Christian Music (Now discussing Andrae Crouch's Soulfully; Caedmon's Call's Caedmon's Call)

#84

CCM:

Little Red Riding Hood (1993) - Lost Dogs

[image=http://www.thelostdogs.com/music/lrrh.jpg]

Tracks:
1. No Ship Coming In
2. Imagine That
3. You Satisfy
4. Bad Indigestion
5. Dunce Cap
6. Jesus Loves You, Brian Wilson
7. Precious Memories
8. Rocky Mountain Mines
9. Jimmy
10. Eleanor, It's Raining Now
11. Free at Last
12. Red, White and Blue
13. I'm a Loser
14. No Room for Us
15. Pray Where You Are
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22. On the Good Ship Lollipop

Public Poll:

Adventures of the O.C. Supertones (1997) - The O.C. Supertones

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000001AUC.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Adonai
2. Who Can Be Against Me?
3. Unknown
4. Never Wanna Fall
5. Roots
6. Heaven
7. He Will Always Be There
8. Exalt
9. Found
10. O. G. Supertones
11. I Love God
12. Blood Washed Pilgrim

My opinion:

I've got to say I've heard neither of these albums. I'm vaguely familiar with the Supertones, not at all with Lost Dogs.

And, no, I have no idea what those untitled tracks are on the Lost Dogs album. So don't even ask.

 

#83

CCM:

Shaded Pain (1987) - Life Savers Underground

[no image available]

Tracks:

1. Jordan River
2. Bye Bye Colour
3. Die Baby Die
4. Lonely Boy
5. Our Time Has Come
6. Tether to Tassel
7. I'm Torn
8. Plague of Flies
9. More to Life
10. Shaded Pain

Public Poll:

Trin-I-Tee 5:7 (1998) - Trin-I-Tee 5:7

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000009CRR.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. I Won't Turn Back
2. God's Grace
3. You Can Always Call His Name
4. Oh Mary, Don't You Weep
5. Saved Boy (Interlude)
6. Pray for Awhile
7. Good for Me
8. God's Blessing
9. Sunshine
10. With All My Heart
11. Pork Chop (Interlude)
12. Respect Yourself
13. Holy & Righteous
14. Call His Name
15. Trin-I-Tee (Interlude)

My opinion:

I've commented on both of these before, so I'll just go into copy paste mode . . .

Shaded Pain, on the other hand, I've been wanting to hear for a long time. The sunny pop rock group The Life Savers formed, for this album, a much darker punk influenced album steeped in cynicism and anger, while still, supposedly, staying true to their gospel roots. This album was a watermark for the Christian music genre, resulting in thousands of albums being returned with angry shock by buyers who expected the upbeat pop of the original group, but were confronted instead with screaming angst and cynicism. It's a classic example of the stone in the still pond and the ripples from this album are still extending to today's gospel music. Tragically, I've never been able to track a copy of it down.

Trin-I-Tee 5:7's presence here is very annoying to me. It's a classic example of one of the major weaknesses of most Christian music: it's a blatant rip off of whatever happens to be popular in the secular market. 5:7 (I hate typing that whole name every time) is a annoying attempt to cash in on the TLC style of music. TLC being overrated themselves, this album flops miserably.

It occasionally reaches heights of beauty when the girls stop trying to be hip and just harmonize on beautiful numbers like God's Grace and Holy & Righteous, but most of the other songs attempt to be hip and cool and flop miserably, all sounding alike. With one notable exception, You Can Always Call His Name. Apparently somone noticed this was the best song on the album, since they sing it twice (!).

In another bit cribbed directly from secular hip hop, the interludes are stupid and pointless, with only Saved Boy garnering a chuckle. Pork Chop is pointlessly stupid with the girls ad nauseum murmuring things like "That's tight." The final cut is an attempt by the girls to get profound and is actually laughable, in my opinion. ("Trinity. Ever think about what that really means?")

 

I've been vaguely informed of these groups presented. I have heard of them, but never had the actual chance to listen to their songs. Now if we were to talk about "Thrid Day" or someone along those lines, then it would come easier to speak of those bands!

