Blog Archive for August 2024
Album Of The Day: Add To The Beauty by Sara Groves
Sara Groves is one of my favorite singer-songwriters and I've been blessed to see her play a number of times in the last 10 years since she only lives two miles away and even hosts concerts at a small event space she owns. When this album was released, though, I was just a fan who had not heard her play in person. Mrs. Groves weaves stories of the glories and struggles of life, love and the beauty of God in a way that makes me weep, smile, and even sometimes laugh. Producer Brown Bannister and the studio musicians hit every note correctly as well. "Loving A Person" definitely made me cry the first time I heard it and it's one of my favorite songs of all time. The other songs on this album are just about as emotionally impactful.
Release Year: 2005
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If you enjoy this album, right now is the time to act! For the next 3 days, you can get in on the Kickstarter for this album's upcoming 25th anniversary! The album is being remastered and will only be available on vinyl and deluxe CD through this Kickstarter, so get your copy if you want it and support the artist. I know I did order a vinyl and I'm trying to decide if I should get a CD too because I have a music collection problem.
Album Of The Day: Time by Third Day
Released 25 years ago this week, this is my favorite Third Day album. On Time, they created a 40-minute, 10-song southern rock masterpiece. Though the slower songs like the opener "I've Always Loved You" and mid-album "Your Love Oh Lord" get a lot of the attention, the rest of the album is just as good and even more energetic. "Believe", "Took My Place", and "Never Bow Down" are pure rock 'n' roll. Third Day perfected their sound to be simple and almost timeless on this album. "What Good" has some great backing vocals and "Can't Take The Pain" highlights Mac Powell's commanding vocal ability. Look on the streaming services for a 25th Anniversary Edition which has some live recordings from this era and some rare tracks recorded in these sessions that did not make it onto the album.
Release Year: 1999
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Album Of The Day: On My Side by Kim Walker-Smith
Kim Walker-Smith has been a worship leader at some of the biggest and most successful mega-churches in America. Though musically this album is very modern with pounding drums and bass, electronic elements and even strings, lyrically it reminds me of the Holy Spirit-filled Vineyard Music songs of a few decades ago. Kim Walker-Smith's vocals is definitely a highlight of this album; she can really sing beautifully and passionately to God. It's all about a personal relationship with God for her and that calls me closer to God too.
Release Year: 2017
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Album Of The Day: All The Difference by Skye Peterson
Just released yesterday, this is the second full-length album from the young, independent singer-songwriter. Lyrically, Skye Peterson talks of life's struggles, the beauty of this world and a relationship with God. Musically, it's mid-tempo piano and guitar for a full-band sound that is simple but works well. I'm not sure yet whether All The Difference will become a favorite of mine, but it's a good start from a budding young artist.
Release Year: 2024
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Album Of The Day: Colour by Andy Hunter°
Andy Hunter° is a DJ that spins long, epic dance tracks to bring a party vibe but also a spiritual message. Lyrics are sparse, but the bass and the beats are always there. Some of his more recent work is more "lo-fi" or "chill", but Colour was the last of his album-length, full-on EDM albums on a major label. I like the variation of sounds throughout and songs like "Miracle" really get your subwoofer going. Play this one loud to turn your house or vehicle into one of those dance club scenes in the movies where you can feel the music rumble the building.
Release Year: 2008
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Album Of The Day: Interrobang by Switchfoot
Recorded during 2020 and released 3 years ago today, Interrobang is Switchfoot's 12th and latest studio album of new songs. Instead of bringing their usual pop/rock sound they've been doing for fans for years, the band decided to try something new. Producer Tony Berg pushed them to make songs that were more artistic and lyrics that are deeper, that speak to the human condition even more than before. It still rocks, but a much more cohesive album that longs to be listened to from the start to the end. From the five-minute opener of "Beloved" to the closer "Electricity", the lyrics address what the world was struggling with in 2020. The songs still speak to the struggles today of relationships, social media, and loving those around us. Though the music sounds a bit more experimental, there's tons of great guitar work throughout and the whole band pushes themselves to do things they haven't done before. I think it might be my favorite Switchfoot album.
Release Year: 2021
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Album Of The Day: Crazytalk by Mat Kearney
Mat Kearney has been making music for about 20 years now. Kearney's style is mostly acoustic singer-songwriter/pop with a bit of spoken word verses on a few songs. After 4 albums on major labels, Mat went independent and released Crazytalk, where he switched it up by bringing a more electronic, dance vibe to his music. On a few tracks, he worked with producers/EDM artists like RAC, Filous, and AFSHeeN. I really like this more edgy music from Mat Kearney, though I certainly don't mind the more traditional acoustic pop of some of his other albums either.
Release Year: 2018
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Album Of The Day: Glo by delirious?
In the early 1990s, the "Cutting Edge" band started leading worship for youth events at churches. By the late '90s, they had turned into modern rock band delirious?. In the 2000s, they made worship albums with a very mature rock band sound. Their first album of this style was Glo, which starts with a brief choir intro and ends with an orchestral outro, but has lots of rock 'n' roll and spiritual lyrics in the middle. "My Glorious" and "God's Romance" bring the rock, while songs like "What Would I Have Done?" and "Awaken The Dawn" bring the more worshipful sounds, though they have their rock moments too. And "Investigate" rivals their earlier "Obsession" for the most epic delirious? song ever. Delirious? is still my favorite band of all time, and it's because of these types of guitar-fueled anthems and their love of God that keeps them at the top of that list.
Release Year: 2000
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Album Of The Day: Live At The Wetlands by Robert Randolph & The Family Band
Robert Randolph and his Family Band started playing music in their church, but then started playing in clubs as more of a jam band. I've enjoyed seeing them play their mix of rock, blues, Gospel, and even country a number of times and it's great live music if you can catch them in a city near you. This, their first album, is definitely a jam band album with the average track being over 11 minutes long. Recorded at a New York City club called "Wetlands Preserve" which closed shortly after recording, it's a fun night to listen in on. Sadly, this album does not seem to be available on streaming services currently, so you might have to seek out a CD release to listen to it.
Release Year: 2002
Album Of The Day: Sessions by Lauren Daigle
Just released today is this new EP of 8 songs recorded mostly acoustic—half at the SirusXM studios and half at Apple Music studios. With the stripped-down, intimate live setting, Lauren Daigle's vocals and lyrics shine even more than usual. Most of the songs are from Daigle's 2023 self-titled album, but her previous album's "You Say" and a cover of "You Are So Beautiful" are included in the Sessions as well.
Release Year: 2024
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