Back in my younger days, that which some would say was a long long time ago, I was a huge fan of a pretty latino gal by the name of Jaci Velasquez. My heart would melt each time I hear her voice. ALso she is very pretty hahaha. Songs from her album especially ‘Crystal Clear’ were songs I would always hear to lift me up until this very day.

So when I got to the stores here I was! Yes! They have the album! I mean it’s just so hard to get Christian Albums in Malaysia, here it is slightly better, only for the popular artists.

So here I am so very excited to hear this album after a very disappointing last album by her during the period of her divorce. I was rather upset by that because that was wrong. Still who am I to judge her. She made mistakes like all of us do. She admitted her wrongs and now I just thought it was time for her to move on as an artist.

This album came out after her apparent remarriage to another artist from the band Salvador. She is expecting a baby too if I am not wrong at this stage of doing this album. So I put all things aside and just focused on hearing the music.

The first song got me feeling like the world was so beautiful. I was literrally dancing to the music ‘Leon style’. As the album progressed I was glad to hear her back to her pop style with a little latin twist to it. Sounds like her early days but so much more alive!

The album though if I may comment lacks the depth I got from my favorite album by her. Nothing really moved me besides the first song. There was a spanish duet with probably her new husband who plays wonderful guitar and played for her album that was rather nice still it just didn’t move me. This was rather disappointing.

Put aside all my expectations and biasness to her previous album, I would say that this album is indeed one of her better albums. If you are a fan this indeed is the Jaci we fell in love with. I’m glad to hear great music by her again at last. Hope things get better from now onwards. I would certainly say this is a good album to get if you like pop music that sound like a little mixture of Celine Dion, a little Gloria Estefan, Natalie Imbruglia and Vanessa Carlton. Hahaha yes she has a sound of her own that is hard to define so hear it for yourself ok?

Album Rating: 6.5/10

Ratings are explained here

I came across this article the other day and I think this should be read by everyone. It is important as musicians to really see this perspective but overall this has a principle of life that is very true to me and should be to you too. Are you listening or hearing? Enjoy your reading!

Have you ever noticed how an impression of a song or album can change with repeated listens? Thank goodness it doesn’t happen too often for me, but there are times when I’m nagged by the feeling that I got a review wrong because my opinion of the album has since changed. Depending on that change, I call it erosion or accumulation.

Erosion occurs when an album I initially love begins to wear on me—not within the first two or three spins, but maybe after five listens, or a year after an album’s release. I don’t want to give examples here, but I’m sorry to say that there are a few discs we’ve put on our annual Best Albums list that I’ve enjoyed less with time. I’ve also noticed from my own listening that erosion happens a lot with modern worship music—so many new songs remind me of great songs from five to ten years ago that I end up growing tired of both the new and the old.

Accumulation is the opposite of erosion, occurring when albums seem to get better with each listen. I typically notice this with dynamite songwriting, when a strong lyric suddenly resonates more because I hear it in a new way or it takes on deeper meaning after a new life experience has occurred since the last listen. It also happens with newfound musical nuance in the performance or some “hidden” layer to a textured production. Though I’m still only on my third listen, Brooke Fraser’s Albertine continues to connect with me more and more in both ways.

It’s only natural for our tastes to change with time and repetition. Sometimes it’s because of changing musical trends, sometimes we simply outgrow the music, and sometimes we hear music with new ears or a fresh perspective that causes us to reconsider it.

One thing I miss about the Top 40 radio of my youth is that it forced people to listen to things repeatedly, enough to form an educated opinion one way or the other. Today, I wonder if we give things the same due attention with our information-overloaded, sound-byte-packed, quick-to-blog culture. A friend of mine said it best: With so much at our disposal, it’s as if we’re more interested in hearing than listening, always eager to move on to the next thing.

If that’s the case, what does that suggest about our pursuit of meaning and substance, not just in art, but in bettering our faith walk? It scares me sometimes that we become so obsessed with the new and the instantaneous that we miss out on deep and lasting truths by judging things as too simple or too subtle, based on things like an artist’s performance or a pastor’s presentation. After all, while some things lose meaning and erode with repetition, others take root and accumulate with time.

Hence, why I like to revisit the albums released and reviewed within the year they released. While driving home from a recent concert, my friend and colleague Andy Argyrakis asked, “Why are you still listening to that?” referring to an album that we had recently given a less-than-favorable review to. I told him I was just making sure that I wasn’t missing anything.

