A Kind Reminder Of Who God Is | Posted September-14-2023 What You Need To Know
After writing one of the most popular worship songs of this decade with "Reckless Love," contemporary artist Cory Asbury has left the Bethel Music label and moved to BEC Recordings (home of artists David Dunn, The Young Escape, and Tasha Layton, among others) where he's releasing his third full-length studio album, Pioneer. Drawing influence from Nashville's country music scene, the new album explores a side of Asbury we have yet to hear while maintaining honest and cutting lyrics that speak to the fragility of the human experience.
Asbury co-wrote with several Nashville hitmakers, including Lori McKenna (Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift), Shane Stevens (Lady A, Walker Hayes), Tom Douglas (Kane Brown, Miranda Lambert), and Paul Mabury (Lauren Daigle, Chris Tomlin) to create an album that truly showcases his heart as an artist.
"I'll always be the 'Reckless Love' guy," shared Asbury, "But my art has evolved. I've changed. I've grown. And hopefully, after more than three years, I've got something new to say. After all, that is the office of the artist--to give language to the things we all feel and experience."
What It Sounds Like
Cory is one of the most captivating songwriters in Christian music today, and Pioneer showcases his ability to hit differently than many of his peers. Dropping the radio-ready production of "Sparrows" and "The Father's House" on To Love A Fool and the Sunday-morning readiness of "Reckless Love," this album feels like a natural progression for the softer, and more contemplative side of Cory that was buried behind his biggest songs of the past three years.
There's a quiet invitation here to lean in and reflect on the "beauty and the mess" ("My Inheritance"), on our hidden brokenness ("Misunderstood"), the weights and stresses ("White Kuckled"), the ways we've grown ("Pioneer"), and what we've lost along the way ("These are the Days").
Cory bookmarks it all with a gentle instrumental breath at the beginning ("Dawn [Intro]") and an encouraging, patient goodbye at the end ("Until We Meet Again").
Spiritual Highlights
Life is hard, and as followers of Christ, we try incredibly hard to crawl through with good intentions, picking up way too much shine and a few bad habits along the way. Sometimes, we need permission to lay down our guard, accept our shortcomings for what they are, and be seen and understood. Too often, Christian music attempts to be honest and relatable but winds up casting too large of a net with thematically vague messages, resulting in the musical equivalent of a friendly back rub. You feel relaxed, but it never touches the deep pain embedded and knotted in the muscles underneath.
Cory digs in hard and still leaves you feeling every ounce of God's goodness. Jesus reminds us in John 16:33 that we'll have tribulation, but we'll have peace in Him. Pioneer embodies that verse without shying away from the reality of what tribulation really means.
Best Song
In the first verse of "Kind," we hear of divorce, miscarriages, failure in addiction, and doubt in God's choice of who he heals. The chorus is the emotional chaos we feel due to an unrelenting and unkind world and the surprise of experiencing an ultimately kind God in return. The end reflection of the cross, displaying the real cost of genuine kindness, is an effective gut punch. "Kind" is a song you won't soon forget.
Cory has left his "Reckless Love" worship days in his pick-up's rear-view mirror, opting instead for a less polished, off-road message that plays better throughout the long week--on days when the faithful feel lost, hopeless, and desperate for a reprise from the stresses of a life never promised to be perfect. Once again, Cory reminds us that God's love is ever-present, always available, and still reckless.
You Are Enough For Me (Single) Review | Posted August-25-2021 What You Need To Know
Hope VanDouser is an artist on Madison Line Records and a student with Visible Music College. Her debut single, “We’re Open (Acts 2),” was released in September of 2020, and Hope is partnering with the label to release four more singles in the next year. The first track, "You Are Enough For Me," shares an intimate moment of worship with the Lord and serves as a quiet but powerful reminder of the sufficiency of Christ in all aspects of life; in chaos and in calm, VanDouser uses these lyrics to recognize her need for the Savior.
