Review: Sanctus Real – Pieces of a Real Heart

Sanctus Real – Pieces of a Real Hear

 Artist: SANCTUS REAL | Format: Audio CD

    

Album length: 11 tracks: 39 minutes, 16 seconds
Street Date: March 9, 2010

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Sanctus Real – Pieces of a Real Heart – Sparrow Records – Released March 9 – Reviewed By Tyler Hess

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There are times in life when a person no longer relies on what got them to where they were.  Perhaps an actor who can no longer rely upon his good looks to get him by, so he has to learn to act.  Maybe a basketball player who no longer has the hops to slam it home, so he develops a cool as ice jumper.  Adaptations in music, however, can be far more dangerous.  A band takes the chance of alienating fans in the name of trying something different, creative integrity or maybe just trying to make what sells.

Sanctus Real, coming out of the Christian music hot bed of Ohio (don’t ask me why, but there are some amazing bands out of that place), have developed their sound in a way that will probably sell a lot more albums, but loses most of that dynamic energy that came with their pop rock hooks, settling for a more contemporary sound that probably skates a bit too far away from their earlier audiences preferences.  This is best evident in their first single, “Forgiven”, which tends toward lukewarm when compared to the upbeat sound that can be found in songs like “These Things Take Time” and “Take Over Me”.  The differences really tear me apart, as it seems like they have the tools to sound anywhere from Anberlin to Stellar Kart, but settle for a mediocre Starfield sound.

Grade: C+

Tracklisting:

1. Forgiven
2. These Things Take Time
3. The Way The World Turns
4. Lead Me
5. The Redeemer
6. Take Over Me
7. I Want To Get Lost
8. Til I Got To Know You
9. Dear Heart
10. I’ll Show You How To Live
11. Keep My Heart Alive

  

Review: "O Come All Ye Faithful" BEC RECORDINGS

O Come All Ye Faithful

 Artist: Various artists | Format: Audio CD

    

Released September 28 2010

Label: BEC Recordings

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Christmas albums come, Christmas albums go, Christmas albums come back again and again and although some would prefer they didn’t come so early, they are always a welcome sight in my eyes.  Not to be outdone by the compilation by their sister label Tooth and Nail, BEC Recordings attempts its own collection of Christmas tunes from their biggest and up and coming artists.

Jeremy Camp gets the honor of taking on the title track to start off the compilation with his typical straightforward worship/rock version of “O Come All Ye Faithful”.  Bebo Norman steps up next with the first of his two songs, as “Joy To The World” brings about a folksy charm to the cover.  Chris Tomlin invites a choir of angels, or, maybe just a regular church choir and absolutely nails his rendition of “O, Holy Night”, a song that almost always gets a thumbs up from this guy.  My other favorite “night song” follows naturally, with Amy Grant putting up “Silent Night”, featuring a scenic intro and her seasoned contemporary vocals.  Last year I recall saying that Kutless doing worship songs by far outmatched their rock albums, but their Christmas songs might even be better, as “This Christmas” shows more vocal and musical range than I ever remember hearing from them anywhere else.  ”Downhere” busts out the title track from their Christmas EP with a whimsical number, followed by The Museum’s pounding “What Child Is This”.  Jadon Lavik then decides to change things up a bit with his acoustic guitar and a soulful voice on “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”.  Shane and Shane take that cue and bust out their down and moody version of “White Christmas”.  Seventh Day Slumber let’s us know for sure what they’re singing about with their rocked out “Away In A Manger”, before we get a couple of repeat artists in Bebo Norman’s “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” and the Kutless re-tread “Mary Did You Know” to cap off the album.

When you have the time to do just one or two songs and they’re covers it would be really difficult to flub it up too bad, so it shouldn’t be any surprise that O Come All Ye Faithful is about as strong of an effort as you can see out of this A-List of contemporary Christian music artists and will surely be heard at many gatherings around the fire this Christmas.

Grade: B+
Reviewed By Tyler Hess

Tracklisting:

1. Jeremy Camp – O Come All Ye Faithful
2. Bebo Norman – Joy To The World
3. Chris Tomlin – O, Holy Night
4. Amy Grant – Silent Night
5. Kutless – This Christmas
6. Downhere – How Many Kings
7. The Museum – What Child Is This
8. Jadon Lavik – O Come, O Come Emmanuel
9. Shane and Shane – White Christmas
10. Seventh Day Slumber – Away In A Manger
11. Bebo Norman – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
12. Kutless – Mary Did You Know

  

Review: Happy Christmas Vol. 5

Happy Christmas Vol. 5

 Artist: Various artists | Format: Audio CD

5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews    

Released September 28 2010

Label: 

Tooth & Nail Records

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Reviewed By Tyler Hess

Usually when it comes to compilation albums you’re gonna get a mixed bag of results, with some hits, some misses and some stuff from left field that you never saw coming.  Somehow, though, Happy Christmas Volume 5 has done something kind of amazing in that it has put out some great Christmas songs that rock even when they’re done by bands that I’m not particularly fond of recommending (you can read past reviews to do the mathematics involved) while having a flow that works despite the variety in genre across the label’s roster.