God bless,

Russ Breimeier

I am sorry but I missed last week because I totally haven’t got the time to concentrate on listening to music.  I didn’t want to ruin my mood.  I am about to hear one of the albums I have been really waiting to hear.

Presenting to you…..Overdressed! Clap! Clap! Clap!

Have you ever had moments where you waited and longed for something so much but in the ended got really disappointed with the result of it?  I have experienced that many times.  Somewhere in the back of my head I was really worried that I had too high expectations for this album.

I mean I have been looking for albums that blow me away.  Honestly there aren’t many.  Although you may see that many of the recommendations I’ve made I have been blown away by the albums, these are the few of the hundreds of albums I have.

Over the years I’ve learnt to know how to pick good albums and honestly you still get disappointed many times. So here it is, I pop the CD in and it starts off with a clean, crisp acoustic guitar sound…..I’m so jealous because I’m dying to own one now…..

Let me give you a brief introduction to Caedmon’s Call.  They are the band that I probably love musically the most in the Christian Music Industry.  I have almost all their albums and I have loved everyone of them.  Their style is that of Folk-Pop genre.  Why?  They mostly use acoustic instruments.  Lyrically they are the best! Honestly the best.  Their folk influence drives them to have great lyrics because of their story-like texture to writing and using words.  The lyrics are so real and honest.  So alike the psalms in the bible in modern language speaking to God.  The lyrics are not out of the world but just honest and human that makes it so easy to relate to.

Their vocal harmonies and blends are just heavenly.  The arrangements extremely creative and original.  The quality of the music is magnificent.  I mean this is what art is.  I respect them as singers, musicians, artists but most of all Christians.

They live their talk.  I mean they go for missions.  Are heavily involved in it. The song ‘Two Week in Africa’ speaks of their experience doing missions.  I mean they are just so creative to write a song that is just perfect to speak of what they saw. They did this in their album ‘Share the Well’.  Show so much their heart for people.  I mean they are not just Christians by name but they are serious Christians.  I have wished to see artist like that in abundance but honestly there aren’t many.

What is exciting about this album is the fact that Derek Webb who left the band is going to reunite with them again!  I’m hearing the album as I write this and I can tell you this.  They are back at their absolute best.  I mean this sounds so like who Caedmon’s Call is!  They have their sound that is just so them.  I’m in love with the song ‘Love Grows Love’.  Their harmony made of two melodic lines are so beautiful. Somehow they are the only band that I have ever heard that does it perfectly all these years.   I could just never compose a song like that.  One day maybe I pray.

I’m so happy.  The sound of the music itself is bringing me to tears.  God, such sweet melodies can only come from You!  Thank you for music!

Please buy this album!  Don’t pirate. It’s worth every cent even if I have to pay USD 100 to get it.  So if you are looking for a nice album that is not a single bit heavy and rock sounding but really really good to hear.  Get this one.  I can guarantee you somewhere in side everyone they will love this album more so, this album ‘accumulates’ on you (my next post, coming soon).  Oh by the way, CCM has rated this as the No.2 album of 2007!!!

Rating : 10/10

Now this album is not that new but I never saw it in Malaysia. It came out in 2004 and I thought, well why not! I put the CD into my computer, jacked it into my monitor speakers and this cutest voice began to play. They really gave a huge punch to the beginning of this album to kick listeners in. I love that.

You see two individuals there but it is the lady who sings. Very nice sweet tone, folk like in texture and has a wonderful soft falsetto to her voice. I was mesmerized by her voice for quite some time. The album has a very nice flow to it all credit to the wonderful mastering done! You will generally see flow that is somewhat like how a worship leader would arrange their songs. Lyrically and musically I hardly noticed the pauses in between tracks when I was just getting lost in the songs.

I will say that some songs even have the potential to be used in our worship service. The range, the lyrics and melody works! They even give a full lead sheet with the CD! I am so amazed. I mean not a chord chart but a full LEAD SHEET! Wow!

I am so captured by the first song! My Covering. Even the second songs chorus just makes me want to sing. Somehow it just sticks in my head. The songs get more reflective on who God is and is just so moving to direct us to just marvel at God. Other tracks like ‘The Glory of Your Name’ and ‘You Come as You are’ are magnificent examples of what great worship songs should be like. ‘Captivate Us’ really captivated me though it was so simply acoustically arranged.