Though I do have a craving to go and find these CD's only to listen to their songs...

 

After a very long hiatus, I'm going to start this one in again.

#82:

CCM:

77's (1987) - Seventy Sevens

[image=http://www.77s.com/music/lthe77s.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Do It For Love
2. I Can't Get Over It
3. What Was In That Letter
4. Pearls Before Swine
5. THe Lust, The Flesh, The Eyes and the Pride of Life
6. Frames Without Photographs
7. Don't Say Goodbye
8. Bottom Line
9. I Could Laugh

Public Poll:

Blue Belly Sky (1996) - The Waiting

[image=http://christianmusic.com/PHOTOS/thewaiting/bluebellysky.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Look at Me
2. Truly Amazing
3. Israel
4. Mercy Seat
5. Staring at a Bird
6. Air I Breathe
7. Your Face
8. Wonderstuff
9. The Big Parade
10. Dead Man
11. Is This the Day?

My opinion:

Not familiar with the Seventy Sevens at all.

Blue Belly Sky, I actually own. It's a great album. Some of the tracks are beautiful, both musically and lyrically (Look at Me, Israel, The Big Parade, Dead Man). Some are a bit oblique lyrically, but even those few still work musically. I'm thinking specifically of Wonderstuff, a song that I still can't figure out.

It's a nice folk rock sound, solid and the players all mesh nicely with each other. Most of the tracks are nicely energetic rockers that will keep your toe tapping. Best track is the last one, Is This the Day, also the slowest, a heartfelt emotional track about finding peace in this world.

 

I have to admit that I'm not familiar with the 77's, but I also own "Blue Belly Sky" and I really love it... actually, I have to pretty much concur with everything Rogue1-and-a-half said above.

I don't think Blue Belly Sky is as good as their "Unfazed," but it is still an outstanding CD. I particularly like "Look at Me" and "Israel," but most of the songs are indeed really good, musically and lyrically.

 

Next up:

#81

CCM:

Listen (1996) - Cindy Morgan

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002BRJ.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. The Master's Hand
2. God is Love
3. They Say It's Love ("Stars")
4. Need
5. Jamie
6. Listen
7. The Promise (live)
8. Lord We Come
9. Moon Days
10. To Fly (live)
11. Gravity
12. Will You Be There? (live)

Public Poll:

Reason to Live (1993) - Cindy Morgan

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000299V.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Picture Me in Paradise
2. The Days of Innocence
3. Storybook
4. Reaching In
5. We Can Live Together
6. Love's Still Love
7. A Reason to Live
8. Let Somebody Love You
9. Someone Believes in You
10. I Will Be Free

My opinion:

In an interesting irony, the only two Cindy Morgan albums to grace these two lists end up ranked at the same number . . .

I'm more familiar with Morgan through her work on compilation albums, which is uniformly good. I've heard a few of the songs on these albums.

From Listen, I'm really only familiar with the title track, which is a nice enough song, but not great.

From Reason to Live, I've heard Picture Me in Paradise and I Will Be Free, both of which reach for the heights of inspiration and fail.

Not really enough data to judge, but the songs I've heard tend to be overrated.

 

#80

CCM:

Kansas (1998) - Jennifer Knapp

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000005OJE.01.LZZZZZZZ.gif]

Tracks:

1. Prelude (Faithful to Me)
2. Whole Again
3. Undo Me
4. Trinity
5. In the Name
6. His Grace is Sufficient
7. Martyrs and Thieves
8. Romans
9. Refine Me
10. Hold Me Now
11. Visions
12. Faithful to Me (Reprise)

Public Poll:

Ten: The Birthday Album (1998) - Various Artists

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000007TF4.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Intro
2. Birthday--Kevin Max
3. Big House--Seven Day Jesus
4. Uphill Battle--Michael Tait/Pete Stewart
5. Mirror--Rebecca St. James
6. Heavenbound--Bleach
7. I'm Accepted--Eli
8. Happy Birthday, Forefront
9. Second Birthday--Geoff Moore and the Distance
10. Listen to Our Hearts--Considering Lily
11. That's the Way--Raze
12. Everything--Normals
13. God--Grammatrain
14. Outro
15. Big House--Audio Adrenaline
16. God--Rebecca St. James
17. Jesus Freak--DC Talk
18. Stay Together
19. Feels Good to Be Forgiven--Eddie De Garmo
20. Sound Alarm--Michael Anderson
21. Walk on Water--Audio Adrenaline
22. Jesus is Just Alright--DC Talk
23. Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music--Geoff Moore and the Distance
24. Above All Things--Rebecca St. James
25. The Outlaw--Dana Key
26. Treasure--Iona
27. Peace--Grammatrain
28. Walls--DC Talk
29. Epidermis Girl--Bleach
30. We're a Band--Audio Adrenaline
31. Always Comes Around--Seven Day Jesus
32. When All is Said and Done--Geoff Moore and the Distance

My opinion:

Kansas is a wonderful album and one that Amy Grant should be forced to listen to at least twenty times before she tries to write another song.

I like the bookending of the album with the acappella song. As well, most of the middle of the album is strong as well, both musically and lyrically.

There are some great high energy rockers, like Romans, and some nice poignant heartfelt tracks, like Hold Me Now. On the whole, all these tracks are great, with real standouts being Hold Me Now, Romans, His Grace is Sufficient and Undo Me.

A truly great album.

The Ten album I haven't heard, but it looks good. It features some of Forefront's biggest acts (AA, St. James, DC Talk, Geoff Moore) and some truly great songs. Plus Degarmo and Key are back, albeit split up!

Big House, Walk on Water, Jesus Freak, Jesus is Just Alright, these are all great songs by the respective groups.

Allow me to also focus on Geoff Moore and the Distance for a moment. This is, far as I know, their only appearance on either of these lists. That's criminal. They are nicely represented here with When All is Said and Done, a beautiful song and very profound at that, and their cover of Larry Norman's iconic Why Should the Devil. However, we need an album on one of these lists at least.

Moore is a true talent, sparked by his collaboration and friendship with fellow Nashville native Stephen Curtis Chapman and he's given some great songs to the Christian market (Overflow leaps to mind, as does A Beautiful Sound). Regardless, a small quibble at this point.

 

I remember buying Kansas based solely on hearing the song Undo Me. I was a little dissappointed at first, but the more I listened to the whole cd the more I liked all of the songs on the album. Knapp is now one of my favorite CCM artists. What can I say, every song on this disc is a gem. I still think it is her best to date, but I also think that Jars' best disc is their first too.

 

Next up:

#79

CCM:

Sanctuary (1991) - Twila Paris

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000005KUD.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Sanctuary (Instrumental)
2. Let Them Praise
3. The Joy of the Lord
4. I Am Ready
5. We Shall Assemble/In This Sanctuary
6. We Bow Down (Instrumental)
7. Arise, My Soul, Arise
8. Hosanna
9. Come Worship the Lord
10. Lamb of God (Instrumental)
11. Every Knee Shall Bow
12. Ele E Exaltado (He is Exalted)
13. We Will Glorify (Instrumental)
14. Keeper of the Door

Public Poll:

Under the Influence (1996) - Anointed

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002BPM.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Under the Influence (Acoustic Mix)
2. Waiting in the Wings
3. Adore You
4. Get Ready
5. Take Me Back
6. Do
7. Answer to My Prayer
8. Walking in the Light
9. Come Unto Me
10. Us
11. Under the Influence (Main Mix)

My opinion:

The Paris album is a good one and it shows off beautifully her somewhat revisionist nature. The four instrumentals are all beautifully done, but worth mentioning even more so because they are actually instrumental versions of preexisting songs by Paris (including what is probably her most famous song, Lamb of God). Also of note as far as revision is concerned is her reworking of the Wesley classic Arise, My Soul, Arise which she adds new music too. Also, note the Porteguese version of He is Exalted. Interestingly, the song is every bit as rousing and moving in Porteguese as it was in English.

