Artist: Rachel Chan
Album: Go
Release Date: January 10th, 2012
Style: Indie /  Pop
Label: in:ciite
Location: Simi Valley, CA

About:

Bubbling with groove and overflowing with beautifully crafted lyrics and tongue & cheek moments, Rachel Chan delivers a record for summer days of reflection on God and life through the innocence of a teenager. The sixteen-year-old daughter of author, speaker Francis Chan, Rachel demonstrates her own depth and maturity through her writings such as “As Close” and “You Must Love Me”… and her playful, yet honest, tune “Prove It” with a guest “rap” from her own Dad, Francis Chan. With ten new songs fit for radio Disney, will have young people falling in love with their Savior and finding where they stand on many issues such as dating and self image.

Check out the single below and write your opinion:

Track Listing:

 1. As Close
2. Prove It
3. Even Here
4. Show Me More
5. You Must Love Me
6. Still Singing
7. Lame
8. Ready and Waiting
9. You and Your Love
10. Resting in You

Listen to the single titled “Prove It”:

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Artist: David Crowder Band
Album: Give Us Rest or (A Requiem Mass in C [The Happiest of All Keys])
Release Date: January 10th,2012
Style: Praise & Worship / Pop / Contemporary
Label: SixSteps Records / Sparrow Records
Location: Waco, TX

 About:

David Crowder*Band delivers their final album Give Us Rest or (a requiem mass in c [the happiest of all keys]), an epic, triumphant collection of songs that poetically illustrates that in death something new is reborn. The album showcases the band’s unique music style and touches on worship, pop, rock, bluegrass and electronic genres. Features the first single “Let Me Feel You Shine”. The band is currently headlining their final tour – the “7” tour – with 25 shows already sold out. The band will play their final show at the Passion 2012 Conference in January 2012.

Continue Reading + Album Sample below:

About David Crowder*Band:
Named among the “most thoughtful, progressive and exciting acts in contemporary Christian music” by The New York Times, the popular yet unconventional David Crowder*Band released their last GRAMMY ® nominated album Church Music in 2009 which debuted at No. 1 on the Christian retail chart scanning over 35,000 units. This gave David Crowder*Band their largest street week to date ranking in at No. 11 on the Billboard Top 200. David Crowder*Band’s latest music video for “SMS (Shine)” nabbed coverage on NBC’s The Today Show, Fox & Friends, USA Today, Billboard and Paste Magazine online as well as a GMA Dove Award win for “Short Form Video of the Year.” The video was also recognized at the LA Film Festival in 2011. Along with the group’s 9 GMA Dove Awards and 22 nominations, the band was the first Christian artist to be named MSN.com’s Artist of the Year in 2006. The band is also part of the Passion Movement, participating in university student gatherings in the US and around the world. The group’s leader David Crowder is further an acclaimed author, having penned two books, including his acclaimed, highly personal, Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven, But Nobody Wants to Die: Or (The Eschatology of Bluegrass).

Track Listing Disc #1:
01. Requiem Aeternam Dona Eis, Domine
02. Oh Great God, Give Us Rest
03. Lux Aeternam Shine
04. Come Find Me
05. God Have Mercy (Kyrie Eleison
06. Why Me?
07. Fall On Your Knees
08. A Burial
09. Let Me Feel You Shine
10. Reprise #1
11. Blessedness Of Everlasting Light
12. The Sound Of Light
13. Interlude
14. Sequence 1
15. Sequence 2
16. Sequence 3
17. Sequence 4
18. Sequence 5
19. Sequence 6
20. Sequence 7

Their latest music video titled “SMS [Shine]“:

Track Listing Disc #2:
01. Reprise #2
02. Oh My God
03. I Am A Seed
04. After All (Holy)
05. The Great Amen
06. There Is A Sound
07. Oh, Great Love Of God
08. Our Communion
09. Sometimes
10. A Return
11. Oh, My God I’m Coming Home
12. Leaning On The Everlasting Arms / ‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus
13. Jesus, Lead Me To Your Healing Waters
14. Because He Lives

Album Samples / Preview:

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Artist: Selah
Album: Hope of the Broken
Release Date: August 23′rd, 2011
Style: Southern / Bluegrass / Acoustic / Pop
Label: Curb Records / Word
Location: Nashville, TN

About:

Five time Dove Award winning group Selah returns with their most spectacular release to date – Hope Of The Broken World. The new album features the group’s stirring first single and title track offering Selah’s harmonious signature sound. Stand out tracks include solo tracks from each member of the group, (Amy “I Look To You”, Todd “Moments” and Alan “Coat Of Many Colors”) drawn from each of their own personal life experiences. Hope Of The Broken World is in stores Tuesday, August 23rd.

Read Review + Listen below:

Review:

“For Selah music knows no bounds. This trio has a way of amalgamating traditional hymns, r & b soul numbers, inspirational ballads, rootsy Southern Gospel, and modern AC Christian making these paeans their own. And they have made a career out of this. Likewise for their eighth studio album “Hope of the Broken World” the strains of these various genres interwoven in these 12 cuts. Featuring a bilingual African-English take on the hymn “‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus,” this Christian trio effortlessly shifts gear to some inspirational indulges with the Father-daughter ballad “Moments Like This” and then to a soaring version of Whitney Houston’s 2009 classic “I Look to You.” Yet, they have not left their Southern Gospel/country fans high and dry. Dolly Parton’s signature hit “Coat of Many Colors” get a ruminative read and they get all gritty with Buddy and Julie Miller’s rootsy “Shelter Me.” Not only do they blend together the various musical genres, they also harmonize with each other vocally seamlessly creating a beautiful vocal masterpiece.

Of the songs that really work include Amy Perry’s take of Whitney Houston’s 2009 comeback record “I Look to You.” Written by R. Kelly, this soaring ballad speaks of looking to God in life’s crashing moments. While Houston takes a more bombastic approach in her original rendition, Perry’s interpretation explores the song’s gentler nuances. Thus, both Houston and Perry give complementary glowing versions of this superior ballad. Perry again hits the home run with Christa Wells “On the Mountain.” With a Miranda Lambert-like vulnerability, Perry acknowledges with great earnestness our need for God and his grace to get us to heaven. More rootsy moments come with Allan Halt’s take of Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors.” An intricate narrative written by Parton about contentment despite her poverty as a child has so many echoes of the Joseph story in the Bible. Since Halt has a lower register than Parton, his read is imbued with a greater maturity and sensitivity. Buddy and Julie Miller’s “Shelter Me” is a folk Gospel piece inspired from the words from Psalm 91 has a gritty and stripped down bluesy feel that might not sit well if you are into Selah’s fuller sound.

Much better are the lush ballads and this includes “Moments Like This.” Written by Michael Bogg and Todd Smith, “Moments Like These” is a heart wrenching love ballad of a father cherishing each moment he spends with his 5 year-old daughter. The song trumps on its attention paid to the details of activities the dad enjoys with his child. “He’ll Hold You,” the sole entry composed single handed by Amy Perry, finds the trio turning their love to the heavenly Father on this heaven soaring worship anthem. With Todd Smith’s “Be Still,” the swaggering guitar riffs and the thunderous chorus, calls to mind Bryan Adams at his best on this sonic call to be quiet before God despite our fast paced life. Awash with African congas and even a verse in African, “‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” isn’t precisely the average pedantic grandfather’s hymn. Rather, Selah has indeed transformed this chestnut into a beautiful worship piece with a global perspective in mind.

Not everything works, the title cut “Hope of the Broken World” is faulted on the use of clichés in spades: “You are the Day Spring/You are the Morning Star/…You are Salvation.” While Chris Eaton’s average sounding “I Turn to You” becomes redundant after Perry’s stellar rendition of “I Look to You.” Nevertheless, despite these quibbles, “Hope of the Broken World” resembles a beautiful tapestry weaving together threads of different influences. But more importantly, these songs weave for us a picture of what it means to relate to God and how we are to love others.” – Timothy

Track Listing:

1. On The Mountain
2. Hope Of The Broken World
3. Shelter Me
4. Coat Of Many Colors
5. He’ll Hold You
6. Be Still
7. Moments Like These
8. I Turn To You
9. ‘Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus
10. Threshold Of Glory
11. I Look To You
12. When Love Was Slain

Listen:

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Artist: Hawk Nelson
Album: Christmas EP
Release Date: November 1′st, 2011
Style: Pop / Rock / Punk
Label: BEC Recordings / Tooth and Nail Records
Location (from): Peterborough, Ontario

About:

Hawk Nelson delivering a jolly of a good time with their “Christmas” album! Features a ton of favorites to lighten the mood. Read More bellow…

Continue Reading + Listen to Album Preview:

Hawk Nelson has picked some of their favorite Christmas songs and is wanting to share them with you! They picked classics like “Silent Night,” “Hark The Herald/O Come All ye Faithful,” and “I Saw Three Ships” to name a few. This is a must have Christmas album for an Hawk Nelson fan! And be sure to see them as they go out on the Christmas Pageant Tour with Family Force 5! – This 7 piece album was produced by Jonathan Steingard, Mixed by JR McNeely and arranged by Hawk Nelson

Track Listing:

1. Hark The Herald Angles Sing w/ O Come All Ye Faithful
2. The Wassail Song
3. Up On The Housetop
4. The Holly And The Ivy
5. Joy To The World
6. I Saw Three Ships
7. Silent Night

Preview Hawk Nelson’s Christmas!:

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Artist: Newsboys
Album: God’s Not Dead
Release Date: November 15th, 2011
Style: Pop / Rock
Label: inPoP Records
Location: Melbourne, Australia / Nashville, TN

About:

God’s Not Dead is the first worship album from Newsboys since the back to back releases of Adoration and Devotion in 2003/2004 which sold over 720,000 units combined. Newsboys will embark on a 60+ city tour in support of God’s Not Dead. The first radio single will go to CHR radio late fall

“God’s Not Dead” Album preview below:

Since this time last year Newsboys and their best-selling album, Born Again, have seen 280,000 units sold, three #1 radio hits, over 600,000 concert attendees, 2,000 children sponsored through Compassion International and countless testimonies of lives changed through their 100,000+ social network fans. Now Newsboys have gone one step further—they have recorded what many will say is their finest worship album ever, God’s Not Dead. Featuring 3 new original songs like “The King Is Coming” and 9 new cover songs like the anthemic “God’s Not Dead (Like A Lion)”, “Forever Reign,” and “Revelation Song” to name a few.

Track Listing:

01. The King Is Coming
02. God’s Not Dead (Like A Lion)
03. Your Love Never Fails
04. Here We Stand
05. Savior Of The World
06. Forever Reign
07. More Than Enough
08. Revelation Song
09. Pouring It Out For You
10. Mighty To Save
11. All The Way
12. I Am Second

“God’s Not Dead” Album preview:

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Artist: Tanya Godsey
Album: Telling Time
Release Date: September 20′th, 2011
Style: Pop / Acoustic / Contemporary
Label: Independent / Media prov. Mixtus Media
Location: Ennis, Texas

About:

Tanya Godsey is a new artist brought to our attention, and i must admit i got pretty caught up with her song “White Page” and not only felt in love with the melody but the lyrics are also very powerful. The song talks fictive in it’s lyrics comparing people with white pages on which we write the things we do everyday, forgetting sometimes that we are Gods children and should be working more for our God then for the world “Do our lives leave much space for the the hand of a writing God, To create to sign His name on us when the work is done“, Also reminding us that our lives don’t belong to us anymore but to the one true God which we serve and to which we once turned our faces and gave our lives “Because the ink we hold is not our own”.

FREE SONG DOWNLOAD!

Continue Reading + Free Song Download inside:

The album was produced by Scott Dente (of Out of the Grey fame) and Ken Lewis of Global Genius Productions and features 10 songs written or co-written by Tanya.  Overall, the album talks to the mind & soul, to the weak and weary. It brings a new sound to the Christian music scene and could easily be a nominee for “New Artist of the Year” dove award this year.

Tanya is the brilliantly pure & powerful voice, her songs inspire confidence in our belief.

