Casting Crowns – The Altar And The Door

Casting Crowns have been going since 1999, but from what I’ve read on the internet, their first, self-titled album “Casting Crowns" came out in 2003 followed by "Lifesong" in 2005 and now "The Alter And The Door". The first time I had the honour of hearing Casting Crowns was when my friend Rhys Gronow forced me to listen to them. I will admit that I enjoyed parts of the album "Lifesong", but wouldn’t say I loved it. Could this new album "The Altar And The Door" change my view?

The album starts with a driving drum and a very much U2 style lead guitar. The track "What This World Needs" talks of what this world doesn't need, but puts the answer in the chorus. (The answer being Jesus, in case you were wondering). With such honest lyrics this first opening track has everything for a great start to the album. (Including a fantastic guitar solo in the middle!) This then leads onto one of the most interestingly musical & creative tracks of the album "Every Man". With it's distorted piano to lead the track off, sounding like something that would fit in on the latest Oasis album, this track surprised me. The next three tracks are of a soft more original ‘Casting Crowns’ style and feel. "Slow Fare", "East to West" and "The World Is Alive" are all great tracks, but not that different and could have easily been on there last album "Lifesong"

The album jumps back into rock life during the title track "The Altar And The Door" with its driven guitar and a mix of female and male vocals. It’s a beautiful track but when it got to the chorus I was expecting and wanting it to burst into life. Sadly though, it doesn’t take that step up from being a great start of a song to an even better, full rock song. So, in my opinion, much more could have been done with this track and it's chorus.

Another song that I really want to bring to your attention is "Prayer for a Friend". It’s a personal prayer song to God about a friend with worldly issues. Such an honest, lyrical song which I’m sure we can all relate to, and pray for someone we know who has been sucked into the word and, as the lyrics point out, become "a puppet of the world".

Over all this album has taken a step up in it's musical creativity since the last one. Every track is refreshingly different and only a few songs could have fitted in on “Lifesong”, which to me is a good thing, as it helps the band not get stuck into a rut of the same style.Saying all that, it's not like they have totally gone away from what they do best. Vocally both singers are at there best, perfectly picking which songs/parts fit with each other. A top quality album that really surprised me, perfect for every age group.

review by Jono Davies

Jono’s rating – 4 out of 5
Stand out tracks
Every Man,
Prayer For A Friend,
What The World Needs

Delirious - DVD - My Soul Sings

Review by Dave Wood

Over the 15 or so years that Delirious? have been together there has been no shortage of live albums and DVDs, but there is a special poignancy about My Soul Sings. The band traveled half way around the world to the perhaps unlikely setting of Colombia's capital city Bogota especially to record this live CD and DVD, in front of an adoring crowd of more than 12,000 fans. The Latin American spirit is very much in evidence throughout the 75 minutes of the DVD, but even more evident is the realisation that this is a farewell to the legion of Delirious? fans around the world. Paying tribute to their remarkable career, My Soul Sings dips into the even more remarkable catalogue of songs Delirious? have become famous for over the year. Whilst heavily leaning towards their most recent studio album Kingdom Of Comfort, older favourites from the likes of their ground breaking King Of Fools, Mezzamorphis and Mission Bell albums are also included.

Starting with a gently soaring camera shot over the wide expanse of crowd, upon whose outstretched arms a sea of digital cameras and phones points stagewards, the DVD quickly see Delirious? appearing out of the blue mist, with the gently strummed opening notes of Rain Down gradually leading into the more frenzied pogo-stick opening. There are plenty of smiles from the band, who are dressed in matching grey suits. The big, open stage with an enormous crowd stretching far into the distance, bouncing, jumping and singing excitedly, makes for an impressive sight. The excellently timed visual edits, switching from band member to band member, sliding into view in time to the beat, looks slick and professional.

One slight complaint is that the stage seems slightly too dark, none more so than during God Is Smiling, where just the occasional yellow beams of light highlight Martin as he shows off a few words of Spanish. Bliss comes next with its roaring flurry of camera shots, starting with Martin in black and white singing through a megaphone, before bursting into colour with pulsating pink and green lights for the chorus as Martin and StuG crazily thrash around the stage with their instruments.

