"Truth About God" - All Together Separate

Song: "Truth About God"
Album: All Together Separate
Artist: All Together Separate

This whole album is amazing, but today we're featuring the blues.  This track hits hard but maintains a wonderful, bluesy attitude, nicely integrating some organ and a fantastic guitar solo. 

As far as what the song's about, the title says it all: you can look everywhere you want to, but ultimately, God is the final answer, and to look for fulfillment elsewhere is to commit yourself to a struggle that leaves you weary and restless.

Enjoy!

"God Is" - R.W. Schambauch feat. Lance Palmer

Song: "God Is"
Album: "R.W. Schambauch: Live In Brooklyn"
Artist: R.W. Schambauch feat. Lance Palmer

This is an oldie, but goodie.  A redo of the traditional gospel song by Reverend James Cleveland.  Lance Palmer is the one doing all of the (male) singing.  A truly strengthening and empowering song about allowing God to be your everything, and committing yourself fully to Him.

Enjoy.

"All For You" - Fusebox

Song: "All For You"
Album: "Once Again"
Artist: Fusebox

An absolutely wonderful alt-metal worship song from little-known Fusebox (best known as Rebecca St. James' backing band back in the day).  I love this song, and it's not even my favorite on the album.

Enjoy.

"Hello Fear" - Kirk Franklin

Kirk Franklin.

When it comes to Kirk Franklin, most of us fall into one of two categories: 1) the people who say "I already know all of Kirk Franklin's Music," and 2) the people who say "Why would I listen to Kirk Franklin?"  Normally, that would make it hard to feature any of his music, because you either already know it, or you have no interest in listening to it, until today . . .

The song "Hello Fear," the title track from Kirk Franklin's 2011 album, is a song that appeals to every listener through it's varied instrumentation, easy vocals, and topical relevance.  In other words, everyone can find a reason to like this song.

"Hello Fear"deals with something we've almost all experienced, and that's . . . well . . . fear.  We've almost all had something in life that we've been afraid to do, whether it's coming to Christ in the first place, leaving our past behind, or following Him when He leads us to do something we've never done before.  The beautiful thing is that God's perfect love has cast out fear, and "Hello Fear" captures that point as both a break-up song with fear and as a make-up song with grace.  Amazing.

You can check out "Hello Fear" below, and as always, stay tuned for more great finds on Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian Music.

"Depraved" - Anberlin

Have you ever purchased a new album, gone to listen all the way through, and maybe skipped a song or two based on the intro to the song?  Maybe it just hit you the wrong way that day?  Maybe you weren't in the mood?  Then, when you finally go back and listen to the song, it's so amazing that you have to ask, "How have I never listen to this song before?"  Well, that was "Depraved" for me.

From Anberlin's album "Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place," "Depraved" is the quintessential sin song, a song that takes the issue of habitual sin and forces the listener to face a harsh truth:

"Are you depraved, or are you deceived?  Excuses aside, stop saying please . . ."

Excuses aside.  Wow.  There's more:

"You're not a slave, so get off your knees . . ."

They're right: ultimately, it is for freedom that Christ set us free, that we should no longer under the yoke of slavery to sin.  So, if we're free, do we keep sinning because we're depraved, or because we're deceived?  Since we're free in Christ, there really is no excuse for habitual sin.

Amazing.

Now, I've always admired how well put-together Anberlin's music is; their synergy as a group is incredible, starting with the way the instruments are arranged, all the way down to the breaks and the breakdowns (especially the breakdowns).  The music they put together for "Depraved" is the most important key to their effective delivery of the song, and it makes the song a great listen, even if you're not actually dealing with habitual sin (it's a great reminder not to start, though!)

You will enjoy this song, and if you are dealing with habitual sin, I hope this song helps you:



As always, thanks for checking in, and stay tuned for more great finds from Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian music.

"Better For You" - Kutless

Hello, Christian music fans!

Today's number is Kutless' "Better For You" from the album "Sea Of Faces."  Now, everyone probably remembers the song "Sea Of Faces"; it really was one of Kutless' greatest hits.  What made me little sad, though, was how much it obscured the rest of the album.  "Sea Of Faces" (the album) was one of those albums where you can sit and listen to the whole thing without skipping a song, and "Better For You" is a great example of why.  It's not even my favorite song from the album, but it rocks, and talks about the importance of taking the more narrow, seemingly more difficult road, instead of taking the wide road that leads to destruction.  Did I mention it rocks?  

Enjoy the video below, and don't forget to keep checking back with us for more updates at Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian music.

"Sweetly Broken" - Casey Corum

The best version of "Sweetly Broken" out there, done by Vineyard worship leader Casey Corum. Rocks hard and drives from start to finish, yet is clean, melodic, and very well put together. Love it. Hope you do too. From the album "More Than Ever."


