For one, you can hear the passion on every track as Lacey’s voice cracks and whines with raw emotion.  Her vocals have never been better, as evidenced on the opening track Fire Fire.  The song opens with brief acoustic guitar which quickly vanishes to make way for the aggressive, but poppy chorus that’s one of the biggest Flyleaf has ever written.  Lacey rebukes the recent YOLO trend with perhaps the boldest line on the album; “We can’t die because we’re young. At least that’s what we heard in a song.”

The first single New Horizons is next.  Flyleaf delves even deeper into alternative pop/rock that only slightly resembles any music they’ve done before.  Fans don’t have to wait much longer for more rock music as Call You Out kicks in.  It’s a track that’s impossible not to headbang or pump your fist to.

The next few tracks are much softer, but with no less power. Cage On the Ground speaks about the dangers and problems that come with fame and power.  “Welcome to the machine. It’s a currency generator, and then it’s a guillotine.”

Aptly titled Great Love is a pure love song written to God. Transparency and innocence exude forth on this track, and it feels as if you’re looking through a window into Lacey’s soul.  It’s a beautiful and introspective moment.  Bury Your Heart continues the theme of power and corruption found in Cage On The Ground, and musically it’s one of the strongest moments on the album.

Freedom, formerly titled “Blankets of Words”, comes crashing in next.  The track is chaotic and feels almost cataclysmic at times.  In a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, Lacey even unleashes a few welcome guttural screams towards the end.  An assault to the senses, the song fails to make any sort of memorable impact, and as a result, pales in comparison to the other rockers on the album.

Unlike some of the other veiled lyrics on New Horizons, Saving Grace’s message is blatantly clear, with Lacey belting out, “Save me grace, I'm sick of saving face. Will You hold me close? You're all I want to know”.  For anyone doubting how Flyleaf’s faith impacts their music, they need look no further.

Stand is boring both lyrically and musically.  There’s good intention behind it, but it’s nothing special and feels like nothing more than a filler track.  That's probably because of Green Heart, the heaviest song Flyleaf has ever written.  Guitarists Sameer Bhattacharya and Jared Hartmann really outdo themselves, and for once, Lacey’s vocals take a backseat to their intense riffs.

Broken Wings, one of the first Flyleaf songs ever written, finally finds itself onto New Horizons.  It ends the album on a positive note, but doesn’t hold a candle to previous closers “So I Thought” and “Arise”.  It’s worthy effort, though, and when it’s all said and done will leave you wanting more.

All in all, New Horizons is arguably Flyleaf’s best album to date.  Almost every song has a place, and the music and vocals have never been stronger.  It’s hard to look past this being Lacey Sturm’s swan song, but if you do, you’ll find a truly special piece of art.  This may be the end of a chapter for Flyleaf, but a bright future for the band is evident.  I, for one, will be excited to follow them wherever they go next.

Trip Lee first made waves on Lecrae’s breakout hit, Jesus Muzik.  After putting out three albums, he proved that he has what it takes to stand on his own.  Now he returns with The Good Life, cementing his place as one of CHH’s top artists.  But does he deserve that credit?

The album opens with the moody New Dreams which features Sho Baraka and J.R.  Immediately you can hear the leap in maturity between this and Trip’s last album.  New Dreams sets an epic vibe for the rest of album while Trip and Sho Baraka rap about what the good life really means.  The song hits home when Trip proclaims “The good life is the life that’s been laid down”. 

Robot, the first single from the album, is next.  Much like Tedashii’s Dum Dum, this is a love-it-or-hate-it song.  Some people may find the mechanical robot beat and high pitched voice annoying, but personally, I loved it. 

In I’m Good Lecrae makes his typical appearance, and what an appearance it is.  Originally Trip and ‘Crae had written a different song, but scrapped it because it wasn’t up to their standard.  The result is what is sure to be a CHH classic for years to come.  Trip and Lecrae use this track to talk about martyrdom, and being willing to die for the gospel.  As Lecrae says in the hook, “Pressure creates diamonds and fire refines the gold.”  It is a song that invokes courage to the listener and hopefully will cause them to think about how far they are willing to go for the good news of Jesus Christ.

War, a song that samples Dustin Kensrue’s ‘This Is War’, may take some people off guard when they first hear it.  The chipmunked hook proclaims “This is war like you’ve never seen. The winter’s long and it’s cold to me.”  After listening to it several times, the track grew on me and is one of my favorite songs on the album.

Fallin’, featuring J. Paul, continues the streak of great songs.  This is one of Trip’s mellowest tracks to date.  Like Covenant Eyes before it, he speaks about his ongoing war against lust and its consequences.  Towards the end of the song the lyrics of the chorus change from repentant to hopeful, allowing for contemplation before heading into the next track. 

iLove may be the most provocative song on the album.  Trip speaks of technology as if it were a girlfriend.  With lines like “I told her if she ain’t gonna let me meditate, then for my sake, we gotta separate” and “Weighted thoughts are pushed out by her light shows”, iLove is by far the most interesting song Trip has put out. 

During the next song Know Me, Trip speaks about the Bible from the perspective of the Bible.  It’s an interesting twist that may be confusing to some.  It’s a good song (I can’t get enough of the broken record hook), but it’s one of the weakest on the album, lyrically and musically. 