- Review by Matthew

Track Listing:

1. White Page
2. It Doesn’t Feel Like Home
3. The Only Love
4. Daylight
5. Telling Time
6. How To Be Thankful
7. All For The Healing
8. You Make Everything Beautiful
9. Abraham’s Sky
10. 7Made For The Journey

Free Song Download “White Page”:

Download This Song For Free! (Click Here)

Album presentation:

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Artist: Cory Lamb
Album: Break The Cycle
Release Date: September 13th, 2011
Style: Pop / Rock
Label: Black Sheep Entertainment / EMi CMG
Location: Little Rock, AR

About:

A rising star. A native of Little Rock, AR, Lamb moved to Los Angeles in 2006 to work as a production intern for the award-winning John Guess (Dixie Chicks, Rod Stewart, Reba McEntire). Once Guess heard Lamb’s voice, he immediately recognized his talent and began working with him in the studio. In the midst of fulfilling his wildest musical ambitions in LA (his own band, a big-name producer), he decided to return to Arkansas, where he finally found his voice.

Listen below:

On September 13, 2011, Lamb will release his debut album Break the Cycle, on Black Sheep Entertainment. The album is driven by soaring vocals and powerful lyrics reminiscent of acts like The Killers, The Faint and Jimmy Eat World. Actor Stephen Baldwin made his directorial debut on the music video for the title track, an aggressive, synthesizer-based anthem that Lamb says is about “figuring out who you are and becoming an individual, instead of just listening to other people tell you how to live your life.”

Track Listing:
1. Break the Cycle
2. It’s a Good Day
3. Drowning
4. Storm
5. Something More
6. Circle
7. Praying for Gravity
8. Light
9. Tell Me That It’s Over
10. Superman

Few songs from “Break The Cycle” album:

It’s a Good Day:

Break the Cycle:

Something More:

Light:

Circle:

Storm:

Drowning:

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Artist: forever JONES
Album: Get Ready [Deluxe Edition] (CD/DVD)
Release Date: August 23rd, 2011
Style: Gospel / Pop
Label: EMI Gospel
Location: Shreveport, LA

About:

“In 20 years of being in professional music I’ve never heard ANYTHING like this!” When praise like that comes from renowned producer Tommy Sims who has worked with some of the greatest artists in Christian & mainstream music alike, you take notice. “forever JONES,” a family band from Shreveport, Louisiana on heels of their number one single, “He Wants It All” release the Deluxe Edition of their debut album “Get Ready.” The deluxe edition consists of the Grammy, Stellar, and Dove award nominated album Get Ready in addition to a full-length concert DVD. Packed with exclusive interview footage and bonus content, forever JONES, ‘The Family Band,’ now has everyone anxiously awaiting the visual accompaniment to Get Ready!

Watch forever JONES perform live at TBN:

Review:

“From a purely musical standpoint the album is great.However as a Christian, the doctrine is unsound. Take for example the song “He wants it all”… God is not looking for desperate hearts. God does not need anything from us, he is perfect with or without human beings. The song should instead have said “He wants us to believe in the finished work of Christ… or something like that… This whole being desperate for God thing has no biblical basis after the resurrection. Once we believe, then WE have it all… here’s a couple of verses from 2 Peter addressed to Christians (believers) showing that we have been given everything and therefore WE have it all!

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” – Jonathan

Watch “He Wants It All” Live at TBN:

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Artist: Michael Ketterer
Album: Love/War/Solar System
Release Date: July 25th, 2011
Style: Pop / Dance / Funk
Label: United Pursuit Records
Location: Chattanooga, TN

Reviews:

“For so long the secular music world has been running the show as far as “new sound” goes and Christian music has been coming in second place.. and i believe that as Christians we are supposed to be the ones making the new sound that compels all people to listen.. resulting in all people getting exposed to something that is new and fresh from God and i believe that when people listen to this album they are getting exposed to just that. This album is so anointed and so fresh, and it led me right into the Father’s arms with every beat. God, i ask that you would keep pouring out more anointed and fresh lyrics and sounds through Michael Ketterer.. so the people can experience you and your love.. in the name of Jesus.” - Andrew