The other songs are typical for Paris. The arrangements are beautifully lush and the lyrics are simple and heartfelt. It's a solid album. Worth mentioning as a standout track (aside from the instrumentals and the foreign track, which all stand out nicely) is Keeper of the Door, a heartfelt meditation on fame and humility. Also worth mentioning are the up tempo and energetic Get Ready and the beautiful and emotional Take Me Back.

From there, the album falls apart at the seams. Do, hilariously sporting a record breaking six writing credits, is simplistic and too long.

The Anointed album is uniformly strong for its first half. The acoustic mix of the title track is nicely retro, complete with flute weaving in and out of the other instruments. Waiting in the Wings is the best song on the album by a mile, both profound and creative. Us is also worth mentioning as a tremendously inane song. And the main mix of the title song only makes the album overstay its welcome.

In the last half only the energetic Walking in the Light truly succeeds.

An album of absolute greatness that then segues into by the numbers predictability.

 

#78

CCM:

Streams (1999) - Various Artists

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000J7SE.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Job--Cindy Morgan
2. Don't Give Up--Maire Brennan/Michael McDonald
3. Breathe--Sixpence None the Richer
4. Sanctuary--Chris Rodriguez
5. Hold On--Michelle Tumes
6. The Only Thing I Need--4Him/Jon Anderson
7. Find Me in the River--Delirious?/Amy Grant
8. I Will Rest in You--Jaci Velasquez
9. From Above--Burlap to Cashmere
10. Forever On and On--Point of Grace
11. For Cova--Irish Film Orchestra
12. Abigail--Irish Film Orchestra
13. Delaney McDowell--Irish Film Orchestra
14. Streams (For John Cole)--Irish Film Orchestra

Public Poll:

Noel (1995) - Various Artists

[no image available]

[no track listing available]

My opinion:

The Noel album is an obscure one, difficult to track down. I can tell you it's a Steve Hindalong brainchild. Hindalong is the producer behind the current City on a Hill series, so that's interesting.

Various sources also state that it contains songs like In the Bleak Midwinter, Baby in the Manger and Silent Night, sung by artists as diverse as Julie Miller, Derry Daugherty and Kevin Max. Other than that, I've got no information on it.

Streams is one of my all time favorite albums. A lot of the artists do what is in my opinion their best work, Cindy Morgan, Chris Rodgriguez and Burlap to Cashmere, for instance.

Most of the other artists contribute songs that are up to their usual standard with Delirious?, 4Him, Jaci Velasquez and Sixpence None the Richer all contributing great songs.

Worth mentioning particularly are the following:

A gorgeous and haunting cover of Don't Give Up by Maire Brennan
Burlap to Cashmere's bizarre acoustic number that seems out of place, but beautifully so
Most importantly of all, the four orchestral tracks that close this album are gorgeous and moving, a fitting end to an album dedicated to healing.

Only the by the numbers song from Point of Grace disappoints.

 

77:

CCM:

Invisible Girl (1996) - Julie Miller

[image=http://www.samma.nl/shop/cd/image/SK7037.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Nobody's Child
2. Runaway Heart
3. In My Eyes
4. When You Come Home
5. Too Many Troubles
6. I Will Be With You
7. Weapon of the Spirit
8. Can't Cry Hard Enough
9. End of the Road
10. The Back of Your Head
11. I Like You

Public Poll:

Coming to Life (2000) - The Normals

[image=http://andrewosenga.com/images/comingtolife.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Every Moment
2. The Best I Can
3. Black Dress
4. We Are the Beggars at the Foot of God's Door
5. Hillary
6. Don't Hold Back (Full On)
7. No Alibis
8. These Times
9. Two Wrongs and a Right
10. Coming to Life
11. Heaven Heals
12. The Survivor

My opinion:

I'm afraid I've heard neither of these albums.