Happy Christmas Vol. 5 starts off with the quirky Hawk Nelson rendition of “Christmas Don’t Be Late” made famous by Alvin and the Chipmunks and works merely because it is the season of joy, not the season of grumpy music snobs.  Going from cartoon to metal as Demon Hunter plays one of their more accessible tunes with the tone  and mood changing “The Wind”.  Overachiever of the year Ivoryline follows that up with their stirring version “O, Holy Night” (the second best “night” song, behind the silent one).  Thousand Foot Krutch took an interesting approach with singing “Heat Miser” based on the 1974 film “The Year Without Santa Claus”, while their side project FM Static comes in later on in the album with the antithesis “Snow Miser”.

August Burns Red’s “O Come O Come Emmanuel” serves as a decent and early instrumental interlude, but pales in comparison to their “Carol of the Bells”.  Emery doesn’t fail to disappoint with their screamless, simply beautiful “Jesus Gave Us Christmas” that sets the record straight about our holiday before Family Force 5 gives us possibly their slowest song ever with the chill “It’s Christmas Day”.  The husband and wife duo of Bon Voyage gives us a little something like She & Him with “The Little Christmas Tree”, trailed by Sent By Ravens presenting the once controversial protest song by John Lennon and She Who Shall Not Be Named (just kidding, Yoko Ono) “Happy Christmas (War is Over)”.

The compilation starts to go into the final turn as Queens Club tones down the chaos to put forth a song from one of my favorite Christmas cartoons with “You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch” that may not top the original but serves as a nice reminder before Neon Horse brings their funky version of “Zat You Santa Clause and FM Static sings the aforementioned “Snow Miser” presented as a surprising piano ballad.  Surrogate gives us probably the least exciting song on the album with the sleeper “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” that really should be more hoppin’ than this.  Copeland closes us out strong with their simplistic light piano-led “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”.

Sometimes we really root for an album to be a success and are often disappointed with something that seems just thrown together, but Happy Christmas Volume 5 doesn’t sell us short with quite a hefty collection of songs for a time that is just around the corner (even if you don’t think so, it will sneak up on you, if you like it or not).

Grade: A-

Tracklisting:

1. The Chimpunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) – Hawk Nelson
2. The Wind – Demon Hunter
3. O, Holy Night – Ivoryline
4. Heat Miser – Thousand Foot Krutch
5. O Come O Come Emmanuel – August Burns Red
6. Jesus Gave Us Christmas – Emery
7. It’s Christmas Day – Family Force 5
8. The Little Christmas Tree – Bon Voyage
9. Happy Christmas (War Is Over) – Sent By Ravens
10. You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch – Queens Club
11. Zat You Santa Clause – Neon Horse
12. Snow Miser – FM Static
13. Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree – Surrogate
14. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Copeland

   

Casting Crowns - Peace on Earth

 Casting Crowns - Peace on Earth

 Artist: Casting Crowns | Format: Audio CD

5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews 

Label: Reunion Records

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Comments:   This new album from Casting Crowns combines the traditional sounds of Christmas with a feeling of worship.  A great way to remember the real reason for the season, by lifting up your voice in praise to our King during this season of hope.   

This is Castings Crowns first full Christmas album and it is long-time-in-coming in my opinion.  Fans of Casting Crowns will love the familiar voices it should appeal to most anyone. My only complaint and the reason for the lower score is that the album is too short at only ten tracks.  But on a positive note, While You Were Sleeping is a great Christmas song and a highlight of the album.

Songs (with song rating):

            1. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day - (7 of 10)

            2. O Come All Ye Faithful - (8 of 10)

            3. Joy to the World - (9 of 10)

            4. While You Were Sleeping - (10 of 10)

            5. Silent Night - (8 of 10)

            6. God Is With Us – (7 of 10)

            7. Away In a Manger - (8 of 10)

            8. Christmas Offering - (9 of 10)

            9. Sweet Little Jesus Boy - (8 of 10)

            10. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - (8 of 10)

Favorite Songs:  O Come All Ye Faithful, Joy to the World, While You Were Sleeping, Christmas Offering

Overall:  8.2   (Average of song score)

www.castingcrown.com