Christain Music

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"Crystal Clear"
Jaci Velasquez

Jaci Velasquez already has traveled a road decorated with Dove awards, record-breaking sales, and millions of fans. "Crystal Clear" is a praiseworthy follow-up to such early success. Jaci lets her talent soar without appearing too showy; her rich voice resonates as it leaps and floats through these songs, proclaiming her undivided dedication to Christ and reminding us of His all-encompassing dedication to us. Check out the Latin party-swing of "Escuchame," the ethereal rhythms and cloud-like vocals of "Crystal Clear," and the upbeat dance-pop of "Every Time I Fall."

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"All Things New"
Watermark

Husband-and-wife duo Christy and Nathan Nockels make up Watermark, and they're back with their sophomore effort, "All Things New," a deeply rich tapestry of acoustic- oriented Christian music. Christy Nockels's lyrical imagery shines brightly in the title track and in the poignant, bittersweet "Glory Baby." The wonderful "More than You'll Ever Know" carries a lively shuffle beat undercutting a groovy country-lite vocal from Christy. Who says husbands and wives can't work together and have fun?

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"1956"
Soul Junk

Looking for some uncompromising, modern sounds? Soul Junk's "1956" is easily one of the more unusual Christian albums of late, born out of the full use of creative license. This effort starts with a rap sound, mixes in some alternative rock and folk, adds a dash of retro vibe, and then dumps the whole concoction into a vat of experimentation. Blended with lyrics that are comical, social, and overall spiritual, this disc must be handled with care or it might explode. Complete with an eclectic use of voices, electronics, beat boxes, and raw guitars, the music is happily danceable and truly meaningful.

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Rarely is music for children actually poignant for both little ones and their adults. Karan Casey's made such music on "Seal Maiden." Rich with the Celtic story that inspired "The Secret of Roan Inish," this CD has Karan Casey's beautiful voice and a host of Irish music's finest musicians playing enjoyable, touching music.

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If there's a beat around, Mickey Mouse is likely to find it--and distribute it to kids. So it's no surprise that Mickey's handlers have come up with this lively Latin pop collection. There's surprisingly good stuff here, especially the cover of Ricky Martin's smash "Livin' la Vida Loca" and Lou Bega's toned-down remake of "Mambo #5." Don't miss the crew's Latinization of Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild."

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If you're on the open road this summer, make sure to bring music.  Sesame Street's "Sing Along Travel Songs" is one of the franchise's best collections, merging old-fashioned travel games with simple melodies that trigger nod- and sing-alongs that'll charm the family.

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The West L.A. Children's Choir is a robust group. On "Celebrating Children," they keep the music snappy and still make clear that it's being sung by kids. That latter facet of the music makes "Celebrating Children" attractive to other kids, who will thrill at hearing those in their age groups belt it out.

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Eddie Murphy's scatological farce featuring his shape- shifting, scene-stealing characterizations, has a soundtrack that doesn't steal laughs from the film. "The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps" features an all-star cast of R&B and hip-hop stars who do the serious stuff best. The smooth R&B tracks are offset by ferocious hip-hop grooves, creating a constantly shifting scene of alternating moods. Includes cuts by Janet Jackson (who stars as Murphy's love interest in the movie), DMX, Method Man, R. Kelly, LL Cool J, and others.

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Professor Xavier's enclave of genetically superior mutants battles against bigotry and extermination in the comic book brought to the big screen, "X-Men." With techno beats and pulsing orchestral overdrive, Michael Kamen's rousing score is as pumped up as Wolverine's biceps.  Using the L.A. All-star Orchestra at full throttle, Kamen is at his Wagnerian best for "Museum Fight" and "The Final Showdown," and is noticeably more gentle with the epilogue, "Logan and Rogue." Kamen knows how to action-pack a score for maximum effect.

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Well, who doesn't? Cashing in on the runaway popularity of the television series, this soundtrack from the show includes all sorts of greenback-inspired tracks. Barrett Strong's legendary Motown anthem to materialism, "Money," appropriately kicks things off. The O'Jays showcase early-1970s Gamble & Huff Philly Soul with "For the Love of Money." E.L.O., Blondie, and Manhattan Transfer work over the lifeline motif with tunes about phone lines. As an added novelty, show host Regis Philbin contributes a straight-ahead interpretation of "Pennies from Heaven" that ends with Griff's "Millionaire Mix," a dance-groove take on the theme of the "Millionaire" TV show.

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