Album Review - Lifesong by Casting Crowns

Artist: Casting Crowns
Album: Lifesong
Label: Beach Street Records
Release Date: August 30, 2005

Like a lot of folks, I was a huge fan of Casting Crowns' first album. It had great songs, great messages, and it was unlike most albums out at the time. Instead of focusing on making 'pretty' songs about nothing, these guys spent their energy on songs that meant something, songs that preached for themselves.

'Lifesong' continues in the same vein as their self-titled debut, and edges further up the ladder on all counts. The song writing and production are great on this one, and they pull no punches in their songwriting. 'Lifesong' feels very much like a really good sequel to their first album, not straying too far off the beaten path they've already established, but venturing out just enough to be new.

I found this great quote by Mark Hall, the lead singer and founder of the group. This really sums up what makes these guys so unique in the industry:

"All of life is worship. If we're not careful we will 'praise worship' and 'worship praise.' We begin to look at worship as an experience when, in reality, our corporate worship is simply the culmination of the life we should be living all week long. The songs on this new album try to look at what a life of worship looks like. Whether we are called to 'Praise God in this Storm' or simply 'Love Them Like Jesus' we must begin to see all of life as about Him and not us. That is what we want to say to the church this time around."

If you liked their first project like I do, then your sure to like this one too. Go
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Album Review - Look To You by Hillsong United

Artist: Hillsong United
Album: Look To You
Label: Integrity Music


I've been on an amazing live album kick this past week, and I've searched and sought after the best ones I could find to tell you about. This album, 'Look To You', is one of the best and I encourage any worship music fan to get this one.

I have yet to listen to a bad Hillsong project, and this one is no exception. The album kicks off with some great driving, sing-a-long worship tunes that I wasn't familiar with, but by the time the songs were over, I was singing right along with them! I had my speakers cranked at my computer, and I'm glad no one else was around, because I was worshiping and praising Jesus lust as well as the folks I was listening to on the CD!

This is a very good live worship project, full of great songs that any church would do well to add to their song list (if p&w is there thing, of course!). All this talking about 'Look To You' is making me want to listen to it again, so while I go and do that, why don't you go and Buy It!

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Album Review - Blessed Be Your Name: The Songs Of Matt Redman, Volume 1

Artist: Matt Redman
Album: Blessed Be Your Name: The Songs Of Matt Redman, Volume 1
Label: Six Step Records
Release Date: July 19, 2005

When I first saw this project I thought to myself, "Ok, another Matt Redman project with a bunch of songs that I already have on other albums. I'll check it out but I'm not expecting much more than an average project." After I listened to it, I realized I was totally wrong on plenty of counts!

This album has every single one of my favorite Matt Redman songs, all performed live and captured beautifully. I'm usually a bit leary of live recordings, especially those of songs I already have studio recordings of, but these live versions go above and beyond the studio tracks, making me feel like I'm at a worship event with Matt Redman leading the way.

I could go on and on about how much I like this project, but instead of rambling for a while, why don't you just go buy it ! It's a necessary addition to any worship collection.

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Album Review - God He Reigns by Hillsong

Artist: Hillsong
Album: God He Reigns
Label: Integrity

'God He Reigns' is Hillsong's 14th live praise & worship album, recorded at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on February 27th, 2005, with over 10,500 people in attendance. Those facts alone speak volumes about the quality and consistency we have come to expect from any Hillsong project, and this one doesn't disappoint.

The disc starts off strong and energetic with the tracks 'Let Creation Sing' & 'Salavation Is Here', and eventually settles down to a more contemplative tempo through out the rest of the album. All in all this is a very well produced and well done project, making the perfect addition to anyone's collection.

If your looking for a good inspirational praise & worship project, look no further. This album would be perfect to have playing during a time of prayer or personal worship, with very well written songs and a single focus on God. Buy It! More...