It is a pop gospel album and is probably too sweet for some. Honestly it isn’t so to me though. This album as far I know would be what my youth will like. Now I am not rating these album biased because I bought them not knowing how good they are except for knowing them with some song in the past. This album far supersedes my expectations. Don’t miss this album and start singing some of these songs in your churches! Just a suggestion because these songs have a more contemporary feel to them.

This album Christian Music Today says is their best album so far. They were writing songs and trying to write original songs for some time and I didn’t like their albums then. They recently decided to switch back to worship songs! It’s a wonderful decision as I miss worship songs that are so lyrically beautiful.

Rating : 9/10

Tommy Emmanuel - Angelina

It may surprise many of you to know this fact, but I have never had my own guitar all my life. This is honestly one of my greatest desires. I have been having the urge to hold a guitar for the past week. It is killing me not to be able to hear the sound of the strings. I have always just picked up the church one to just let it out. But today I needed to post about this because I honestly am so sad that I cannot play one now. Never before have I had such a craving.

The huge issue is, I never got a guitar because I cannot stand cheap one for their sound and also their touch. The one I really want will be impossible to own. Realistically there are some that are within reach in the next 2 years but I can’t wait that long!! I have waited all my life!

What to do oh what to do. I want to hear the sweet melodies. I want to smell the wood. Ah. Oh God please somehow grant my hearts desire. I know You have blessed me so much but I just want to worship You with a guitar each day. Please oh Please.

I was unable to procure a new album here in Singapore when I wrote this. So at the moment, maybe a little retro-album ok?

I wanted to introduce to you all one of the most lyrically meaningful album I have come across. Butterfly Kisses (Shades of Grace) - Bob Carlisle. His life testimony and how God has led him is pretty spectacular. He formally was from the band ‘Allies’ that was typically not where you would think a singer like him came from. It was heavy rock during the era.

God had led him to the point where he wrote this song ‘Butterfly Kisses’ which was inspired by his daughter Brooke. This album is now 14-15 years old and I still hear it many times. Someone believed in him and produced his album, not knowing that it would lead to him having won a Grammy Award in 1997 for the Best Country Song and a Dove Award. Since then he has been nominated for 8 Dove awards and has sold more than 3 million albums! Read the rest of this entry »

Now it may seem that I am not much of a ROCKER but actually I’m a great fan of great rock!!

Here is a rock album I stumbled upon by chance. I was on a cd shopping frenzy upon the Doulos ship. Originally known as Blisse but changed their name when they realised there was another band having the same name, this album ‘I Wish We All Could Win‘ was their first major album and rightfully so. I love it! Read the rest of this entry »

I heard some ladies screeching trying to sing this song….poor thing…now you don’t have to scream anymore!!!

But I had to lend my keyboard out so this was done in a rush without the right equipment thus being a little let nice sounding but my friends said most can’t tell. So here it is!!

beauty-minus-one-female

Have fun singing it!!

There are some artists that you like hearing. There are others that you absolutely adore. This is one band I ADORE. Their lyrics are the most artistic things I know. Even more, their melodic lines are superb. I got hook on this album since the day it came out. I am still hearing it and having it in my hand phone.

This album came out in 2000 and that is very very long ago hahaha. But imagine that I have never got bored with it for 8 years. How loud does that speak of how good this album? Loads!!!

They are more of a folk pop music group. That provides for their very personal lyrics. Caedmon’s Call has lost a vital member since that time but I’m still a huge fan. This album got it started. I was mesmerized by the lyrics of the song ‘Prove me Wrong’. It is so deeeeeeepppp.

‘What you want’ got me hooked on like magic…..

So if you ask me, get this album, it is musically challenging, arranged magnificently, and just wonderful. You may not get hooked on the first time (although I did get hooked instantly) but listen closely and you will indeed get lost into the magic of this group of artist. Their latest albums are still magnificent.

This album has my recommendation for satisfaction guaranteed album.

Rating: 10/10

Here it is for all you people who intend to make your loved ones cry at weddings!

Thank you for your kind comments. I hope God will use this song in magnificent ways.

God Bless!!

beauty-of-it-all-minus-one

Keeping up with what is current in our stores though it has been out for quite a while is this album. Many people I know already have this so if you don’t already have this it’s a must have. It is entirely a different genre from the earlier one I recommended. This is very gospel style but again it’s a fusion of so many styles.

The interesting part is Read the rest of this entry »

Alas! It’s time to reveal it! Read the rest of this entry »

You know what? I realise I haven’t wrote much about music but more about my life. haha. What should I write? I will attempt to do the best I can. Suggestions anyone?