With its stunning keyboards and sparkling visual effects in the background, Love Will Find A Way is superb. By now Martin's face is dripping with sweat, but things calm down a little as they move on to All Gods Children. A translator echoes Martins words in Spanish as he introduces a choir of young children, all dressed in white, who join the band on stage for the duration of the song. Martin is then seen moving to a smaller stage to one side, switching on a lamp, and sitting at the keyboard to sing the beautiful ballad How Sweet The Name on his own, until the rest of the band join in towards the end.

History Maker features some slightly strange on-screen writing, showing a series of phrases: I want to be. me. surprised by hope. different today. an influential nobody. Some might consider this slightly distracting, but before long we see the pulsating crowd almost absorb Martin as he stands on their shoulders to read from his bible. The superb anthems Break The Silence and Deeper keep the concert burning, before Majesty arrives with its chorus sung in Spanish by Martin, brilliantly accompanied by the appreciative crowd. Returning to the more conventional English lyrics for the verse, Delirious? again leave the crowd to sing the chorus in their native tongue. Paint The Town Red is given a visual overlay of static and distortion, and then the band are seen walking off stage into their dressing room, reappearing shortly afterwards, this time dressed in matching white suits. They return to the stage for the encore, beginning with Kingdom Of Comfort as Martin sits on a mock throne, wearing a mock crown and robe.

During Stare The Monster Down a split screen is used to great effect, showing multiple images of the band. Flames appear on the video screens at the back of the stage for the guitar bridge as Martin introduces the band members to the crowd. All to soon the last song arrives. Finishing with the stunning My Soul Sings, Stu's echoing guitar riff builds to a climatic finale that highlights just why Delirious? will be missed so much once they call it a day later this year. The band link arms and take a final bow center stage, bringing this intensely passionate performance to a close. Both visually and musically this is a magnificent package. Superb camera shots flow perfectly with a great mix of close ups and long shots, emphasising the size of the huge crowd gathered to watch the show. You can't help but be touched by the music and the deeply impressive feel of this DVD. A worthy representation of the exquisite live Delirious? experience.

Davie Wood rating 4out of 5 stars
Stand Out Tracks
Stare The Monster Done
Love Will Find A Way
My Soul Sings

Building 429 - Building 429

“Building 429”. Heard the name, heard the music, but I have to admit I didn’t know much about them as a band. So, after a quick search for them on the world wide web I found out this: Building 429 are a Christian rock band signed to Ino Records. They were the “Gospel Music Association 2005 New Artist of the Year”. Their name is derived from Ephesians 4:29 which says “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen”.

The band members originated from Snyder Memorial Baptist Church and other various areas in North Carolina and Texas. They are a three-piece band with Jason Roy as lead singer and guitarist, Michael Anderson on the drums and Jesse Garcia on keyboards and guitar. On their journey, however, they’ve had three different drummers, two different bass player and two different guitarists. That’s a lot of in and outs! So, that’s the small history lesson over, now let’s get down to business.

With an album cover of top quality which would not be missed in any mainstream record shop, Building 429 are back with their self-titled album, filled with beautiful and powerful songs. They are a brilliant band who seem to have written different styles of music, from the heavy American rock sounds of “Erase” to the anthem rock song “Not Gonna Let You Down”. Even to the beautiful power ballad (well maybe not a power ballad as we know them, but it’s certainly a beautiful tune) “Oxygen (Bringing Me To Life)”.

I have to admit that I wasn’t expecting to like this album and to be honest, it took a good few listens to be able to appreciate it’s creativity in the songs and lyrics. It doesn’t flow as well as good albums do, yet each track is very good. But in this download music world we now live in a album full of singles isnt a bad idea at all. Sadly people don't buy albums like they used to, when you would run down to the shop buy a cd run back home and listen from Start to Finish to enjoy the experience(which is a shame). Over all I don't think I have been overly positive or negative about this album, It's just a great album with all the tracks worthy of a few listens.

