Gavin DeGraw - Chariot Stripped

So I love One Tree Hill, and one day I had the theme song stuck in my head. I looked it up and found the wonderful world of Gavin DeGraw. I don’t know how I lived

without his music. That sounds awfully dramatic, but he is the sort of artist I like to listen to when I’m feeling blue. His music somehow helps. I have both versions of his Chariot album, the original and the stripped version. I have to say the stripped version is by far my favourite. All the songs are acoustic which makes the songs that bit more personal. It kinda feels like Gavin is doing a private gig in your headphones. Nice.

There are some interesting themes to songs like meeting someone who you like but not wanting to take it any further as you already have someone special. He also sings about loving someone more than anyone else and being there for them all the time. The songs go from talking about a good party to giving your all to someone. His love songs are really deep and so full of emotion, which is emphasised by the acoustic nature of the album.

Belief is a beautiful song on which Gavin plays piano instead of guitar. I have listened to this song countless times, and still love it. It is about having someone who believes I you no matter what and how comforting that is.

Meaning is another great song. Again its played on a piano instead of guitar. I love the lyrics “love has a reason, there’s a meaning to the world.” I don’t know if he believes in God, but this line always makes me think of God’s love for us, and how that gives our lives meaning.

Another favourite song is More Than Anyone. Its such a brilliant love song, and so emotive. You have to hear it, but it is just so powerful, I can’t really explain it!

Over-Rated is also a beautiful song. I think I want all these songs at my wedding! Also a bonus on this album is his cover of Change Is Gonna Come. Very cool song.

I think Gavin’s voice is an acquired taste because I know some who adore him and others who are not so keen. But I utterly love it. Especially when it is as raw as on this album. His songs are clever, catchy and so beautiful.

Please buy this CD, you will love it!

Al Gordon - Future Sound

I heard about Al Gordon from listening to Worship Central podcasts. He played a few of his songs one time and I loved them. So when I heard he was recording a CD I was really happy! As soon as it was out I got it, and it was just as good as I thought it would be. It only has seven songs, but each one is well written and a joy to listen to so I’m not complaining!

The opening song, Morning Star, is like an anthem, shouting out the words “King forever more. Its You I’m living for! Brightest morning star. How beautiful You are!” It is such a wonderful song to sing to God. Some pretty cool guitar in this song too.

The next song is pretty epic. The legendary guitar intro is so well known now. You hear that during a worship time and the place goes wild. Its one of those worship songs that will go down as a classic, in my opinion its in the same league as the Blessed Be Your Name’s and Here I am To Worship’s. Sung this one quite a bit over the summer at Momentum and I just love it! Singing “Because of Your faithfulness there’s a song that must be sung. And I will sing, I will sing because of You!” makes me feel so overwhelmed with love for God. I can’t sing this song’s chorus without jumping and dancing at the same time!

Everlasting Arms is a brilliant song to end then album with. It has a cool gospel sound to it which brings a celebration feel to the song. It is a great set of lyrics set to a wonderful melody. I love listening to this song when I need a bit of encouragement, or to know that I am safe in God’s arms!

As a whole this album is a great worship album. Not only can all these songs be sung in church but it is also a great album to have on in the car or whatever. It’s the type of music you can’t help but sing along to at full volume, mainly because the songs are so good at glorifying God. I can’t wait for a second CD from Al, I think his songs are gonna be sung in churches for a very long time!

So if you want a fresh worship album, full of catchy, thought provoking songs, buy Future Sound, you won’t be disappointed!

Family Force 5 - Business up front / Party in the back

So I love rock. I also love rap. I am also partial to a bit of crunk and punk. Mix it all up and you get a very cool band, Family Force 5.

This album is impossible not to love. Pretty much every song makes me wanna get up and dance! But don’t be fooled by the almos

t light hearted nature of these songs, because there also lies some thoughtful lyrics.

