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December 1, 2003 In a society saturated with choices, sometimes it's nice to receive some knowledgeable recommendations. I decided to highlight a
cross section of some of the favorites from my music library. What follows is an
offering of music, both new and old, which should strike a good balance between
worship, Contemporary Christian, and "miscellaneous." The sophomore release from
rock guitar powerhouse Brewster features eleven excellent contemporary praise
and worship tracks. It is a great blend of original songs and worship standards
that showcase his commitment to the heart of worship, as well as his staggering
musicianship and incredible arranging. This one is sure to uplift the worshipper
as the worshipper uplifts God. This is one of my favorite
in-car devotion CDs. Moen elicits such a sweet spirit of worship, and on this
live recording he takes the listener on a dynamic journey of praise. The record
begins softly and gradually crescendos to a height of worship, comes back down
for a time of healing-oriented songs, then ends triumphantly with high worship
once again. Truly Reverend Young's most
mature project to date, Hold On is a collection of smooth songs of
encouragement and bluesy ballads. Both soothing and uplifting, this Nashville
recording has all of the Music City polish, production, and major league
musicians supporting Myles' unbelievable voice. Having grown up around him,
Hold On certainly brought back some memories for me. This one is a must. DC Talk veteran Kevin Max
debuts a solo release that is to be reckoned with. Produced by the legendary
Adrian Belew, this record is both a showcase for Max's vocal calisthenics and
very unique point of view in songwriting (and poetry recitation). The songs
are often edgy, loop driven, and quite exotic, making this a far from mundane
listen. This is the CD that started
it all for the now legendary Jars of Clay. This acoustic rock/pop record is a
wonderful blend of the Jars' award-winning formula of catchy lyrics, earthy
acoustic guitars, and hip vocals. While I find the whole CD top notch, I am
especially fond of the honest approach to God in "Love Song for a Savior," the
hope offered in "He," and the hypnotic groove of "Boy on a String." No music
collection is complete without this one. It is difficult to categorize Groban. He possesses unbelievable talent. His musical perfection is compelling. His ability to amalgamate the neo-classical and pop worlds is unmatched. Closer is the third offering from this prodigy, and it is simply stellar. This record is high, wide, and deep. The dynamics and orchestration, combined with modern production techniques such as looping, make this a thrilling musical journey. Not only is this record mandatory for any collection, but you must also include Groban's self-titled debut record and live concert DVD.
ninetyandnine.com © 2003, Stephen Bunch --------- Stephen Bunch is a jack of all music trades and 90&9.com contributor who is based way down South. |
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