 


Now, I realized that the posts have been slow to come for a while (understatement), but we're back underway, so stay tuned for more selections from Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian music.

"Fire" - Krystal Meyers

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.



　

Anberlin's Next Single?

I'm going to be honest with you right now:

I LOVE ANBERLIN!

I was so excited when I got the e-mail last year that Anberlin's latest album, "Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place," was launching on Amazon MP3 for only $2.99.  You had better believe that I bought it that night!

I was even more excited when I found out that it debuted at the #2 position on the album download charts on both Billboard and iTunes.  What a huge leap in the right direction for Anberlin!  What an opportunity to expose more people to the Gospel with a greater reach!

As I listened to the album, I was astounded by some of the new elements they incorporated (a topic we may cover in a future post.)  I was especially surprised by their choice of "Impossible" as the first single.  It's a skillfully executed song with a strong melody, but what surprised me was the fact that the "Impossible" starts on a major chord (D major, to be precise.)  This is unusual for Anberlin, given their apparent love of minor-dominated singles (all of which I love, by the way.)  Take a look:

Change The World (Lost Ones) - D minor
Cadence - F# minor
Paperthin Hymn - D minor
Feel Good Drag - F minor
The Unwinding Cable Car - C# minor
A Whisper & A Clamor - C minor

Now that I've listened to the album all the way through a few times, I think I have an idea of what their next single may be, but I'm torn between two songs: the separation conflict "Closer," and the relationship conflict "Art Of War."  Both are songs that open in minor keys, and both would make excellent singles that would follow nicely in the footsteps of Anberlin's previous singles.  I would love to hear your opinion as to which you like better!

"Closer" is a simple-enough work that seems to explore one man's cry to be closer to his creator after a time of separation.  Apparently, the separation was cause in part by the man's inability to receive God from a standpoint of faith ("Do you expect me to beyond believe you?")  It relates to a place that almost all of us have been at in our walk with God, and rightly expresses the desperation and longing of such times.  The atypical drum line really helps to drive the song.  You can check out the the song below:



Now, "Art Of War" is a whole different beast entirely.  We get started here with bass, drums, and organ.  Seriously, organ!  It's a step in a completely different direction, and one of the new elements we're seeing from Anberlin that I mentioned before.  "Art Of War" seems to take us through a story of looking back on a painful relationship, though we're not really sure with whom (songs like this make me think of the lyrics from "Impossible" - "You're impossible to figure out.")  We see that the pain from the relationship has been overcome, though there are certain parts of the pain that will never go away.  Many of us have had relationships with mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, significant others that have left us feeling this way, but at least we know that, with Jesus, we can always overcome the pain.  I will say this: this is really a moving song, even if you aren't quite sure what it's about.



Now, the tough part: let us know which one you like better, and which one Anberlin is more likely to release as a single!  And don't forget to stay tuned for more great finds from Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian music!

We've Been Going Through Some Changes

Good afternoon, faithful readers of Christian Music Discovery!

I realize that it's been a while since we've posted some new content, but I wanted to let you know we've been going through some changes here, and that we'll be back to normal on Monday, May 16.  We'll be posting our promised article on Anberlin, and following up with a great variety of finds that you'd expect from CMD.

Thank you for your support, and don't forget to tell all of your friends to check out Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian music.

"Like You Promised" - Amber Brooks

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.

"Glory" - Casting Crowns

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.

"Under My Skin" - Skillet

You can't say enough about Skillet: dynamic songwriting, well-blended vocals, intricate musical arrangements, and, most importantly, a kick-you-in-the-face sound that leaves you wanting more every time.  Yet, for all the things that can be said of Skillet, it saddens me sometimes that some of their best work goes largely unrecognized.  Case in point?  The song "Under My Skin" from the album "Collide."

Now, Skillet's sound is unmistakable: thick, often crushing guitars typically teamed with violin and cello, and the occasional keyboard or piano.  They usually take you for a ride right from the get go and keep you at full speed until the end.  So it's something to note when John Cooper, Skillet's frontman and lead songwriter, starts us out with an acoustic guitar on "Under My Skin:" something important is going to be said, and we need to pay special attention to what's coming.

The message behind "Under My Skin" is simple enough: even when everything on the outside (and even the things on the inside) seem chaotic and out of control, the peace that comes from God's presence inside completely overtakes the pain, and as we draw close to Him, everything else just fades away.  A powerful message, yes, but the thing that makes this song extra special is the way that message is communicated.

The first words that the listener gets to hear: "When I feel You close to me, it's easy to believe."  That's an extremely profound statement.  At the time, the listener may not feel like God is anywhere near them, but John Cooper helps us understand that God is near, and we need only allow Him to come in.  "You calm the ache, I come awake when you are everything you are."  Yes, God is a God that is able to heal us in times of hurt and pain.  What a wonderful truth.