Love Addict consists of a load of Bible verses put together to make a pretty sick song. The first verse reads,

Hold up, wait a minute, put a little love in it (Psalm 130:7)

Doctor, Doctor, I've got an emergency

It seems I'm head over heels, a case of L-O-V-E

It's like I'm glowing inside

Yeah, a light I can't hide (John 7:1-10)(NCV)

And if this feeling is bad then I don't wanna be right

What I've got in my soul gives me the highest delight(Proverbs 29:17)

Oh yeah it's better than drugs (Matthew 5:29)

In fact it's sent from above, huh huh (John 19:11)

Another song I love is Numb. This was the first song I ever heard by Family Force 5 and what a song it is! Crack this one out at a party and I guarantee the place will be jumping! Let’s face it, any song that starts with the lyrics “Hey, you know.....cardboard is, uh, one of the coolest things ever made by paper! Dance on cardboard” is gonna be a tune!

Face Down has a purely rock feel to it, and is more serious than some of the other songs. Not only is the sound of this song really good, but the lyrics are amazing. Its about what our response to God’s love should be, being face down. I love the line, “I'm on my face again. It's where I should have been. Brings me back to where I found you.”

Earthquake is another one that makes me dance. The beat is insane, and the section near the end is just inspired! Its the type of album that I forget how much I love. I originally bought it for a friend, but had to get myself a copy too once I had heard some tracks.

Some say it is an acquired taste, but I would recommend Business Up Front to anyone and everyone I can!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Business-Up-Front-Party-Back/dp/B000NA288Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1252283427&sr=8-2

LA Symphony - Disappear Here

LA Symphony are a Christian hip hop group from, well, LA. I can’t remember how I first heard about them, but at the time I hadn’t heard much Christian hip hop before. Because of this I think this album sounded really fresh to m

e. I remember a time when, like most non Christians do, I thought Christian music stopped at worship bands. But after discovering God being worshipped in all kinds of music, I realised I was wrong.

I love having this CD on in the background, whatever I’m doing. The beats and hooks are catchy and a joy to listen to. This doesn't mean it is just a ‘put it on in the background’ album though! The songs make you think with some deep lyrics.

This may sound stupid, but there are some rapper’s voices I can’t listen to for long witho

ut getting bored. The same tones or whatever. But like a good preacher in church, these guys have voices I could listen to all day long!

I reckon I could put this album on at a party and my people would be up and dancing on the tables like we usually do. Meaning its one of those CDs your friends love until you tell them its actually all about God, and by then you know they love it.

So some highlights are Money Song, Dance Like and Grand Piano. Hold On is also a great track . It talks about holding on in both life and your faith. How it’s hard, but so worth it in the end. Great message, great song.

So get this album. Have a dance, and a think about both life and God. LA Symphony, I love you.

Justin Nozuka - Holly

My boss introduced me to Justin Nozuka’s first single off this album. He had heard ‘After Tonight’ on a TV show and bought the single, which also included ‘Golden Train’. We played it at work countless times that day and I couldn’t wait to get home so I could buy the rest of the CD. It is probably one of the best albums I have ever bought. I realise I say this about a lot of music, but I can listen to these songs over and over and never get bored. His voice is amazing, and so easy to listen to, and the whole album has a relaxed feel to it. Some of the songs are upbeat, and make you smile, whilst other break your heart.

The whole album is centred around love. Each song talks about love in a different way. From love lost and hopeful love, to love between a mother and child. The way he sings them is as if he has experienced every emotion in the words. I don’t doubt he has, he is too convincing.

The arrangements across the whole set are amazing. It has a blues based sound, with h

ints of pop and folk thrown in too. You hardly hear more than an acoustic guitar and a few drums throughout the whole album, but it works so well.

My favourite song has always been the first one I heard. After Tonight. Closely followed by I’m in Peace. Another great track is Save Him, but it is incredibly sad. Not an upbeat jolly song by far, but amazing lyrics and emotion.

I absolutely love this album, and am desperate for a sequel. Lets hope it doesn’t take him too long! So have a listen and let me know what you think!

Alex Nifong - The Other Side

I first heard of Alex Nifong at Momentum. My friends and I were pretty impressed by his guitar playing during the worship, but had no idea he also sung! On returning home I discovered his album The Other Side, and was excited to see what it was

like. I wasn’t disappointed, not even close! I think I listened to it on repeat for a day or two….

