Let me just start by saying that I know it's been a long time, and I appreciate everyone who has still been stopping by to check out the tunes during my hiatus.
I also wanted to let you know that I've been gone for a good reason - I've been in studio!
My friend, Brenda Gallant, wrote a song called "I AM." I had the pleasure of writing and arranging the music, as well has producing the song in studio at In The Pocket Studios in Chandler, AZ
"I AM" is a pop song with a strong latin vibe. I had the pleasure of doing most of the instrumentation (guitars, bass, background vocals, percussion, synth), along with Kathy Hubbard (keys), Dale Snell (Drums), and Tony Ward (Congas).
The theme of "I AM" is simple - it's a summary of many of the things that the Bible says we are Christ. There's real power in knowing what God has to say about you, in knowing that you've been covered by the blood of the Lamb, and that you've been made strong in spite of your weakness, and that He's made you more than a conqueror. There's a special conviction that comes with knowing that you've been set apart, sanctified, and healed by his stripes. God has called you to do great things in his Kingdom, and running the race set before you is going to require that you know who He has made you to be!
So, I hope you enjoy the song! I've included download links and the YouTube video below - please let me know what you think:
So, a buddy of mine from work passed away recently. As I was driving to his memorial service, this is the song that rose up in me. I wanted to share it with you.
I've always enjoyed Inhabited's music, and they deserve more recognition than I'm giving them here. Given the circumstances and the inspiration behind this post, though, I'm going to keep it to this. Please enjoy the song, and I hope it helps you find peace in whatever situation you are dealing with right now:
Song: "The Ringleader" Album:The Ringleader, Mixtape: Part III Artist: DJ Maj featuring Lisa Kimmey
Before I get into the song, I have to tell you a story:
This album, The Ringleader, was one of the last CDs that I ever bough new. Like, new, with the original packaging and seal, sold as new at the store. I bought it at a Best Buy in 2003 (or '04; I don't remember exactly). I was seventeen.
It was the first CD that I had bought new in a while, and I absolutely fell in love with it once the first track started to play (which this track is, minus the intro). I loved it so much that I gave it to one of the youth leaders from church so that he could borrow it. I hadn't burned myself a copy, as I was certainly expecting to get it back.
Now, my youth leader really liked it, too. He liked it so much, in fact, that he was listening to it when he totaled is car. Now, he was fine - he drove one of those super-lifted mid-80s Suburbans, and someone ended up trying to make a left turn in front of him. His vehicle crushed the other one, but tipped over and fell on it's side in the process. Again, everyone was OK.
A couple of weeks after the accident, having not given it another thought, I asked for the CD back. It was at this point that he informed me that I wasn't going to get it back for the reasons stated above. Needless to say, I was devastated.
Fast forward a few years: after I got on the iTunes train, I kept checking periodically to see if it would become available (as of the publishing of this post, it still isn't). Then, I started checking Amazon MP3; still nothing. Finally (after somehow forgetting), I realized that I could check for it as a used item for sale, and after about nine years found it and purchased it. That's how much I enjoyed this album.
All that to say this: I love this song. I had never heard of DJ Maj before, and haven't really followed his music since, but this song is awesome. It has a very late-90s feel to it, good instrumentation, a fun and groovy beat, and great lyrics. Lisa Kimmy, the lead singer of Out of Eden (remember them?) and the featured female vocal on the track, sounds like she's having a lot of fun singing the song, and really gets the point across: no matter how hard you try to say otherwise, everything you see points back to God as the master and creator of all.
As Christians, we have a tendency to debate a lot, which is fine; some people won't come to Christ if you don't take the time to address their ideas and questions in light of His truth. Ultimately, though, people have to know that, no matter the questions, God is still the final answer.
You will enjoy this song. In case I'm wrong, though, feel free to leave us some feedback, and stay tuned for more great selections from Christian Music Discovery!
P,S. I think I'm up to four albums now that I've purchased used that I simply haven't been able to find elsewhere; you better believe I'm going to be featuring more music from them, so stay tuned . . .