Now, in terms of their normal sound, Skillet doesn't disappoint; "Under My Skin" still kicks in with a heavily driven chorus.  The lyrics here serve to neatly sum up the message: "When I hurt, when I bleed, You're holding me, feel you scratching at the surface under my skin."  Yes, that just about sums it up.  But there's one more part of this song that makes it extra special, and it's one of the reasons why I feel this song is one of Skillet's best: the bridge.

After a mild guitar solo and several hits, we arrive at the point of refreshment: we're given a moment of severe calm, of simple piano with some mild synth.  And then, the poem starts:

Could I be lost, could I disappear?
Could I be lost, would You find me here?
Could I be lost in a secret place?
Could I rest in the shadow of Your face?

and, to compliment, a beautiful descant part:

Oh, the sweet serenity, beautifully a part of me

And you're left feeling, "Wow, God actually cares about me that much."  Yes, He does, and that's the point.

And yes, we get a big ending with some fantastic emphasis hits on the final chorus, but it's the bridge of "Under My Skin" that makes it a song that deeply affects the listener for the better.  That's what makes it a song that really sticks with you.

You can listen to "Under My Skin" on the YouTube video below:




I hope you enjoyed this selection.  Remember, we always welcome feedback and suggestions on great finds, new and old.

As always, thanks for checking out Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian Music.

"Falling In Love" - Falling Up

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a special day for me; I'm about to tell you about one of the biggest influences behind my starting Christian Music Discovery: Falling Up's powerful worship offering, "Falling In Love," from their debut album, "Crashings."  This story takes a little time:

I remember being in the offices of my church just after having started college, and the girl that was interning for the youth minister and I were discussing the "Crashings" album.  "Broken Heart" was a huge radio success, and Falling Up was quickly establishing itself as a new force in Christian music.  As we were talking, she said to me, "Have you listened to track ten yet?"  I replied, "No, I haven't."  She insisted that I do so as soon as possible.

I am eternally grateful that she did.

As I sat and listened to the song, I was immediately drawn in by the intricate opening set up by the guitar and drums (BTW, Josh is one of the best drummers in Christian music, hands down.)  And then, the lyrics came: "You are my one true love."  Is there any better way to describe God? 

As I continued to listen, and the music continued to draw me in, almost into a worshipful trance, the chorus came, and I was launched into the words "All of my dreams and my passions are in your hands."  This was the point at which "Falling In Love" began to change me.

You see, at the time, due to some certain circumstances, I was having trouble understanding what God's will for my life was in the long run.  I had so many things that I wanted to do, but I didn't know which of them were God's plans and which of them were mine.  This song gave me such a peace about letting go, and letting God.  It took me back to what Paul said in 2 Timothy 1:12 - " . . . I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day."  I could place all my plans and dreams in His hands, and know that he would hold them for the appointed time. 

At the time, it astounded me that such a masterpiece of Christian music was so widely unheard of; I kept waiting for them to release it as a single, so that others could partake of the powerful ministry given through this song, but it never happened, and so came Falling Up's next album.  This contributed to my eventually starting Christian Music Discovery: I wanted to make sure that people knew that songs like "Falling in Love" were out there, waiting to be heard.

I'm thankful that, after several years now, "Falling In Love" has become one of Falling Up's most popular songs (it's one of the bestsellers on their greatest hits album according to iTunes, and the most popular YouTube video of theirs by far,)  but I wanted to go ahead and share this song with you anyway, because I really feel that as many people as possible need to hear and know this work.

Now, I could go on and on about the intricacies of the music, the dynamic shifts in rythym and progression, the power of the lyrics, and the emotional evocation that the whole song brings, but when all is said and done, the only thing that can really do justice to "Falling In Love" is to say this:  it is absolutely Falling Up's best track ever, and one of the greatest and most under-appreciated peices of Christian music of all time. You need only hear it to know.

That being said, you can listen to "Falling In Love" on the YouTube video below:




I hope you enjoy "Falling In Love," and stay tuned for more great music from Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian music.

Artist Response Alert!

Yes, it's true: artists do stop by from time to time to read our reviews.  We just got a response from Merlon Devine on Twitter the other day:

@MerlonDevine Merlon Devine

@proofofpower thank you sir! I don't get to share that when I minister "Change". Those are my exact sentiments though! Bless you!

 

Well, it's always nice to have positive feedback.  Thanks, Merlon.

 

You can follow Merlon Devine on Twitter, @MerlonDevine.

 

You can also follow me on Twitter, @proofofpower.

 

As always, thanks for stopping by, and stay tuned for more from Christian Music Discovery, the place for good Christian music.