Album Review - A Collision by David Crowder Band

Artist: David Crowder Band
Album: A Collision
Label: Six Steps / Sparrow Records
Release Date: September 27, 2005


The David Crowder band is known for their great worship songs and rather unique style of putting them down into album form, and 'A Collision' is no different. This album is chock full of great tunes that'll keep you focused on God and you'll want to keep this disc in your player for a good long while!

One of the things that sets DCB apart from other artists is the way they weave each song into the next, whether it be an old Gospel spiritual, and musical interlude, or some good foot stompin' bluegrass! (You'll have to check out the album to find out where those are all at). Their album isn't just something to listen to in the background while you go about your day to days, it's an album to experience.

This is a stellar project, and I'd recommend it to everyone I know that enjoys modern praise & worship. This isn't exactly Hillsong ya'll, but it's the perfect worship album for the 17-30 year olds who like worship with a more modern sound. Go buy it!

UPDATE: If your an iTunes users, be sure and check out the album there, which is currently charting at #2 on iTunes 'Today's Top Albums' !
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Album Review - I Have To Believe by Rita Springer

Artist: Rita Springer
Album: I Have To Believe
Label: Floodgate Records
Release Date: September 13, 2005
Producers: Nathan Nockels and Margaret Becker

When I received my latest pre-release from the fine folks at Floodgate Records recently (thanks Lori!), I didn't quite know what to expect. They always seem to put out great records by some of the best in the industry, so I knew that whatever they sent would be good. What I didn't expect, was the best Rita Springer project I've ever heard! More...

Blessed Be Your Name: Songs Of Matt Redman In Stores 7/19

Songwriter/artist-worshiper Matt Redman's best known work will be gathered on one disc for the first time when BLESSED BE YOUR NAME: SONGS OF MATT REDMAN VOL. 1 releases to stores July 19.

Seven of the twelve featured tracks are currently among the Top 200 songs on the CCLI chart, which monitors the performance of modern worship music in churches around the world. BLESSED BE YOUR NAME includes: "Blessed Be Your Name," "The Heart Of Worship," "Better Is One Day," "Let My Words Be Few," "Undignified," "Once Again," "Let Everything That Has Breath," "Holy Moment," "Lord, Let Your Glory Fall," "Facedown," "I Will Offer Up My Life," and "The Father's Song." More...

Worship Leader Vicky Beeching Releases Debut EP

Vicky Beeching, a 25-year-old worship leader who holds a Masters Degree in Theology from Oxford University, is releasing THE JOURNEY, her debut limited edition EP, via Sparrow Records. The five-song set is produced by Steve Hindalong ("God Of Wonders") and Christopher Stevens (tobyMac).

Already well known in Europe as an innovative, classically trained musician, songwriter, and contributor to Vineyard Music albums including HUNGRY, HOLY, and SURRENDER, Beeching is often compared to artist-worshipers like Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman. And as the first UK-based female worship leader signed to Sparrow, she meets a unique need in the worship community. More...

Enter The Worship Circle - Village Thrift: Circa 2005

This is a very cool and different Worship Circle project, and it’s worth checking out!

"Fans of the Chemical Brothers, Moby, David Byrne, and Bjork will dig this new album from Enter The Worship Circle. This is a never-before-heard synthesis of urban, electronica, experimental, and the Psalms...ranging from the energy of Gwen Stefani to the melancholy of Radio Head on a bad day..."

They have set up a really cool flash player that allows you to listen to the entire project here, so check it out and tell all your friends about it! More...

David Crowder Band’s Sunsets & Sushi Is “Entrancing”

David Crowder Band released its first remix project, SUNSETS & SUSHI: EXPERIMENTS IN SPECTRAL DECONSTRUCTION, nationwide this week. The music channel at ChristianityToday.com calls the set, “an entrancing, contemplative collection of electronica-based devotionals.”

Taking eight songs from the award-winning ILLUMINATE album and recasting them outside of their original worship rock framework, David Crowder Band offers listeners an entirely new sonic and soul-searching experience. The disc is drawing comparisons to other uniquely atmospheric artists like The Postal Service, Bjork, Peter Gabriel, and New Order as well as the GARDEN STATE movie soundtrack.

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