 

Next up:

76:

CCM:

Return to Paradise (1989) - Randy Stonehill

[image=http://home.no.net/heard/pictures/stonehill_return.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Starlings
2. Stand Like Steel
3. I Don't Ever Want to Live Without You
4. This Friend of Old
5. You Can Still Walk Tall
6. True Blood
7. Strong Hand of Love
8. Christmas at Denny's
9. Love Tells No Lies
10. Weight of the Sky
11. Ready to G

Public Poll:

40 Acres (1999) - Caedmon's Call

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000IFUT.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. There You Go
2. Thankful
3. Shifting Sand
4. Faith My Eyes
5. Where I Began
6. Table for Two
7. Climb On (A Back That's Strong)
8. Petrified Heart
9. Somewhere North
10. Daring Daylight Escape
11. 40 Acres

My opinion:

The Stonehill album I haven't heard.

The Caedmon's Call album is a great one however. It flags slightly in the middle section, but it's pretty uniformly strong otherwise.

It opens with a strong set of songs (There You Go, the brilliant Thankful, Shifting Sand, the heartfelt and poetic Faith My Eyes, the energetic Where I Began and the heartbreaking and soul searching Table for Two).

After this is segues into a brief set of two forgettable songs, but luckily it returns to brilliance for the final three songs: the peppy road tune Somewhere North, the rocking Daring Daylight Escape and the emotionally resonant title track.

In this album, Caedmon's Call explore the ramifactions of faith in a real world. From Thankful, a song about discovering tendencies to weakness to Shifting Sand, a beautiful song about the human tendency to doubt to the gorgeous and poetic Faith My Eyes which deals with the difficulty of faith to 40 Acres, a song about returning home to find forgiveness and redemption, the album is a masterpiece of emotional songwriting and heartfelt music.

The best track: the gorgeously melancholy Table for Two, a heartfelt meditation on loneliness and depression.

 

#75

CCM:

One More Song for You (1975) - The Imperials

[no image available]

[no track listing available]

Public Poll:

Choose Life (1999) - Big Tent Revival

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00001IVLL.01.LZZZZZZZ.gif]

Tracks:

1. Livin' Off Your Love
2. Choose Life
3. Fill Me With Your Spirit
4. Love Me Like You Do
5. The Word of God
6. Now is the Right Time
7. Will You Be Mine
8. Live For You
9. Please Forgive Them
10. One More Song
11. I Worship You
12. What I Want for Christmas

My opinion:

I've actually heard a few tracks off the Imperials album. Of the few I've heard, they range from the exceptionally moving (I'm Forgiven, One More Song for You) to the hilariously clever (Livin' Without Your Love, a hilarious song that sounds EXACTLY like the Beegees) to the mundane and forgettable (Eagle Song, Higher Power). So apparently a pretty back and forth album.

Off the Big Tent Revival Album, the same could be said.

There are songs of absolute genius (Livin' Off Your Love, Choose Life, The Word of God), songs of absolute bottom scraping idiocy (the condescending Love Me Like You Do, the insufferable and cliched Will You Be Mine) and songs of middling nature, not great, but not horrible either (the bulk of the album).

The album starts off with its two strongest tracks back to back, which makes for a downhill trip, with a couple of hideous detours (mentioned above) where Steve Wiggins tries to pen a touching love song or two to his wife, in the vein of a Curtis Chapman or Smitty, but, judging from these efforts, he'd be better off to concentrate on the spiritual and leave the love song writing to those who can actually do it with a modicum of originality and credibility.

Luckily, the album returns to the sheer genius of the first two tracks for the final number, What I Want for Christmas, a rousing and peppy number that exudes an amazing amount of energy.

It's a shame the songs between the opening tracks and the final track had to be so mediocre or downright awful. Two horrible songs does not a bad album make, but neither does four great songs a great album make. A fairly schizophrenic effort from Big Tent Revival.

 

Can't belive that i've gone this long without finding this thread.

I saw one of the dudes from big tent play with jars of clay this past few months. Very good stuff.

I wish i would have made it during the Supertones and Brave Saint Saturn discussion. I'll say this much about the super tones while i have the chance. Every sunday i do some sort of bible sutdy, or listen to a sermon and i always hear a line from a supertones song. Matt morgan (lead singer and song writer for the band) pulls all his stuff from that great thick end book we call the bible.

Don't even get me started on BSS. I only hope A five iron frenzy album will hit the list.

As far as big tent. I really enjoy them, nice music to sit back and relax. It makes me feel happy.