What It Sounds Like
"You Are Enough For Me" will capture you within the first 10 seconds with a simple but powerful vocal chord progression and the lyrics, "I remember when I met you on that holy ground." You're instantly invited into a personal and intimate journey of surrender into the unknown, and as the song unfolds, the weight of the world is lifted, carried by Hope's incredibly powerful vocals and soft piano and acoustic guitar backdrop.
The power of this song starts and stops on Hope's incredibly passionate and powerful vocal which spans octaves and tones that few female singers can claim. But beyond a pitch-perfect and eye-opening performance, the lyrics convey the end of a spiritual search, and the musical track does not rush the listener through a produced worship experience but builds and retreats, labored as much as a deep breath and exhale.
Spiritual Highlights
I love the vulnerability in this song, but specifically in the line, I remember when you told me I deserve your love. It sometimes takes a dark moment in life to need a reminder like that and I've been there more times than I'd care to admit. Even though God welcomes us all to His table, it can sometimes feel like we can't even enter the same room, let alone sit and have company with our Lord and Savior. I feel this line deeply, because so often, we reject God's love in our life and instead, stay in the darkness, stay in the pain, stay in the challenge. God wants to simply come into our space, and remind us he loves us unconditionally. That should always be enough.
It's rare to find a single so early into an artist's career that can capture your attention like "You Are Enough For Me," but here we are. While we have a promise of more music to come, I look forward to soaking in the blessing of this track for a while and would invite you to do the same! God is enough, in every situation. Always.
A Beautiful Breath of Surrender | Posted April-21-2020 What You Need To Know
Fox & Foal is an up-and-coming, folk-inspired worship duo from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Dave Williams and Brooke Hobbs first began leading worship together at the University of Arkansas Wesley College Ministry in the fall of 2015. After a few years of serving on staff in the local church, they began writing original songs together that was inspired by the move of God in their own lives.
The band name, Fox & Foal, represents their musical pursuits. "Human nature's inclination toward sin is represented by the cunning fox," Williams explains. "While the constant presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is represented by the foal." The two images poetically capture the emerging vision the duo is cultivating; to connect the people of God with the presence of God in a transformative, and artistic way.
What it Sounds Like
"Give It All" is a beautiful breath of surrender that floats perfectly in the spring air. Without big and polished production, the acoustic-driven foundation is accented nicely with sporadic electric guitars on the choruses and bridge. Brooke takes lead vocals with Dave providing the harmonies.
Spiritual Highlights
This is a song of surrender and anticipation for what's to come after fully giving God control I give it all to you/Surrounder all of me/I lay down my life 'cause in your name there's victory/I give it all to you/Every breath I breathe/You are my desire so come and set a fire in me.
Fox & Foal is a calming, folk centered duo that will still satisfy with repeated listens. It will be fun to watch them release more music in the coming months.
One Of the Best Of 2019 | Posted May-17-2019 What You Need To Know
Formed in 2007 as a mainstream pop band, today Stars Go Dim is the moniker for Christian pop artist and songwriter Chris Cleveland. Chris has spent years at the helm of an acclaimed independent secular band and more than a decade leading worship at Tulsa's Asbury United Methodist Church so he's certainly not new to music. After a long build up the past year with digital singles and EPs, his full-length album, Better, is comprised of twelve pop songs that continue his desire to leave listeners "a little better than they were before listening."
What It Sounds Like
Better is absolutely overflowing with pop songs that sound instantly familiar and comfortable yet never the same, something rarely met in today's radio single driven landscape that continues to force artists to chase similar sounds. Credit Chris' incredible vocal range that easily navigates through the opening urban tinted track featuring Social Club Misfits, "I Look To You," to the powerful ballads "Better," "You Know Me Better,""Invisible" and "I Believe" to the straight up, ear candy perfection of tracks like "Heaven On Earth" and "It's Gonna Get Better." Chris is Christian Music's answer to OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder and Adam Levine of Maroon 5. Better sounds, well, better, the more you listen.