Song:"Jesus, You Gave It All" Album: Touching Heaven, Changing Earth Artist: Darlene Zschech/Hillsong
One of my absolute favorite things in this world is hearing an awesome worship song for the first time, then finding out that it's already ten or fifteen years old. That's what Christian Music Discovery is all about: taking these gems of God-inspired music and sharing them so that they can bless the people of God.
That being said, I present to you one such song: "Jesus, You Gave It All" by Darlene Zschech (though you can tell that the whole Hillsong crew is there with her).
I absolutely love this song. Everything about this song is perfect, from the intro, to that recurring lick/progression, to the heavy bass (Hillsong has never been afraid of bass or distortion), to the hook at the end and the guitar solo. I love that Darlene always gives herself completely over in worship and literally gives it all.
It is also a fantastic reminder for every point in life: feel like living the Christ life (not a typo) is too hard? Jesus gave it ALL for you; does it feel like God has forgotten you? Well, Jesus gave it all for YOU. Feel like you're not worthy of God's love? Hey, Jesus GAVE it all for you.
No matter where we are in life, you can be comforted by remembering that Jesus gave it all for you. Let's celebrate that!
Now, as a bonus, I included this clip I found of them doing it live. You'll see what I'm talking about in giving yourself over in worship.
Are you ready for a bold statement? While Christian music labels have spent much of the last tean years trying to catch up with secular music in terms of appeal (to their credit, they have both caught up and surpassed secular music in many ways), I honestly feel that there is one genre where Christian music far surpasses that of the secular realm: Chick Rock.
Really? Did I just say that?
Well, think about it . . . look at the collection of bands out there: Fireflight, Icon For Hire, Superchick, Barlow Girl, The Letter Black, and that's just a to name a few. Furthermore, many of the main secular names in the genre (Flyleaf, Paramore, Evanescense - yes, I went there) are all Christian groups! Superchick is especially a great example because of their tremendous crossover success, having their songs used in everything from movies to TV teasers.
With that, I introduce this week's featured song: "Fire" by Krystal Meyers.
Now, "Fire" is just a fun song about an important topic: letting your light shine and keeping your spiritual fire burning. There's a lot of fun elements to the song: rapid-fire meter changes, fun and varied guitar effects, interspersed intensity changes, and, most importantly, strong vocals. The vocals on "Fire" are especially impressive once one finds out that Meyers, with all that power behind her voice, is only sixteen.
That was all the buzz when this self-titled album came out: "How can that big voice come out of something so small wth such a sweet speaking voice?" I think it can only be summed up by remembering that the Lord works in mysterious ways . . .
Anyway, if you find that, at any point, your fire for Jesus and the Kingdom of God is at any point waning, just listen to this song. As a matter of fact, listen to it twice, just to make sure you've got it. "Fire" is very effective, both through the music and the lyrics, at inspiring those who seek to be inspired. It reminds us that Jesus is at work in us, and that we ought to, as Paul told Timothy, fan into flame the gift of God inside us, and not only let our light shine, but proactively press toward the mark of the high calling of God, so that all men may see and glorify our God.
We've all been there: those times in life when we feel distant from God, or that He's somehow afar off. We're desperate, we're longing; we feel like something's missing, like the passion is gone, like God's presence is not as real as it once was. Yes, we've all been there, but it's good to know that in the midst of what seem like the darkest and driest of times, God is always faithful to answer when we call. Today, we highlight such a cry of desperation: "Like You Promised" by Amber Brooks.
Now, the one thing that we have to remember when petitioning God in times like this is to keep it simple, and Amber does just that with this powerful worship song. The worshipper starts out asking God to come and "stir the stagnant waters." Yep, that's pretty much what we need right about now. Amber even addresses keeping the request simple: "I don't have all the right words to provoke You to want me." Yes, Lord; I'm at a place where I don't know what else to say, except that I need You, and more of You, right now. And so we have the chorus:
Won't you come, come like you promised Pour out your Spirit, pour out your Spirit.