Listen below:

“This is so fun and different. You’ll be dancing around your house before you know it having your mind blow by thoughtful lyrics and the soulful voice of MK. I’m partial to this guy because he’s a friend of mine. You couldn’t ask for a more amazing guy and all that comes out in his music. Go ahead and pull the trigger, buy this album and clear out the furniture in your living room. “ - Dave

“f there is any question in your mind as to whether this album is worth the measly 10 bucks, let me swiftly allay your every fear–it is worth it. This album is incredibly creative, intimately worshipful, and profoundly prophetic. With sounds ranging anywhere from pop to dance to hip hop to funk to stadium worship to i-don’t-even-know-what-to-call-it-because-i’ve-never-heard-it-before, Mr. Ketterer creates a genre entirely his own and carves a bold and daring path through the dense jungles of familiarity. If you feel your feet dragging along, stuck in the mires or boring and predictable music, go ahead and do yourself a gigantic favor and buy Love/War/Solar System. ” - Stencil

Track Listing:

1. Love/War/Solar System Intro
2. Keep on Burning
3. Solar System
4. Watchout
5. Love in the City
6. Count Your Lovin (feat. Brandon Hampton)
7. Gonna Find Me
8. Wild One Michael
9. The Rock (feat. J. May)
10. Water Need
11. Shout It (feat. J. May)
12. Dusty Road

Listen:

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Artist: Downhere
Album: On the Altar of Love
Release Date: August 23rd, 2011
Style: Rock / Pop / Contemporary
Label: Centricity Music
Location: Canadians mostly living in America

Review:

Downhere’s newest effort, At The Altar of Love, will catch you off guard. In a time when many are turning and questioning the roots of their faith, Downhere is running away too – into the past. Embracing the roots of their faith and seeking to inspire others to do the same, their new effort lays down the foundation for faith in a new and inspiring way. Rediscover You is arguably one of the best tracks and you’ll find yourself singing it over and over again. Give this release your full attention, not just a passive listen, and go buy a copy. Heck, go buy two and give one to someone to bless them and encourage their faith. That’s exactly what Downhere would want you to do.

Continue Reading + Listen:

More info:

On the Altar of Love is perhaps at its most vulnerable and human on the anthemic and plaintive Let Me Rediscover You. In fact, if songs had a physical posture, Let Me Rediscover You would probably be on its knees with its arms uplifted. The urgency of the vocals sweeps the melody along forcefully, undergirded by the song’s hymn-like and punctuated rhythm.

“Sometimes we think we’ve given all we can,” Jeremy says, “and then love asks us for more. The only proper response to the love we’ve been given in Christ is to abandon ourselves completely to his love, whatever that might mean. Let Me Rediscover You is really a heart cry, a prayer that our hearts and minds and souls would be turned back afresh to the knowledge and experience of who God is. That has to be our beginning, and our ending point.”

Other standout songs on the project include the moody, rootsy, spinning-wheel-feel of the title track, the powerful minimalism of Reveal The Kingdom (an “anthem for an eternal kingdom”), and the accessibly poignant poetry of Thank You For the Heartbreak—a song that not only recognizes but sincerely celebrates God’s sovereignty at work even within our hurt and sorrow.

“On the Altar of Love is really a proclamation of faith,” explains Jason. “It’s an encouragement to continue on regardless of circumstance, to continue this journey with joy and celebration, because we have a promise. We know where the journey ends. And we know that we’re not alone as we make our way. We have the companionship of Christ, and we have this vast family of brothers and sisters, and we have this great cloud of witnesses that have gone before us, who are cheering us on. So we want to cast aside the distractions, return to what is essential, and spend ourselves completely in response to the love we’ve been given.”

Track Listing:

1. Only the Beginning
2. Rest
3. Let Me Rediscover You
4. For Life
5. Living the Dream
6. Seek
7. Glory by the Way of Shame
8. Holy
9. For the Heartbreak
10. Turn this Around
11. On the Altar of Love
12. Reveal the Kingdom

Listen to “Let Me Rediscover You” the single:

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