Spiritual Highlights
Chris recently said of these new collections of songs, "we all want our tomorrows to be better than our todays. These songs are a glimpse at the journey that I've been on to make that a reality for my family and I." After listening, it's easy to hear the transformative power of Christ in Chris' life. Song after song speaks of God colliding into our messy, self-absorbed and sometimes hurt and beat up lives and leaving us better. The album ends with a joyous celebration of a life made new in Christ with "Autobiography" where Chris sings "I found life, I found truth, I found joy, when I found you. I found me, when I found you."
Best Song on the Record
It's hard not to gravitate towards the singles "Heaven On Earth,""It's Gonna Get Better" and "I Look To You," all of which have been out for a while now, but for those looking for something new from SGD, check out the final track, "Autobiography" which will have you grinning one minute and sixteen seconds into this audible celebration.
Chris Cleveland of Stars Go Dim has crafted twelve new songs that border on pop perfection. Packed with infectious tracks that overflow with strong Biblical truths that speak of the grace, love, and redemption that only God can bring, Better positions Chris as one of the leading songwriters and vocalists in Christian music today. I dare you to skip one track on one of the best albums of 2019 to date!
Long-Awaited! | Posted May-12-2015
Gemstones stormed on the scene back in 2006 when he was featured in several songs on Lupe Fiasco's debut album. He made waves when he was featured on various mixtapes. He was set to take off with his much anticipated debut album, Troubles of the World. Life and circumstances happened and he was no longer on Lupe Fiasco's 1st and 15th label. He also experienced a life change through relationship with Christ and things took a different turn. He is now signed with Xist Records, with T Black and Sean Simmonds at the helm.
So after two mixtapes--On the Road to Glory and Elephant in the Room--he releases Blind Elephant. I have to admit that this is one of the most anticipated albums in a while for me. After hearing him smash over the the instrumental of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," I could not wait for his album debut. Who does that and makes it sound dope? So the "Quick Go In" was definitely meant to be a sequel of sorts to that one. Same tempo and similar musical arrangement. Stones goes from the soft almost-whisper to the aggressive flow a la Eminem to his normal rapid delivery.
One thing about Gemstones that fans should now realize is this: He is not going to stick with one style of rapping on all of this songs. There will be a variety of flows to go along with his vocals. Though he is not a crooner, Stones can definitely carry a tune without sounding as if he was only singing because he was forced to sing. His voice takes the forefront as he sings praise to God via "Believe." The beat is basically a dope loop of a college percussion section with a hint of guitar and strings. Definitely genius of him to use a beat that is seldom used by rappers or singers.
Never afraid to look at issues such as eschatology, Gemstones tackles the return of Christ on "Rapture" over a simple boom beat. Then he also tackles the fact that people must wake up and see what's going on around them in "New World." A song that will grab many people is "Selfish." He touches on depression, which is something that has plagued men and women in the faith and out of the faith as well. He raps with raw emotion has he prays and speaks life over those who deal with these real issues. No dope beat or super fast rapping, just strings, piano, a little percussion and Gemstones.
"Lyrical Miracle" is a song that may disappoint some believers because Gemstones brags of his abilities. One cannot deny the fact that he "murders" this song with the lightning quick delivery that has gained him much respect and even criticism. Some believe that he goes so fast that he is hard to understand while others understand that it takes serious concentration to do so. There were some parts where I could not understand him, but for the most part, I had no problem.
Closing Thoughts:
I'm a teacher, and my students really enjoy anytime I play it for the class. No one can deny nor fail to take notice of Stones' ability to rap, be it fast or with a carefully placed staccato flow. Blind Elephant is an album that fans have waited a long time for. While lyrically he didn't disappoint, I definitely think the mixing and production could have been better. And while there were some places where beats just did not match the lyrics, the ministry aspect and his passion to reach the folks in the streets is evident. For the next release, I know things will be stepped up and he will not have us waiting so long.
Raw and Honest | Posted December-31-2013
There is always beauty in simplicity and that was proven no better this year than on the label debut from Tim Timmons, Cast My Cares. Through eleven tracks, we’re treated to songs that are stripped down to little else than a guitar, piano and drums, yet flow and drive with an urgency that quality production provides.