In coming the bridge, the worshipper is able to put themselves in remembrance of how much God loves them ("You love like a father,") and even the intensity with which He loves us ("fierce like no other.")
All it all, it's a simple song, but when it comes to those dry times of the soul, that's what we need as worshippers; we need to be able to just cry out to God and demonstrate how we long for Him, and then allow Him to come and fill us up as he so faithfully does. "Like You Promised" serves as a wonderful reminder of what Psalm 139 tells us:
Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. - Psalm 139:7-10 (NKJV)
I hope you enjoy "Like You Promised," and I hope that it can help you or someone you know through a time of desperation and longing.
You can listen to "Like You Promised" on the YouTube video below:
Stay tuned! On our next feature, we'll play one of my favorite games: "Guess That Group's Next Big Single." We'll be featuring the music of Anberlin.
As always, thanks for checking out Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian Music.
I love to talk about Casting Crowns: who would've thought that this youth ministry band from Atlanta would have an album that hit #4 on the Billboard Hot 200, and after 54 weeks only fall to #39? I believe that we can officially say that God is using them to make a positive impact in our world, especially given some of their greatest hits: "Voice Of Truth," "Lifesong," "Slow Fade," "Until The Whole World Hears," and the list goes on.
Now, while we're all well-acquainted with Casting Crown's hits, I wanted to take the time to introduce you to one of their lessor-know songs: "Glory," from their debut self-titled album.
I get excited when I talk about "Glory:" as far as praise and worship songs go, it's a cut above. It's incredibly simple (as far as the lyrics go,) yet it's an anthem of praise if ever one existed. It soars in it's communication, yet serves as a congregational chorus easily lifted in unity. Let me walk you through it:
We start out with a simple fade-in of super-delayed electric guitar, which is then punctuated by a splashes of distortion. The kick drum then gets us moving rapidly in a forward direction; we're going somewhere now. The bass serves to reinforce this forward progress of praise into God's presence, and then the lyrics come: "You are Holy in this place." Yes, absolutely. We're onto something good here.
From here, the song doesn't let up. It takes the listener full-bore into the adoration of our great and glorious savior, Jesus, acknowledging who He is and why we worship Him. As we get into the chorus, "Glory " then solicits something from the worshipper - a commitment: "When you call my name, I'll run to you." Yes, after all Jesus has done for me, I'll come running! Now questions asked!
Now, my absolute favorite part of this song is the bridge. Why? Because of the descant part. Megan and Melodee offer up a song of Alleluias that makes for the most beautiful descant part I've heard in music. The listener is lifted up and given the inward longing to sing with the angels in adoration. The first time I heard it, I was amazed at the gifting that God had bestowed upon these two, and it ministered to me greatly.
I believe it will minister to you greatly as well, and I'm quite sure that "Glory" will do for you exactly what it did for me: ignite an instant desire to praise God with all your might.
You can listen to "Glory" on the Youtube video below:
Stay tuned for our next review, where we'll take a look at "Like You Promised," a worship song by up-and-coming worshipper Amber Brooks.
Did you like today's selection? Let us know! Leave us a comment, or click on the profile link and send us a message.
Stay tuned for more great picks from Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian Music.
Did you ever notice how much difference the right perspective can make? Well, if you've never thought about it, then let me say this: sometimes, taking the time to see things the way God sees them can make all the difference. This is message behind the Sara Groves song "Less Like Scars."
Now, Sara Groves tends to have that eclectic folk sound to her music, but, on this album, she pumps just enough juice into "Less Like Scars" to give the album "All Right Here" a great start, and to put the necessary energy behind the message, which is all about taking the things that life throws at us and seeing them as opportunities, not setbacks.