KT OUT

 

[Renault]I'm shocked, shocked to find someone besides me posting in here![/Renault]

#74

CCM:

Don't Wait for the Movie (1986) - Whiteheart

[image=http://www.artistdirect.com/Images/Sources/AMGCOVERS/music/cover200/drf400/f460/f46038sbej0.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Read the Book (Don't Wait for the Movie)
2. Holy Ground
3. Beat of a Different Drum
4. Holy Ground
5. Convertibles
6. Let the Children Play (Instrumental)
7. King George
8. No Apology
9. Maybe Today
10. Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Christian
11. How Many Times (Seventy Times Seven)

Public Poll:

Ten Thousand Days (1999) - Bebo Norman

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00001OH98.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Walk Down This Mountain
2. Stand
3. The Hammer Holds
4. I'm Alright
5. Deeper Still
6. Where the Angels Sleep
7. The Man Inside
8. Healing Song
9. In Your Hands
10. A Page is Turned
11. Selwood Farm
12. Rita

My opinion:

I've heard a couple of songs off the Whiteheart album. To be specific, the title track and Fly Eagle Fly. They were both trite, inane, and idiotic in the extreme. Lyricizing with a sledgehammer and not saying anything new to boot. Blah . . .

As for the Norman album, it's one of the strongest debut albums I've heard in a long time. Norman has a steady, meditative, philosophical bent and it serves his music well.

This album is uniformly solid, with only the overlong and badly arranged Healing Song standing out as a mistake of sorts.

The other tracks are all hauntingly beautiful, thought provoking and meditative.

Best track: Tie between A Page is Turned and The Hammer Holds, both of which made me cry

A great, great album. Very deserving.

 

i've not really heard to much of both of these bands. however i do remeber hearing them when i was littler. I enjoyed teh music and could probably still enjoy it today.

I enjoyed the lyrics and how everything was strung together to fit. Some of the older stuff is a bit unfamiliar to me but i do rember these two.

dkt out

 

I have the Whiteheart album and I really enjoy it. It's not by favorite album by them, but it's got some cool songs. I especially like How Many Times (Seventy Times Seven).

 

#73

CCM:

Kirk Franklin and the Family (1993) - Kirk Franklin and the Family

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005TSOQ.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Why We Sing
2. He's Able
3. Silver and Gold
4. Call on the Lord
5. Real Love
6. He Can Handle It
7. A Letter From My Friend
8. The Family Worship Medley
9. Speak to Me
10. Until We Meet Again

Public Poll:

Lay It Down (2000) - Jennifer Knapp

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004L8DB.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. A Little More
2. Lay It Down
3. Usher Me Down
4. Into You
5. All Consuming Fire
6. You Answer Me
7. You Remain
8. Diamond in the Rough
9. When Nothing Satisfies
10. Peace

My opinion:

Kirk Franklin is one of the best musical artists around today. His music is always energetic, powerful and passionate.

This is a good album from him and it features a line up of strong songs, with not a single loser in the bunch. They're all great, but the strongest are Silver and Gold, Call on the Lord and He Can Handle It. A magnificent album and well worthy of placement.

The Knapp album, on the other hand, is a disappointment. After one of the strongest debut albums from the CCM crowd, Knapp hits her sophomore slump.

The album is criminally overproduced, burying the vocals (and Knapp's voice is stronger than the average female vocalist) in a morass of clashes and clangs.

The album is at its best when it revisits the mood of the first album, acoustic guitar, Knapp's evocative and gorgeous voice and some small back up ensemble.

A few good songs are here: Lay It Down, A Little More, You Remain. Other than that, however, the album is strikingly unmemorable, a sad fate for an artist who's debut was as strong as Kansas was.

Knapp's letting the morons in the studio have their way with her and we can hope she'll wake up and return to her strengths, namely her amazing voice and her emotional writing.

Also worth mentioning is the ludicrously unnecessary cameo by Margaret Becker, who barely registers. If you're going to have a cameo and especially if it's going to be Margaret Becker, for Pete's sake, let her do something.

A sad disappointment from a promising artist.

 

#72:

CCM:

With Footnotes (1974) - 2nd Chapter of Acts

[image=http://musicmoz.org/img/editors/sounddude/withfoot2.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Which Way the Wind Blows
2. Goin' Home
3. With Jesus
4. The Devil's Lost Again
5. Love, Peace, Joy
6. I Don't Wanna Go Home
7. Easter Song
8. He Loves Me
9. Good News
10. I Fall in Love/Change
11. The Son Comes Over the Hill

Public Poll:

Exodus (1998) - Various Artists

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000006O89.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Exodus
2. My Will--DC Talk
3. Needful Hands--Jars of Clay
4. Brighten My Heart--Sixpence None the Richer
5. Make Us One--Cindy Morgan
6. Nothin'--Chris Rice
7. Draw Me Close--Katinas
8. Agnus Dei--Third Day
9. Salvation Belongs to Our God--Crystal Lewis
10. I See You--Michael W. Smith

My opinion:

The Footnotes album I've heard a couple off of, namely Easter Song, which is a great song, and Which Way the Wind Blows, which is a truly great song. Judging from that, the album is probably a pretty good one.

Exodus is a great, great album. From the opening rousing track, an instrumental warming Smith up for Freedom, the album moves into a set of incredibly strong songs. DC Talk provides a show stoppingly complex song, Sixpence None the Richer gives a haunting rendition for their number, Chris Rice (a criminally underrated artist) provides the album's most contemplative song, The Katinas give a great debut performance, Third Day provides an intriguing cover of Smith's Agnus Dei and Smith wraps with an epic and rousing cover of Rich Mullins' iconic I See You.

None of the songs are bad and most of them are truly great, outstanding work from the artists concerned. This is a show stopper of an album and one of the best compilations from Rocketown. A winner.

 

hmm, i'm not to familiar with the first band but i do enjoy the selction the the various artist CD.

I think that anytime JArs of Clay and Dc Talk are on the same album its deffinatly worth it. Not to take anything away from these other bands.

Six pence always seems to come thorugh. There really isn't a song by them i get sick of hearing. Good ol' Mike W Smith. Listing to anything by him reminds me of when i was little. Always good stuff.

....Missed the Jennifer knapp discussion. i saw her with JOC last yer. Good show. I enjoyed it. It was the first time i heard her. Still trying to remeber to get her C.D.

 

71:

CCM:

Beyond Belief (1990) - Petra

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000282A.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Armed and Dangerous
2. I Am on the Rock
3. Creed
4. Beyond Belief
5. Love
6. Underground
7. Seen and Not Heard
8. Last Daze
9. What's in a Name?
10. Prayer

Public Poll:

Them (1996) - PFR

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000000V4Y.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Pour Me Out
2. Daddy Never Cried
3. Anything
4. Fight
5. Line of Love
6. Ordinary Day
7. Tried to Tell Her
8. Face to Face
9. Them
10. Kingdom Smile
11. Say
12. Garden

My opinion:

I'll admit to not getting the appeal of PFR. Their melodies are trite, their lyrics are worse and their music is simplistic.

There are two good songs on this album: Fight and Line of Love. This is not a great album.

The Petra album, by contrast, is a great, great album. Every single track is a winner from the rocking high energy of the opening track to the meditative quietness and melancholy of the final track.

A masterpiece with standouts including the two already mentioned, I Am on the Rock (defines rock anthem), Seen and Not Heard (a condemning number about actions and words) and Underground (a bold statement of faith).

This one's a winner, all the way through.

 

#70:

CCM:

Going Public (1994) - The Newsboys

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000005KU6.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Real Good Thing
2. Shine
3. Spirit Thing
4. Let It Rain
5. Going Public
6. Truth and Consequences
7. Lights Out
8. Be Still
9. When You Called My Name
10. Elle G.