Jono’s rating 4 out of 5 stars
Stand out tracks
Oxygen,
Never Gonna Let You Down,
Bring Me Back

Parachute Band - Technicolor

Review By Jono Davies
Parachute Band - a name I’d heard for years, yet never really given a good listening too. Until I got this album. Their latest album Technicolor has a very funky sound, yet there is something different about it.The album starts with two anthemic tracks “Come To The River” and “Shout It Out”. If I were to put these tracks into a box – something I don’t like to do – I’d put them in the same box as The Klaxons, The Killers and maybe even The Libertines. But lyrically these two opening songs have an uplifting praise feel to them. “Your Word” the next track on the album its dance beats and funky, fast-paced rifts again sounds more and more like The Klaxons. There’s something nice about a band trying to keep up with the sounds of now. After these tracks the albums takes a soft and thoughtful turn. Which is fine, but not for the next 5 tracks. Maybe the album would benefit from mixing up the track-listing slightly. But so far this is a beautiful album with great tracks to lift and provoke your thoughts. Well, until the last three tracks that is.

“Glorious God” strikes me as being an album filler that wouldn’t even make it onto a single’s B-side (if you’re old enough to remember B-sides). “No Eye Has Seen” just doesn’t seem to fit on the album and sounds like it was recorded by another band, and the lack of a catchy chorus really lets it down. And the backing vocals in the final track “Everlasting” aren’t needed.This album is a top album, and a bold new direction for the band, who in the past have made some nice, safe, middle-of-the-road albums that your mum would like. This album however, your Mum probably won’t like. With a great new direction and up-to-date sounds, this album had the potential for being rated 4 out of 5 stars, but unfortunately, those last three tracks brought it down.

Jono’s rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Stand out Tracks
Shout it Out
Grace
Your Word

Jimmy Needham - Not Without Love

Review by Jono Davies I could review this album very easily and use a few lines to sum up the sound, but that would make me a poor, yet honest, reviewer. If you’re as busy as me and only checking out this review because you’ve never seen a Christian album cover with a man wearing a cool funky hat before(above), then here it is.Are you into American pop/rock/funk which sounds a bit like Maroon 5 or James Morrison? If yes, then Jimmy Needham’s “Not Without Love” album is for you! (Obviously if I left the review like that, you’d all agree with me. So let’s dig a bit deeper…)

The first track “Come Around” is a great funky (I think that word will come up more than once in this review) sounding tune, with creative lyrics and a beautiful guitar playing funky blues. The second track “A Breath Or Two” has a much faster moving lyrical feel. You really do have to listen to get all the lyrics. The only negative on this track I thought, is that the verse and chorus are very similar.

The more and more I hear this album, the more I think it sounds like a James Morrison album. (I know I always do this in reviews, compare albums to another sound. I try not to put them into a certain box, but sadly we all do it).“Not Without Love” is definitely a summer album with a summer feel, so go and buy it and stick it away for a few months. Then when you’re having a party in the garden, getting onto a plane to somewhere hot or laying by the pool, have this album with you. The best song on it for the summer has got to be “Firefly”. Such a funky song! (I told you that word would come up again!)

I do think that at times the album is very similar between tracks, but to sum it all up, it’s got it’s creative moments and it’s ‘summery’ feel, so when you’re on your way to a festival with all your mates in the car, make sure this is the album pumpin’ out of your stereo while the sun’s beating down on you.If I had to describe this album in one word…surprise surprise…it would be ‘FUNKY’.

Jono’s rating 4 out of 5 stars
Stand out tracks
Firefly
The Author
Come Around

Newday - This Is Life

About this time every year, or sometimes just before Christmas, the summer festivals release their latest live albums. A compilation of songs which bring back memories of muddy fields, fellowship with others and of course the amazing God-lead worship. These albums are also a great way to show those who couldn’t make the festivals, what awesome songs are coming out of the meetings, and pass them on to those who wish to sing them in their own church gatherings.