Tim’s testimony has been told quite a bit. It’s the core of who he is and what drives much of his message of hope and redemption. In June of 2001, he was diagnosed with an incurable cancer and given five years left to live. Twelve years later, with four small children at home with his wife, Tim was on the verge of giving up on his music career when Reunion Records came knocking.
Tim’s voice is unique, raw and honest. You know he believes what he’s saying because his story required him to walk some pretty dark roads filled with lots of questions about faith, God and his own purpose. Many of those questions make their way into the lyric on Cast My Cares. “What if I believed in [God’s] power and I really lived it?” He sings on “Christ In Me.” “What can I do to leave a legacy and speak with authority / When I can’t see you?” he sings on “Starts With Me.” On “Let’s Be Beautiful” he questions, “What are we all about? Are we lovely, are we shinning?”
Considering the circumstances, it’s no wonder Tim is questioning everything in his day to day. But they are not questions from a cancer survivor. For anyone who has lived, they are questions of just a survivor. I’ve asked myself these questions plenty of time without staring at a doctor given expiration date.
Closing Thoughts:
Much like how Jeremy Camp’s early testimony solidified his early music into the hearts of his fans, Tim Timmons walking miracle of a life personalizes these songs as not just truth in lyrics, but truth in life, humanizing the artist in a way that a simple song just can not touch. And my favorite lyric of the album? “We want to be tethered to your timeline.” I may just have to print that one out and tape it to the inside of my Bible.
Move over Audio Adrenaline. You're not the only band that's navigating a successful reinvention this year. When lead singer Jason Dunn announced his departure from the band he started in 2000, fans were left wondering what would happen to such an iconic sound that they had grown to love over five major label releases. The answer came from within, as guitarist Jonathan Steingard proved ready to step into the spotlight and lead the band to a new label and a more mature sound.
The first taste of what was to come was the massive contemporary hit song, "Words," which features new label mate and MercyMe front man, Bart Millard. For a band that was more known for their goofy persona and youthful energy, not many would have guessed a Billboard Top 5 Christian Song of 2013 would come from Hawk Nelson. But it was a good peak at a more mature band.
That said; don't expect Hawk Nelson to become the next contemporary mainstay. These guys still know how to have fun, evident on tracks like "What I'm Looking For,""A Million Miles Away," and the infectious "Elevator." But beyond that, this is easily the most mellow Hawk Nelson album to date and I've got to say, the new sound suits them just fine. It might be a safe bet in the midst of a pretty huge change in the line-up, but for a band that has taken plenty of risks throughtout their career, safe seems to be paying off just fine.
Closing Thoughts
On the final track, "Fighting For," Jonathan sings "we're not kids anymore." Message heard loud and clear gentlemen.
Need This Album | Posted December-30-2013
It is so good to see Plumb back on the scene. Back to crafting pop music. Back in front of audiences on major tour and festival stages. Back to inspiring us with creative music and engaging lyrics that come straight from her heart and personal struggles. It's been a long and dry wait for Plumb fans. The last album to really tap into her full potential was 2006's Chaotic Resolve. She followed that with the lovely, but sleepy by design, lullaby tinged Blink that fully abandoned her trajectory as a Christian music pop sensation. It left fans feeling a bit empty and we were teased for a full two years with Need You Now. The wait, as they say, was definitely worth it.
We've since learned what was holding this amazing artist back. Her own desire to raise her family and struggles with keeping her marriage intact were too consuming to properly balance the life of an artist, but with those struggles behind her and in control, we're back to the ballgame and it's those struggles that have inspired some of the most moving songs she has released.
"Need You Now (How Many Times),""I Want You Here" and "Say Your Name" speaks to the challenges of keeping a strained relationship on the verge of implosion intact while dealing with loneliness and seclusion in the midst of a waning faith. It's some heavy subjects but Plumb has never been one to shy away from tough topics. "Unlovable" is about our inability to put politics and judgments above the love Christ wants us to reach out with. "Cage," the album's break out rock song, speaks above loving through rage and anger and admits "I've got issues, that's for sure / But it's kind of why you like me".