The first thing that hit me about this album was the lyrics. There are certain songs that I can really relate to, Come Alive and Interrupt in particular. I love these songs because they talk about asking God to shake us up and change our way of living. To live for Him, and only Him.

Some of the melodies in this album are so catchy. I literally could not get most of them out of my head for days. This can sometime

s can be annoying right? But with songs of this quality it’s definitely a good thing! I think this was one of the first and only times I have reviewed an album on iTunes. This

collection of songs moved me, I wanted to tell people!

It has been one of those albums that I find a new favourite song on every time I listen to it. However there are a few which have remained firm favourites from the first listening.

Interrupt is a great song for me because of both the lyrics and the melody. So I don’t know much about guitar, but I love the guitar parts to this song. I can’t really explain it, you just have to hear it! Lines like “desperate for direction, that only comes from Heaven” and “take me by surprise, interrupt my life, it all belongs to You” just stood out at me! I really felt God speak to me through this song, which is pretty cool I think!

Come Alive was my first favourite track. Even from listening to the 30 second clips on iTunes I knew it would be. I think its the way Alex sings it, it just feels really powerful. This song, in my opinion, shows off his voice more than any of the others. “Cos if you think there’s more to life from the passion deep inside, come a

live.” Love it!

Another song that deserves a shout out is Come to London. Being someone who lives in Lon

don, I of course

love a good London song! It even mentions the Piccadilly tube line, which I am situated on. Feel free to call me sad, but this makes me happy. However I resent the line “come down with the rain into He

athrow” It doesn't ALWAYS rain in England...not every day anyway haha.

Never Meant To Be is one that grew on me. It went from being a great song to the one I start with when listening to the whole album! It’s a pretty laid back song but with an edge that makes it incredibly catchy. Brilliant song.

So along with my firm favourite, other great songs include, Shadows, Sands of Santa Monica, In Love, The Other Side, Walk Away and Write Me In. Wait, did I just list every song? Yes, yes I did. Sorry, I co

uldn’t help it.

So to sum up, this album deserves a listen. I hope it makes your ears as happy as mine are!

Phil Wickham - Cannons

You know the type of CD that you listen to all the way though, on repeat? This is one of those.

The song that attracted me to the album is You’re Beautiful. I first heard

it at Momentum (www.soulsurvivor.com/momentum), a Christian festival for students. It totally blew me away, singing this amazing song to God with 4000 others. The lyrics are just so poetic. “I see Your face in every sunrise. The colours of the morning are inside Your eyes.” These words make it that bit easier to imagine God’s g

lory I think. So we sung this song just once at Momentum, but I instantly fell in love with it. When I got home I found this album on iTunes and I have listened to it constantly since!

It pains me to share a few favourite songs, mainly because they are all just so good. But I will try my best.

True Love is a beautiful song. Apart from lyrics like “come close listen to the story, about a love more faithful than the morning” and “tears were filling Heaven’s eyes, the day that true love died”, it is one of those songs you can’t help but sing along, and tap your foot to. Definitely needs a good set of speakers with a hefty base unit, in my opinion, to get the full experience of the music in this one. It is a wonderful song about the truest lover ever known and the love He showed us. It tells of the story of the cross and calls us to respond.

Desire is all about our need to be with God. “My desire is burning like a million stars, I keep reaching out for You”

Again its another song you can’t resist tapping along to, but to be honest all the songs are like this. This song is so affective at showing the desperateness of our need for God. The way we long for His presence, to move deeper into Him. It’s a real love song to God, speaking of our heart burning and bursting with desire for Him. Wow! I want to live like this every day!

Home. When I realised what this song was about I couldn’t help but be blown away by the grace and love of God. It centres around the parable of the prodigal son, a son who wastes his father’s inheritance and doesn’t believe he deserves to be forgiven. As he returns to his fathers house, hoping to be allowed in as a servant, he sees his father running to greet him, tears of joy in his eyes. This song speaks of a God who could easily disown us, and give up. But He doesn’t. He runs with arms wide open, tears of joy in His eyes, to welcome us back in. That, to me, is awesome.

Every song has a unique message and a different reason to praise God. I urge you, go and buy it, you won’t regret it!