This leads me to my latest review, “This Is Life” – the new live album from Newday in 2008. I have never been to this festival but I am told that it’s a great event.“This Is Life” has tracks from Paul Oakley, Phatfish, YFriday, Simon Parkin and Tree63. I have to admit that it is nice to hear songs that haven’t been overplayed at other festivals. There’s something new yet very British about it. I liked that Paul Oakley used some dance beats in a couple of his tracks. It added a new sound to the worship. As for YFriday, you have the opportunity to hear one of their newest tracks ‘Alive’, and I have to say that they are one of the most underrated British bands out there.Overall, I am giving this album the thumbs up. But I do have two small issues with it. One, the last track on the album by Tree63 is from 1996 (and to be honest, I would have rather heard something live from their album ‘Sunday’), and two, Simon Parkin has two tracks which are only one line each. (Which is fine, but why not make it all one track?)

This album is full of uplifting worship, and most tracks on here you may not have heard unless you have the artist’s albums. This is a good thing because it means not every festival is playing the same songs, so we have more than just the different recordings to listen to and compare. As I said before, it’s nice to hear different worshipers trying different things.

Jono’s rating - 4 out of 5 stars
Stand out tracks
Alive,
We Shine,
This Is Life.

Eoghan Heaslip - Wonderful Story

Review by Jono Davies Let me start with a blunt statement: this is a worship album. I realised I was looking at this album from an unfair angle, and so have decided to re-review it. Sadly we, including myself, have come to judge a worship album by how many tracks on the album are already being sung in churches, and which tracks have already been sung incessantly at festivals and we have taken home. I fell into this trap, and as this album hasn't yet got many tracks sung in all the churches over all the UK, I gave it a poor review. So after this light bulb moment, I have decided to give it a fairer review.

Eoghan Heaslip is the current director of New Wine UK and leads worship at St Paul’s in Ealing, London. This album has had a sterling crew working on it, including Tim Hughes and Matt Redman’s producer, Nathan Nockles, and features songs co-written with Nick Herbert, Brenton Brown and Tim Hughes. Wonderful Story is an uplifting worship album with some very beautiful and refreshing sounds, the main example of this being the track "All To You". This song is all about God being glorified and giving all of your life to Him. It’s nice to hear something different in this song in that it doesn't have the obvious choir building chorus that seems to be on every worship album that is released. It’s also nice to not have a fast song and have a Hillsong-style lead guitar rift on every track.

This album has some beautiful moments of worship but sadly there are some poorer tracks which let it down slightly. The more well known song "Blessing & Honour" (previously released on various compilation albums) sounds like it was written in the mid 90's with its obvious over-used repeated church-vocabulary lyrics. It has very simple lyrics and a simple melody and to me is seems to be trying too hard to be a song that a church congregation could pick up and sing. Despite this however, Wonderful Story isn't a bad album, and it has its quiet moments and beautiful sounds. There’s also a very Paul Oakley feel to it - which can be good or bad depending on your taste! Eoghan has produced a very good album, but nothing new or inventive. This doesn't mean these songs are bad or that the album is bad, or even that churches shouldn’t or couldn’t sing these songs in services. But sadly it feels like an album I could have heard 10 years ago.

Jono rating 3 out of 5 Stars
Stand-Out Tracks)
All To You
Creator King
The King Has Come

Soul Survivor Live - Complete

Review by Jono Davies Every year without fail, the live Soul Survivor album hits our CD players, packed with the roaring sound of worship songs that will be sung in our churches over the next few years.Soul Survivor is a festival held at Shepton Mallett in Somerset, where over the space of three weeks around 30,000 people gather together on a large showground and brave the often wet and windy British summer, to experience God in life-changing ways and be part of the awesome meetings from which the album is born.I have been going to Soul Survivor since 2001 and always buy the album to remember the good times that were had. Every year the album gets better and more powerful (well apart from 2005, which in my opinion had no ‘live’ feeling to it!)

So what is the album like? Well for all who read my ‘David Crowder Band live album’ review, where I mentioned that live albums aren’t my favourite, this doesn’t exactly change my view. The album is called ‘Complete’ and is recorded to the highest quality, with many different worship leaders adding their vocals to the album. Sadly though, each leader sounds a little bit too similar.

Compared to last year, the songs aren’t as ‘anthem’ as I think they could be. I’m sure if you were there, however, you would love it because it would take you back to a great summer. I just feel this year’s sounds a little too much like the latest Hillsong albums (which isn’t a bad thing by the way!), and wasn’t really what I was expecting from a Soul Survivor album. It sounds the same, all on one level with not much difference from track to track. Also, I didn’t think much to 29th Chapter and Simon Parkin’s version of Hillsong’s ‘One Way’. (Sometimes changing things isn’t always good!)I’m sure if you were at Soul Survivor ’08 you would love this album, but I’m sorry to say I much prefer the album’s from before.”

Jono rating 3 out of 5 stars.
Stand Out Tracks
Because of Your Love,
Your Name High,
For Your Glory

Kevin Max - Crashing Gates

Review by Andrew MurrayKevin Max, the “rebel” of DC Talk is back with a brand new 7 song EP “Crashing Gates”. Since the hugely popular DC Talk went their separate ways, Michael Tait and Toby Mac have tended to play it safe, releasing fairly predictable, although very good quality CCM albums. Playing it safe is not really in the Kevin Max rule book though, his musical style is certainly “outside the CCM box” whilst his amazing and unique vocals and brilliant poetic lyrics mean he certainly has is own style. His controversial manner will sadly mean he probably never sell the number of albums he deserves to, but for those who love him like me, we’ll continue to enjoy the ride! As he sings in the autobiographical opener “I’m a sinner and I’m a traveler and I’m a fighter and I’m a voyeur and I’m a prodigal and I’m impossible!!”

Max is certainly unique! He describes this EP as being a “collection of songs about the Apocalypse” and who else would write a song paying tribute to Frank Sinatra in one verse, and John the Baptist in the next?! (Saint of Lonely Hearts) Musically, after the interlude of his gospel project “The Blood”, Max goes back to the style that worked so well in “The Imposter”. This feels more like a band recording than anything Max has done before. All of the musicians on here sound really tight and throughout the 7 songs the guitars, bass and drums all have chance to shine. Lyrically, Max continues to contrast both the light and dark sides of life and faith. “Future Love Song” seems to contrast Adam who was “born to the rule the world and you could have changed the future but you didn't realize what it took to pay the price” and Jesus who was “born to rule the world and you came to change the future we could not realize why you gladly paid the price”; whilst “Out of the Wild” contrasts a future earth that is about to collapse with heaven a “city of gold up in the sky a place where we never die” The best songs on the EP are the upbeat rockers “Traveller” and “Saints of Lonely Hearts” and the wonderful “Beatle-esc” pop song “Baby I’m Your Man”.

To be honest, this set of songs is not Max’s best work, and the fact that it’s only an EP (which includes a spoken word song and a cover – albeit very good ones) means that you never really get into it before it’s over. Also, for someone so creative and innovative it’s very similar in style to his previous work, and is almost like a B-side EP to “The Imposter”. That said, “The Imposter” is one of my favourite albums and Max one of my favourite artists and the chance to hear some new music from him is always wonderful! If you don’t have any of Kevin Max’s music then I suggest getting “The Imposter” first, however, if like me, you are a fan of Max’s then please do add this to your collection! PS. If you are in the UK, you can download “Crashing Gates” from I-Tunes. Also, look out for a new EP from Kevin next year!

Andrew rating 3 & 1/2 out of 5 Stars
Stand Out Song
Baby I’m Your Man

Lecrae – Rebel

Review by Ben Sutton A few years ago I was a huge hip-hop fan, I loved the sound, but as years passed and my Christianity grew stronger and stronger my disgust at the lyrics, the continual glamorisation of drugs, sex, violence and swearing grew also. I all but gave up. There is a huge market out there for hip hop artists, Eminem and 50 cent are two of the biggest selling artists of all time, so I’m often left wondering why Christian artists can’t tap into this? Well Lecrae shows here that you can.

Lecrae (full name Lecrae Moore) is for me an amazingly refreshing artist as he has the hip hop sounds and beats but rather than glamorising all that is bad he glamorises Jesus and his faith, claiming it’s no longer rebellious to do any of those bad things as they are just the norm, to be a real rebel you should follow Christ. This is a totally fresh look at the world we live in and throughout the album are fantastic bible centred comments that get you thinking and also help give answers to questions you may get asked or questions in Christianity you may have yourself. This is Lecrae’s third solo album to date, his first “Real Talk” was the first hip hop album to get to number one in the CCM charts, his second “After the music stops” was described by many reviewers as one of the best albums you will ever hear, so he’s set his own standards pretty high. One problem fro me here reviewing this is I have not heard either of those albums, but if I tell you that after hearing this one I definitely want to hear the others that may give you an indication as to how the album fares.

