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"Hope Changes Everything"
Various Artists
CD Salesroom
World Vision is the globe's largest privately funded
Christian humanitarian agency, serving through child
sponsorship and emergency relief in over 100 countries.
"Hope Changes Everything" is a celebration of its 50 years
of dedication to the task. Some of the top contemporary
Christian artists have come together for this special
anniversary CD, including Newsong and 4Him's Mark Harris.
This is a great CD that supports a solid relief
organization. How can you go wrong with that?
"Glad You Made It"
Parkway
CD Salesroom
"Glad You Made It" is the debut album from two guys who are
no strangers to the business. Formally members of Silage,
lead dudes Damian Horne and Lance Black need no lessons on
how to rock. With Todd Collins (DC Talk, Out of Eden) as
producer, and Rod Schuler (Reality Check) as touring
percussionist/DJ, the combination is laden with plenty of
enticement for the ear. This is pop, this is rock, and this
is hip-hop: their stylized recipe blends it all together in
a sound that is fashionably current. Most intriguing are the
soft layers of vocal harmonies, which, in combination with
the grooves, pull the listener into a state of mind where
serenity and intensity walk hand in hand.
"The Maple Room"
Wayne Kirkpatrick
CD Salesroom
One of contemporary Christian Music's finest songwriting
talents finally has given us his own release. Wayne
Kirkpatrick's "The Maple Room" clearly shows why so many
artists clamor for his songs. Like both Matthew Sweet and
Michael Penn, Kirkpatrick knows how to write a sweet, swift,
intelligent, and complete pop song; many of the tracks here
have wonderful choruses and hooks that will stay with you
for a long while. Whether with toe-tapping numbers like
"That's Not New Age" and "In Another Light" or poignant and
moving ballads like "Hanging by a Thread" and "I Won't
Forget You," Kirkpatrick covers the gamut of emotion,
insight, and sentiment.
OUR CUSTOMERS RECOMMEND: PEDRO THE LION
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"It's Hard to Find a Friend"
Pedro The Lion
CD Salesroom
A music fan from St. Louis Park, Minnesota, recommends "It's
Hard to Find a Friend" by Pedro the Lion: "Their style is
minimalist, but their lyrics are so right on--songs like
"Big Trucks" and "When They Really Get to Know You, They
Will Run" go beyond the normal Christian music fare. They're
not getting radio play, but they don't need it. They have a
following all over this country and news spreads by word of
mouth. They aren't rock stars, and that's just darned
irresistible."
IN BOOKS: "LIKE GOLD REFINED (PRAIRIE LEGACY, 4)"
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"Like Gold Refined (Prairie Legacy, 4)"
by Janette Oke
CD Salesroom
In the fourth installment of Janette Oke's "Prairie Legacy"
series, Virginia Simpson wonders if her prayers are being
answered or her worst nightmare has just begun. Will she
have the strength and fortitude to become "like gold
refined"?
CELEBRATE THE DOVE AWARDS
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This year's Dove Awards, held on April 22 in Nashville,
Tennessee, were the most exciting and star-studded yet,
bestowing well-deserved honors on Ginny Owens, Steven Curtis
Chapman, Anointed, Jaci Velasquez, Sixpence None the Richer,
Gaither Vocal Band, and others. As proof of the awesome
talent to be found within contemporary Christian and gospel
music, mainstream pop musicians and personalities are
increasingly drawn to this event, which can be likened to
the Grammys without all that glittery decadence. Check out
our list of this year's winners, as well as the full list of
nominations in all the major categories.
...check your special price.
NEW AND NOTABLE RELEASES
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"Rarities & Remixes"
Point of Grace
...check your special price.
Point of Grace fans will no doubt be pleased with this
offering of remixed hits plus rare tracks from various
compilations and the group's early days. The live, acoustic
"Circle of Friends," for instance, defines the excellent
vocal talent of this foursome while the early tracks
demonstrate that POG had a wholesome moxie and copious
talent from the very beginning.
"Thankful"
Mary Mary
...check your special price.
Erica and Tina Atkins have become the sister act of the
hour, and it's little surprise given the strength of their
faith, voices, and material. Their singing and songwriting
is laden with a soulful confidence borne of supreme talent
and a joyful testimony that springs from firsthand knowledge
of God's redemptive goodness. The blending of Erica and
Tina's perfectly strung voices and the finely crafted
hip-hop/gospel flavor bring contemporary gospel to a new
level. One listen to this debut release makes it clear that
Mary Mary has bypassed rookie status; the CD should come
with a "Satisfaction Guaranteed" sticker.
"Fearless"
Crystal Lewis
...check your special price.
It has been stated before, but we'll say it again: Crystal
Lewis is contemporary Christian music's diva, and she always
tailors her formidable vocals for the task at hand, from
up-tempo grooves to smooth ballads. There are plenty of both
on her new collection, "Fearless." In the press material for
the record, Crystal states that "the main idea behind
'Fearless' is not being afraid or ashamed to take a stand
for what you believe in," and we're definitely down with
that.
"The Ever Passing Moment"
MxPx
...check your special price.