Plumb is, by far, one of the most interesting female voices in Christian music today and Need You Now prove she deserves your attention. She can speak to both sexes with an honesty and purity not found on many other albums. Her honesty and vulnerability can be heartbreaking and healing at the same time. Her need to be loved not only by her Creator but her partner in life and those around her is something we can all relate with.
Closing Thoughts:
Christian music is once again in this cycle of declining female voices that I hope to see reversed as we head into 2014. In fact, on this list of twenty albums, females make up just three selections. We need more female artists like Plumb who can come at issues from a different perspective and encourage us all in the process. This is an album that Plumb fans have been waiting for for entirely too long. It should hold them over for whatever's next from this amazing artist.
Everfound Is An Amazing Find | Posted December-31-2013
I love it when a debut captures my attention as strongly as Everfound's have. It's rare to see so much passion poured from a new band and speaks to the fact that Everfound is not as new as we think. The brothers have been playing music together for years in their native Russia, but everything has led them to this moment stateside.
Everfound is a blend of electronic rock led by driving drum beats that pulse each chorus home. Lead singer, Nikita, is instantly one of the best voices in the industry with an amazing range and depth of passion in his vocals that forces you to hang on every word. It feels that so many of the lyrics are sung with such a heavy urgency. Just a touch heavier and we'd be at a full-blown scream. It's that intense but still very melodic and controlled.
The lead singles, "Never Beyond Repair" and "God Of the Impossible" are designed for repetitive play on radio, but they don't represent the album as a whole. These guys have so much more to offer than just another hit song and truly have the ability to redefine the produced template that we hear dominate the charts today.
Take, for example, "Take This City," the best song on the album and, if and when the label gets around to releasing it to radio, will be one of the biggest hits of the year. (That's called "going out on a limb" kids, but I'm that confident in this track.) This song is instantly singable, yet it's unlike anything on radio today. "Count the Stars,""Hallelujah" and "Torch" follow the same footprint. This band is so much more than a standard CCM hit single, and that's why we'll be hearing amazing music from Everfound for many years to come.
Closing Thoughts:
The world of Christian Music is better off with bands like Everfound coming onto the scene. They push boundaries, try new sounds with amazing results, and love people around them like crazy while encouraging us all to do the same.
They Are Just Restarting | Posted December-30-2013
The hardest working band in Christian music continues its reinvention with Restart, the second full-length album with lead vocalist Michael Tait at the helm. From the opening track, "That's How You Change The World," you get a sense that this is going to be a different album than any Newsboys album before it. Michael's vocals sore quickly, reaching out and grabbing you by your ears while yelling, "pay attention, buddy." Yes sir! This here is serious business, but make no mistake, we're going to sound amazing in the process.
Gone are the tongue-in-cheek lyrics that have defined the group for decades. While musically, the boys have never sounded stronger, lyrically, it's time to make the world around us a better place while bettering ourselves and there's little room for creative puns and crafty lyrics. Instead, we get some new tricks compliments of electronic mastermind Jeff Frankenstein. I think its safe to say that Newsboys have grown out of the gimmicks that made people pay attention in the first place and they have plenty to still stay and encourage us with.
"Love Like I Mean It" and "We Believe" are some of my favorite Newsboys tracks ever. The Deluxe Edition also includes a few drool-inducing tracks with former band mate Kevin Max, and they are as great as you hope they would be. "Man On Fire" is the stronger of the two while "The Living Years" leans on a classic 80s song for its structure.
Need more proof that this isn't just another Newsboys album? Turn on track 6 as Michael Tait sings on top a background of simple synth and piano about his relationship with his now deceased mom on "That Home." It's also an incredibly intimate part of their current tour and a rarity to actually get deep, personal lyrics from a Newsboys track. It's a testament to where Michael Tait can truly take this band on future albums and I hope to see more songs that bridge the gap of relateability on a much more personal level.
Closing Thoughts:
Michael Tait calls this the best album he's been a part of since Jesus Freak. Besides wanting to remind him of Supernatural, I can't say I disagree. This is certainly the best, and most current, Newsboys album I've heard.
KevinMcNeese_NRT's Music and Book Reviews 