Lecrae deliberately lives in the roughest area of Memphis so he can reach out to his community at the heart of its problems, this must take incredible strength and perseverance, but on hearing the stories and examples in this album you can see he has answers for every question and diligance to continue to be as Christ like as possible. There is a fantastic song where he is talking to his sin and his sin talking to him, giving examples of why he cant do even little things because it will snowball and yes he may have done bad things in the past and its tempting but he has Jesus now so what else does he need? Its all deeply challenging stuff.Another stand out track is one talking about how if God is so powefull why doesn’t he prevent all the bad in the world, for which there are many answers given and many more not given here, but the most resounding answer in the song is that if he stops the bad in people, he has to stop all people because we are all inheritantly flawed since the fall of Adam and you cant pick and choose what to remove from people.Possibly my favourite track is the first one, it sets the tone for the album and just makes you think about Jesus being a rebel, how to be like Christ now is rebelious so if you want to be a rebel, follow Jesus.

There are some weaker tracks, some that lack the depth or strong tunes that others have but there arent any terrible songs, and there are a lot of very good ones. The replay value suffers slightly as most of the appeal the first few listens is from what you gain in wisdom through the words, but the tunes ares strong and theres some strong catchy chorus’ that you will sing along to everytime. All in all it’s very very good.

Ben rating 4 out of 5 stars
Standout tracks
Rebel Intro
Indwelling Sin
Don’t Waste Your Life

A New Hallelujah - Michael W Smith

Review by Andrew Murray Ok, let’s start with two confessions: firstly, I am not a huge fan of Michael W Smith’s Christian pop albums, but I absolutely loved his live worship albums “Worship” and “Worship Again” and was really looking forward to this follow up album “A New Hallelujah”. Secondly, when it comes to worship albums, I am not too fussed whether the music is innovative and the lyrics original, all I care about is, does this album help me to get into the presence of God and fall in love with Jesus even more?! I was pleased to say this album didn’t disappoint, and is one I keep playing over and over again, and every time I do I just get lost in worship – surely the whole point of a worship album!

While Smith’s first worship album was quite intimate and personal, “A New Hallelujah” follows on from “Worship Again”, with every song having a huge, epic feel, which is not suprising when you realise it was recorded live at the huge Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. The quality of the recording is, as you would expect, fantastic, and the additions of a choir and several world class musicians alongside Smith make this quite simply one of the best quality live worship albums I have ever heard. As for the songs, they include some of the best worship songs of the past few years “Mighty To Save” “Shout Unto God” “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)” and “Majesty”. Although these songs are very well known by now, these arrangements, plus the distinctive vocals mean that Smith makes these songs his own. There are also several original songs on this album the best of which are “Prepare Ye The Way” an opening anthem that sticks in your head all day, “Deep In Love With Love” one of the most beautiful worship songs I have heard in a long time and “Grace” a tender and uplifting ballad. The addition of an African children’s choir on two of the songs gives the album a real ethnic feel. There addition on the title track and the incredibly catchy “When I Think Of You” will have you clapping and possibly even dancing along too (if you are that way inclined!) Meanwhile Israel Houghton is superb addition as a guest vocalist near the end of the album.

One of the best features of this album for me is the way Smith has arranged his set, with the middle section of songs in particular flowing together wonderfully. The transition in particular from “Amazing Grace” to “Deep In Love With You” to a “Healing Rain / Let it Rain” medley then into a version of Delirious’ “Majesty” is nothing short of genius! “A New Hallelujah” does follow the style of Michael W Smiths previous live worship albums, and it certainly doesn’t break too much new ground. But there is real touch of God on this album, and if you are wanting an album to lift you into worship, this is it! I can’t wait for the DVD, to be released in the Spring!

Andrews Rating 4 & 1/2 out of 5 Stars
Stand out songs
Prepare ye The Way
Deep In Love With You
Grace