Now, she deceives us a little bit with a simple acoustic intro, and the lyrics "it's been a hard year." You don't get the sense that there's a big shot of optimism coming your way, until it does, and Sara begins to help us to understand how things are when we, in terms of perspective, choose to step out of the darkness and look at things in the light of day. "Less like tearing, more like building," she says. That's quite a difference, isn't it? And so, the song serves as a reminder that we must consistently renew our minds to the fact that we have to see things the way God sees them. This transforms the seemingly unbearable things of life into opportunities to grow both more like God and closer to Him.
When we get to the chorus, the gentle distortion of the electric guitar perfectly emphasizes and underscores the message, that God is faithful and able to see us through anything, which brings us to the key line: "In your hands, the pain and the hurt feel less like scars and more like character." Sara's soft but insightful voice helps to bring the point straight to the heart of the listener; it's not shot through like an arrow, but rather gently offered, leaving the listener comforted.
In the bridge, we start to have a little fun: Sara starts to testify about her own struggles with perspective. She does this by using one of my favorite tools: singing the story. I love it! And as she brings us back around, and ultimately home, the listener isn't left feeling overwhelmed or completely catapulted, but gently lifted up and over, sitting on the sunny side of the clouds rather than the dark side. We're left refreshed, even by the build at the end of the final chorus: it's not too much - it just reassures us that, yeah, we are a lot better off than we thought. It kinda makes you wanna say, "Thank you, Sara Groves, for that gentle reminder."
You can listen to "Less Like Scars" on the YouTube video below:
I hope you enjoyed today's selection. As always, keep checking back for more great finds.
If you have any suggestions, please let us know, and thanks for stopping by Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian Music.
If P. Diddy invented the remix, Max Hsu of Superchick perfected it, and this remix of the hit “Cross The Line” proves it.
Whereas the original version of the song was simple, tight, driven rock, the Box Office Blockbuster Remix comes from a completely different angle.
Here we have a super-expansive, even explosive, alt-metal-ish sound laced with just enough electronic backing as to add the superbly blended background noise.
The guitars have a completely different attitude from the first version: whereas, with the original cut of “Cross The Line,” you got the impression of a group of twenty Gen X-ers running through the city streets, yelling at the top of their lungs at the establishment, the Blockbuster Remix paints the picture of a crowd of twenty-thousand marching into the city, ready to break down the walls and take it over. From the get-go, you'd almost assume that it's a different song, if you didn't know better, which only serves to reinforce Hsu's gift for remixing Superchick's music.
In a word, lead singer Tricia Brock's vocals on “Cross The Line” can be described as “genuine.” The listener can completely relate to her cries as the leader of a movement of people who are willing to take the demonstration of their faith to the next level, and, most importantly, she's believable as the driving force behind such an idea.
I loved the original of “Cross The Line,” but the Box Office Blockbuster Remix took me to a whole new place with the idea.
You can listen to the remix on the YouTube video below:
I hope you enjoy the remix (and the original), and keep coming back for more great music at Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian Music.
Ok, so I've already let you know that I love the alternative sound with female vocals, so it's no surprise that my first plug would fall into the category.
Dorothy Savage has one of those voices that could fit with so many different styles of music. As a matter of fact, the Christmas Album that she just dropped has a lot of that lounge/jazz/pop sound to it.
Here however, we have a powerful ballad that expresses perfectly what it means to be found in Christ. Against the driving pulse and electric guitar riffs, Dorothy's voice cuts through and delivers this message with great clarity, expressing oh so clearly that there is hope even in what seems to be the darkest of times. That message is perfectly summed up in the key line of the chorus: "At the very moment that we're breakin' is the very moment that you breakthrough, and this is how we know we're found."
I also love how the music and the progressions are intelligent and well thought-out, which are elements that tend to get short-changed on songs with powerful messages (this is the musician in me talking.) Without being overdone, there's enough variety and demonstration of instrumental skill in the music to really reinforce and drive home the point, which is what it's supposed to do.
I hope you enjoy "Finder Of The Lost," and stay tuned for more great music discoveries!
You can listen to "Finder Of The Lost" on the YouTube video below:
