Read more of Amazon.com's interview with Michele Tumes
at
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Find her latest album, "Center of My Universe," at
CD Sale
THE DOVE AWARDS 2000 ARE COMING
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The Dove Awards--held each April in Nashville, Tennessee--
are the Grammys of contemporary Christian and gospel
music. Check out Amazon.com writer Israel Button's feature
on the nominations for this year's awards.
CD Sale
Find Steven Curtis Chapman's nine-times-nominated
"Speechless" at
CD Sale
NEW AND NOTABLE
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"Found a Place"
FFH
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Even though FFH's sophomore major-label release is not
billed as a praise and worship album, that spirit is present
on every track. Lead singer and main songwriter Jeromy
Deibler crafts his songs as expressions to God. Groovy
acoustic guitar work layered over an immaculate drum
production enlivens the project as it alternates between
upbeat and gentle moods.
"Invincible"
Skillet
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Skillet's third release, "Invincible," has a hard-hitting
lyrical and musical quality--this is a no-nonsense
production. Keeping in step with the electronic age, there
is a heavy techno influence; buzzes and whirls create what
sounds like a musical Morse code. The undulating drum loops,
rolling bass lines, and chunky guitar patches drive this
music forward. And unfettered by compromise, straightforward
messages announce the power and wonder of God's nature.
"Sunday Morning Soul"
The Persuasions
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Even after 35 years of making great records, noted vocal act
the Persuasions remain exciting--thrilling even--to behold.
While they have always included gospel songs onstage and on
record, "Sunday Morning Soul" is entirely religious and,
except for one tune, these are all standards. These dozen
songs have nothing but voices and they're soulful enough
that instruments are never missed.
"Plastic Surgery"
The Huntingtons
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The Huntingtons play Christian punk rock in a thoroughly
stripped-down manner; the first cut of this CD, "I Wanna Be
a Ramone," says it all. The lyrics read like a chronicle of
teenage heartbreak and quest for understanding, and never
for a moment does the energy die. Supercharged rhythms
invade everything, many of the guitar riffs include fast
chord changes, and, with the infectious pop melodies of
singer Mikey Huntington, it's a winning approach from the
school of 1977.
"It's Gonna Be Alright"
Chicago's First Jurisdiction Choir
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"Don't stop praising Him!" These exhortations are jubilantly
repeated again and again on the third track of this disc,
and that is exactly what Chicago's First Jurisdiction do for
the 63 minutes of music they present. Brought together by
minister Kenneth Lockhart, this mass choir is a powerhouse:
fast-walking bass lines, a spirited choir, groove-driven
guitar, bouncy piano, ecstatic soloists, cheering
congregations, and masterful percussionists keep the music
moving.
"A Farewell Celebration"
Cathedrals
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Southern-gospel fans will find plenty to be pleased about in
this all-star tribute to one of gospel's most enduring and
endearing vocal groups. The Cathedrals don't reinvent the
wheel here, but they don't need to; their four-part
harmonies blend well and each has his moment to shine. The
Statler Brothers chip in wonderfully on "Noah Found Grace in
the Eyes of the Lord," while the Oak Ridge Boys' a cappella
version of "Life's Railway to Heaven" is a simple delight.
ESSENTIALS BY ARTIST: STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN
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"Signs of Life"
Steven Curtis Chapman
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As the 1990s began and Christian artists felt less shackled
by the industry's conservative past, singer-songwriters such
as Steven Curtis Chapman began to flex their creative
muscles. Radio welcomed the change in sound that Chapman and
others ushered in, and, aided by his rocking live shows, the
singer began his ascent to the top of the genre.
EDITOR'S CHOICE: "HEAVEN AND EARTH"
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"Heaven and Earth"
Various artists
CD Sale
With the recent releases of two stellar albums by Michelle
Tumes and Jennifer Knapp, it's time to revisit one of the
most underrated releases of 1999, "Heaven and Earth." A
supergroup collaboration between Knapp, Tumes, Rebecca
St. James, Margaret Becker, and Nichole Nordeman, the music
ranges across the stylistic map, all of it giving praise in
the most artful manner possible.