Public Poll:

Learning to Breathe (2000) - Switchfoot

[image=http://www.zradio.org/player/images/covers/emerald/Switchfoot%20-%20Learning%20to%20Breathe.jpg]

Tracks:

1. I Dare You to Move
2. Learning to Breathe
3. You Already Take Me There
4. Love is the Movement
5. Poparazzi
6. Innocence Again
7. Playing for Keeps
8. The Loser
9. The Economy of Mercy
10. Erosion
11. Living is Simple

My opinion:

I'll admit to not getting the appeal of Switchfoot. Like PFR, their sound is trite, with melodies that are instantly forgettable, lyrics so cliched as to be irritating and music that sounds like a thousand other bands out there.

Not a single good song on this album and by the way, that Poparazzi song . . . let's just say, don't insult Nirvana or Elvis until you're as good as they were, okay?

And did you really quote Julian of Norwich on that last song? Why?

Going Public, on the other hand, is top notch, the best The Newsboys have done to date. Furler is at the top of his game lyrically and the band is hitting on all cylinders.

The only disappointment is the thrash oriented Lights Out, which is a bit unpleasant.

All the other songs are masterpieces. From the lyrically poetic (Shine, Spirit Thing) to the emotionally moving (Let It Rain, Be Still) to the energetic (Real Good Thing) to the thought provoking (Truth and Consequences, When You Called My Name). And the album finally ends on a tragic and beautiful note with the suicide song Elle G., a heartbreaking and emotional closer.

Truly one of the all time great albums, with lyrics that deal with everything from disillusionment with a calling to sexual temptation to suicide. This one's a winner.

 

Missed the Petra album. They were my favorite band for a long time, and I love Beyond Belief. Every song is a winner.

I know a few of the Switchfoot songs, and I do enjoy their music. It isn't anything amazing, but I still find it listenable. My favorite song by them is I Dare You to Move.

 

#69:

CCM:

Long Way From Paradise (1989) - Allies

[image=http://www.westcoast-music.com/images/cd-pictures/image390.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Long Way From Paradise
2. Trust in God
3. All Day, All Night
4. Take Me Back
5. Old Man Down
6. Christian Man
7. Devil is a Liar
8. I Wanna Be Like You
9. Walk With Me Silent
10. Rock of Salvation
11. Crying in the Chapel

Public Poll:

Different Lifestyles (1991)- Bebe & Cece Winans

[image=http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002UUZ.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Depend on You
2. Addictive Love
3. It's O.K.
4. The Blood
5. Two Different Lifestyles
6. Supposed to Be
7. I'll Take You There
8. You Know and I Know
9. Searching for Love (It's Real)
10. Better Place
11. Can't Take This Away
12. Addictive Love

My opinion:

Not familiar with the Allies album.

The Winans' album on the other hand is a classic.

It's a solid effort from one of the great gospel duos. It's packed with a lot of solid songs, with not a true loser in the bunch.

The standouts are It's O.K., The Blood (featuring an initially distracting appearance by M.C. Hammer), the heartfelt I'll Take You There, the emotionally moving Searching for Love, the rousing Better Place (fantastic guest appearance by Mavis Staples).

One minor quibble: whoever started that junk about playing one song twice on an album and pretending that the album is longer than it really is. Addictive Love doesn't need to be played twice.

Other than that . . . a classic.

 

#68

CCM:

The Book of Kells (1992) - Iona

[image=http://home.wanadoo.nl/mm.goossensen/images/Iona-Book%20Of%20Kells.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Kells Opening Theme
2. Revelation
3. Matthew - The Man
4. Chi Roi
5. Mark - The Lion
6. River Flows
7. Luke - The Calf
8. Virgin and Child
9. Temptation
10. Arrest - Gethsemene
11. Trinity - The Godhead
12. John - The Eagle
13. Kells
14. Eternity - No Beginning, No End

Public Poll:

Free Flying Soul (1996) - The Choir

[image=http://ofadam.com/scott/images/The%20Choir%20-%20Free%20Flying%20Soul.jpg]

Tracks:

1. Salamander
2. Polar Boy
3. Sled Dog
4. Away with the Swine
5. Ocean
6. If You're Listening
7. Chicken
8. Slow Spin
9. Leprechaun
10. Yellow Haired Monkeys
11. Butterfly
12. Warbler

My opinion:

Afraid I'm not familiar with either of these.