gun used to be a full band, this album is put together by just one guy, an impressive feat by itself. After buying the cd and really diving into the material, I was very impressed by Jeff's ability to put real emotion into each song, and each one really moved me in some way. His vocals and lyrics are probably the album's best asset, one good example of this being the bridge of "Million." Although really just an average lighter rock song, "Million"'s bridge jumps out with Jeff singing "Happy, I just want to be happy with myself Tonight!" This honesty conveys how intense the song really is, and saves it from being a filler in the album.
After listening to the entire album, there are some complaints. "Million," "Wake Me Up," and "Find Your Escape," although all delitefully catchy, are really all a little towards the average side. The real standout rocker to me was "Thank You Ending." Its honest lyrics touch on the struggle in life, and how hard it is to live the way you truly want to inside, and how the battle between Heaven and Hell is constantly raging. The slower songs are all highlights, and Jeff's voice shines along with his creative, hope-inspring lyrics. "This Holiday" is a fun song that may appear to be just an popish ballad, but really has love-soaked lyrics and a deep message. It ends the album on a very high note of passion and almost worship, really a musical and lyrical high, and reflects the stellar lyrical content of the entire album and how much true desire seems to be integrated into the music, especially the vocals.
In the end, some minor complaints aside, this album is stellar, especially for just one guy to have to write, record, and produce the entire album. It Number One Gun ever puts out another album, I will certainly look forward to hearing more from a guy that puts so much effort and emotion into his work. With a little more creativity, Number One Gun could put out one of the best albums I have ever had the pleasure to listen to. Thanks for your work, Jeff.
Ugh. | Posted August-14-2009
I've always thought Skillet were kind of average, but I was hoping Awake could be an album to put them on my radar. After hearing "Hero" I couldn't help but be disappointed. This song is nothing but an average rock song. I'm not saying that a band should change it up every time they have a new song, but this song just was not catchy at all to me.
I'm not going to totally slam this song or band. This is a decent rock song, but there are so many songs out there that are much better than this and blow it away lyrically. It's not that "Hero" is bad musically or lyrically. I just think that its lyrics are sadly boring and cliche, and the music isn't much different.
I hate to rate it so badly, but what I'm trying to get across is that if you are a fan of Christian rock, pass this up. Although this is by a big name band, there is a lot better out there.
Great Sophmore project!!! | Posted February-02-2009
I got the new Red album today (yes I know I was surprised too, it was 8 days before the release date) and I have to say, I am very impressed.
The album starts out great with the two great rockers "Fight Inside" and "Death of Me," which, although really don't bring anything new to the table, are awesome songs. Next, their is the unique "Mystery of You," which is already one of my favorites. It changes up a little, and seems to be new ground for Red.
Next, the album goes into "Start Again," a good, solid track that is catchy and, although it seems a little average, still is a good song. Red then breaks into their CHR single "Never Be the Same," a song that I really like. I also like the change up to a bit of a softer feel after all the rock songs to start the album.
The next two songs, "Shadows" and "Confession (What's Inside my Head)" are both good songs. "Shadows" could be my favorite song off the album and is very catchy. "Confession" is another good solid rock song with a lot of emotion in it.
The rest of the album consists of a lot of solid tracks. Red's cover of "Ordinary World" is satisfying, and I enjoyed it. They definately change it up with "Take It all Away," a much softer song than anything else (at least in the beginning).
Red really shines in their sophmore album, and although there's not a ton of new stuff, every song has a lot to offer. I would definately recommend this album to rock lovers!
WOAH!!!!!! | Posted August-13-2008
Pillar exploded into my favorite artists with this release, I cannot believe the talent and display of amazing passion on this album. Every song is an incredibley catchy heavy rock track with the exception of "Smiling Down" and "I Fade Away". The guitar couldn't be better, and Pillar shows their passion for Christ through great rock music. My favorite track would have to be the call out for us to get the fire for Christ re-ignited in ourselves in the fast paced, intense "Get Back".
Amazing | Posted June-10-2008
This is one of my favorite cds. The Classic Crime really shows that they have talent with this record. There is a lot of variety on the disc and a lot of really good songs. I can't wait for their next album. My favorite songs are "Say The Word", "The Fight", "We All Look Elsewhere", and "Flight of Kings".
Impressive | Posted June-10-2008
I didn't really like this album much at first, but after listening to it more and really getting to know the music better, I have found that it's actually really good. I overall really liked this album, and it's a great cd to add to any Christian rock fan's collection. My favorite songs are "Never Say "I Told You So"", "Drive There Now", and "Say This Sooner".
Incredible! | Posted May-28-2008
Falling Up is my favorite artist and it all started with this album. Crashings is a great debut and has a ton of great songs. There is only one song I don't completely love, and there are also some really incredible songs, including "Escalates", Bittersweet, and the most played Christian rock single of 2004 "Broken Heart". A great album, must buy.
Decent | Posted June-10-2008
A pretty good debut by Pillar, and there are some very good songs on this album. There are also a few weak songs that are about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes long. "Live For Him", "Open Your Eyes", and "Original Superman" are all really good songs. I would recommend this album to a huge Christian rock fan or any Pillar fan. A good start for Pillar, overall.
Awesome!!! | Posted May-22-2008
Decyfer Down is one of my favorite bands right now and I really love their music. They have incredible guitars, and deep lyrics that cut to the heart, especially on "No Longer". I absolutely love the songs "No Longer", "Life Again", "Fight Like This", and "Burn Back the Sun". This is overall a great debut, and I think Decyfer Down shows amazing promise.
Great for collectors. | Posted May-22-2008
Another solid release by Anberlin. I overall enjoyed this album quite a bit, and I love the songs "The Haunting", "Uncanny", and "Enjoy the Silence". I would say any big Anberlin fan should for sure buy this album, and I for sure recommend it to collectors.
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