I’m sure that when Trip released the tracklisting for this album, most everyone turned their attention to One Sixteen.  Featuring fast spitting label mates, KB and Andy Mineo, One Sixteen was one of the most hyped CCH tracks in recent memory, and it definitely delivered, just not in the way I was expecting.  The beat is more reminiscent of Envy from the Man Up project (which also featured KB and Andy Mineo) than something like Lecrae’s 40 Deep.  Trip’s opening verse is overshadowed by the other rappers’ flows.  Andy Mineo’s verse in particular is unstoppable; an instant classic.  He delivers possibly the best line on the album: “When you heard a story ‘bout the hero dying for the villain?”  All in all, One Sixteen is an album highlight, and is sure to be considered one of the year’s best by year end. 

Heart Problem, an experimental banger, speaks about how money, sex and power were gifts from God, corrupted by men.  Those things are not evil within themselves; the real problem resides in our hearts.  While the flow and beat are impressive, the once again chipmunked vocals throughout the song detract from it, keeping it from reaching its full potential as an album highlight.

Trip’s last song with Jimmy Needham left a lot to be desired, but luckily Take Me There fixes this problem.  The jazzy song sounds like it could be a Bruno Mars b-side.  While not one of the strongest songs musically, the lyrics are hopeful and a fun listen.

In Fantasy, which could be considered New Dreams (Pt. II), Trip contrasts the rich and famous and their picture of the good life with the life God intended for them.  The song is too mellow for me, and I would have loved to hear Suzy Rock spit a verse (which I know she is capable of) rather than hear her silky smooth vocals on the chorus.  This is my least favorite song on The Good Life. 

First there was Lecrae’s Background, then there was Tedashii’s Reverse, now Andy Mineo gets a chance to shine with Trip Lee on the haunting Love On Display.  His chorus is amazing, proving that he is one of the most versatile performers out there.  Love On Display reflects on Christ’s death on the cross, painting a beautiful picture of his suffering.  I get chills every time I listen to it. 

Rounding out the album are 80’s throwback For My Good and Good Thing.  Neither are anything special (I found For My Good out of place and annoying).  If it were up to me, I would have left both songs out completely.

The Good Life is easily Trip Lee’s best album so far.  He continues to mature and experiment as an artist, standing toe to toe with his peers.  The lyrics are excellent, the beats are exciting, and the production feels fresh.  Even if you aren’t a fan of rap, there’s enough here to satisfy everyone.  Don’t pass up The Good Life.  It’s the album to beat this year.

I had heard of Rhema Soul before, but it was only after RED came out that I finally gave them a serious listen. And boy, am I glad that I did.

The album opens with the sonic assault of the title track. Veteran emcees Butta-P, JuanLove, and K-Nuff hold nothing back as they share their hearts for reaching out to people. The song features an all-too-brief and gritty verse by southern rapper Thi’sl, which may be one of his best features to date. His small addition to the track is a memorable one which greatly enhances the track.

Rhema Soul shows their range with lead single No Walking Away, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. The radio friendly song leans more toward rock than their usual hip hop, while at the same time failing to deliver a catchy hook or memorable chorus. Luckily the next track Danger remedies this problem, being the most straight up hip hop song on the album. Each emcee gets a chance to shine, but Butta-P clearly stands out with a verse that could hold up against Nicki Minaj.

The next three tracks are three of the album’s best. On War, Rhema Soul talks about the war in the streets for the souls of our children and families. The song is extremely hopeful, and Benjah adds a catchy chorus that will surely be stuck in your head for days. Need An Answer relies heavily on dubstep, along with Off The Edge. The latter starts off slow, but builds up to an epic chorus and bridge. 

So Beautiful allows Butta-P to have a song of her own. Directed at girls (although the concept could be applied to anyone struggling with image issues and low self-esteem), the lyrics are cliche, but they no doubt mean well and are sure to impact someone’s life. On My Way continues the theme of self empowerment, reminding the listener that bad things happen to everyone, and we shouldn’t be bogged down by our mistakes. Celebration is simply a fun song set to a massive but repetitive beat. I can picture this song being great live, but on the album it’s nothing special. A bit too forgettable.

Musically, Break Out is another radio friendly song with a weak chorus. Lyrically it continues the theme of On My Way. Not Forgotten sounds like a filler song, although I was a huge fan of the upbeat, positive message. It speaks from the perspective of someone who feels left behind while everyone around them is out living their dreams. Listening to it always puts a smile on my face. Moment In Time, while back to their hip hops roots, is another filler. There’s nothing memorable about this song. No hook, no catchy chorus, no outstanding verses.

Rhema Soul saves their best song for last with the club ready anthem Stop The World From Spinning. The silky smooth vocals from guest artist Shonlock along with fantastic verses and a dubstep breakdown make this song the album highlight, and one of my favorite songs in recent memory. If you buy one song off the album, this should be it.

There’s something for everyone on RED, from rap to pop to rock, and even a little bit of dubstep. The sheer diversity of the album detracts from the overall cohesiveness, while adding a lot of replay value. Overall, Rhema Soul cements themselves as one of the best Christian hip hop groups alongside Group 1 Crew and Superherose. By the end of the year I’m sure RED will still be in my regular rotation. It’s that good. If you’re a fan of Group 1 Crew or The Black Eyed Peas, I highly recommend checking this album out. There are a few weak tracks, but the strong tracks more than make up for them. Don’t miss out on this one.