Those Washington homespun punksters MxPx are back with their
eighth full-length album; it will surely not disappoint the
punk-thirsty faithful and will likely rouse many a fan-to-be
from sleep. This trio pumps it out with a relentless grind
and an effortless finesse, demonstrating that artistic
integrity is alive and well in the world of energy
rock. "The Ever Passing Moment" showcases the band's
aptitude for producing catchy anthemic choruses and clever
rhythmic changeups while surging full force through each
song. Vocal styling partially reflects the pop-punk band
Green Day, and an honest tone prevails in the emotional
moods of these outpourings.
"WOW Worship Orange"
Various Artists
...check your special price.
In recent years, there have been an increasing number of
Christian musicians who have forgone personal expression to
be solely devoted to the worship arts. Some are saying that
this is nothing short of a worship renaissance aimed toward
Christian revival. "WOW Worship" is back with 30 more
favorite songs to inspire intimacy with God through
time-tested favorites from the past two decades. This is a
movement that will surely enrich the worship experience for
everyone involved.
"All the Hype That Money Can Buy"
Five Iron Frenzy
...check your special price.
It is a rare band that surpasses the attraction of casual
listeners and draws out the ultra-dedicated who hear nothing
but greatness. While being heavy-hitters in the ska/punk
league, this eight-member ensemble throws in more than
enough of their own changeups to retain a fascinated
ear. "All the Hype That Money Can Buy," the band's fourth
full-length album, is danceable, thought provoking,
aggressive, and whimsical, and exhibits an unpretentious,
unwavering spiritual enthusiasm.
TRADITIONAL PICK
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"Kings of the Gospel Highway"
Various Artists
...check your special price.
Gospel authority Anthony Heilbut has compiled yet another
brilliant collection of classic African American gospel
music. "Kings" focuses on "the golden age of gospel
quartets, 1945-1960," and features the Soul Stirrers,
Pilgrim Travelers, Swan Silvertones, Spirit of Memphis, Five
Blind Boys of Mississippi, and Sensational
Nightingales. These 26 stirring songs run the gamut from
slow, moving numbers to tautly inventive, fast-paced
tunes. The singing is breathtakingly beautiful throughout,
and surprises abound for even the most devout disciple of
this glorious music--from the Soul Stirrers' Golden Gate
Quartet-inspired, 1939 recording of the R.H. Harris-penned
"Walk Around" to the Spirit of Memphis's absolutely solemn
call-and-response 1949 version of Silas Steele's "Jesus
Jesus."
SOUNDTRACK SPOTLIGHT
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"Jesus: Music from and Inspired by the Epic Mini-Series"
Various Artists
...check your special price.
A companion disc to a television drama, "Jesus: Music from
and Inspired by the Epic Mini-Series" boldly mixes wonderful
songs from the contemporary Christian music world with
artists from the mainstream pop world. The disc is an
artistic success, with inspirational cuts from the likes of
DC Talk, Yolanda Adams, LeAnn Rimes, Jaci Velasquez, Steven
Curtis Chapman, Hootie and the Blowfish, and others.
IN BOOKS
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"The Indwelling : The Beast Takes Possession (Left Behind #7)"
Tim F. LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins
...check your special price.
Find out who killed Nicolae in Jerry Jenkins and Tim
LaHaye's highly anticipated "The Indwelling: The Beast Takes
Possession," the seventh installment in the thrilling "Left
Behind" saga.
EDITOR'S CHOICE
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"Purpose by Design"
Fred Hammond
...check your special price.
Fred Hammond reinforces the strength of his faith with the
power of his music. His newest collection combines
exuberantly devotional lyrics with a solid R&B musical
underpinning. The rhythm section is girded by Hammond's own
muscular electric-bass playing, and supplementary horns
bolster the waves of sound and emotion of Radical for
Christ, his dozen-voice choir. His preceding release, "Pages
of Life," was a double CD with one disc of studio recordings
and one disc recorded live in a Detroit church. "Purpose by
Design" distills that mix to a strong single disc with nine
studio and four live recordings, and both approaches have
their strengths. "I Know It Was the Blood," with its vivid
imagery, inexorable rhythm, inventive melodic movement, and
subtle electronic manipulation of Hammond's vocal melismas,
exemplifies the use of modern recording technology to create
exhilarating music.
Shirley Caesar : Faded Rose, May 16 ...CD Sale price.
Dixie Hummingbirds : Move On Up A Little Higher, May 16 ...CD Sale price.
Bill Gaither & Gloria : Oh My Glory!, May 09 ...CD Sale price.
Gold City : Amazing Grace: Hymn Collection, May 11 ...CD Sale price.
Darwin Hobbs : Vertical, May 09 ...CD Sale price.
Crystal Lewis : Fearless, May 16 ...CD Sale price.
Nitro Praise : Ultimate Nitro Praise Mix, May 09 ...CD Sale price.
Point Of Grace : Rarities & Remixes, May 09 ...CD Sale price.
Skypark : Over Blue City, May 16 ...CD Sale price.
VA-Hosanna! Music : Acoustic Worship-Rock Of Refug, May 16 ...CD Sale price.
Violinaires : Greatest Hits, May 16 ...CD Sale price.
Clara Ward : We Remember Clara Ward, May 16 ...CD Sale price.
