THE LOST GET FOUND

Brittany Nicole Waddell, better known as Britt Nicole, was born on August 2, 1984.  She began singing at age three in her home church, Truth Temple, in North Carolina.  She put out her debut album SAY IT in 2007.  Her debut single ‘You’ was the twelfth most played song on Christian Hit Radio in 2007.  Her second album THE LOST GET FOUND (Sparrow Records) came out on August 11, 2009.  It hit the top spot on Billboard’s Christian Albums Chart and Number 62 on the Billboard 200.  The album features four producers including Robert Marvin and Dan Muckala.

The title track penned by Britt and Ben Glover is an easy on the ears pop song.  It calls Christians to share the hope they have in Christ: “There’s a really big world at your fingertips/And you know you have the chance to change it/There’s a girl on the street, she’s crying/There’s a man whose faith is dying/Love is calling you.../Somewhere somebody needs a reason to believe/Why don’t you rise up now?/Don’t be afraid to stand out/That’s how the lost get found”.  ‘How We Roll’ is a youthful sounding pop song that urges us to take time to smell the roses in life: “Why don’t you come on and join us?/Take your nose off the grindstone/Take, take your hands off the keyboard/And put down the iPhone/And let me hear you say/Hey, hey, oh, oh/We ain’t getting caught in the undertow/We’ll keep taking it easy and taking it slow/We’re never gonna follow, no``.

‘Safe’ was penned by Britt, Jason Ingram, and Joy Williams.  It talks of making oneself vulnerable: “I’m strong enough/I’ve always told myself/I never wanna need somebody else/But I’ve already fallen from that hill/So I’m dropping my guard/Here’s your chance at my heart”.  ‘Hanging On’ has a slow R&B feel to it.  It finds Britt intimately conversing with God: “You see my anxious heart/You see what I am feeling/And when I fall apart/You are there to hold me/Ow How great Your love for me/Now I see what You’re thinking/You say I’m beautiful/Your voice is my healing/Without You I just can’t get by/So I’m hanging on to every word You speak/Cause that’s all that I need”. 

‘Headphones’ was written by Britt and her future husband Joshua Crosby.  (They now have one daughter).  This is a peppy song of encouragement: “She gave it her best/She tried to fit in/She tried to be cool/But she never could win/Her mom says she’s great/The kids think she’s weird/Honestly she wish she could just disappear/Why you try, try to be like the rest of them/When you know there’s so much more within?/There’s only one you/Here’s what you gotta do/Whoa, Whoa.../Anytime you feel alone, put on your headphones/Love, love’s coming through your headphones”.  ‘Welcome to the Show’ confirms that Britt wants to make a difference in her generation: “Oh, oh, we’re on a mission, nothing, nothing can stand in our way/Oh, oh, we don’t need permission/We’re gonna rise up and we’ll be the change/Oh, oh, hear us on your stereo/Oh, oh, we’re about to lose control/Oh, oh, everybody knows/Oh, oh, this is where you let go”.  ‘Walk on the Water’ was featured on NBC’s ‘The Biggest Loser’.  It is an inspiring ballad that calls us to step out of our comfort zones as believers: “So get out and let your fear fall to the ground/No time to waste, don’t wait/And don’t you turn around and miss out on/Everything you were made for/Gotta be, I know y ou’re not sure, more/So you play it safe, you try to run away/If you take that first step/Into the unknown/He won’t let you go”.

‘Glow’ was composed by Britt, Joshua Crosby, and Nick Baumhardt.  The latter is from the band Stellar Kart and is married to Tricia Brock.  This song has a similar message as ‘This Little Light of Mine’ and has a dance club feel musically: “Oh, oh/Turn the lights down so we can/Glow, glow/Watch us come alive/We’re gonna/Show you something real/Like a city on a hill/Oh, oh/We’re gonna glow/They see us coming from miles away/There’s no hiding, no denying/Cause we’re not ashamed”.  ‘Like a Star’ is a love song: “You got me falling for ya/And I won’t stop ‘til I hit the clouds/See I don’t wanna hide these feelings/Or even try to figure them out/Sparks flyin’ all around/Electricity/Dance with me (3X)/Ten feet off the ground/No gravity/Fly with me (2X)”.

‘Feel the Light’ encourages a person trapped inside himself or herself to break free: “How did you get here?/You’re locked inside of all this fear/Inside you’re crying out/Your mind’s at war/Get out, get out and live for more/There’s so much more/Live for more”.  The last song ‘Have Your Way’ was partially written by Josiah Bell.  It is a quiet song of deep spiritual maturity with Britt on piano.  Here are some of the words: “So I’ll stop searching for the answers/I’ll stop praying for an escape/And I’ll trust You God with where I am/And believe that You will have Your way/Just have Your way (2X)/.../Even if my dreams have died/And even if I don’t survive/I’ll still worship You with all my life/My life, yeah”.

In the cd booklet Britt writes: “Jesus I love You!  Thank You for loving me and letting me share Your message with the world!  Let those who need to hear this, really hear it, and let them experience Your love, a love that can change their life forever”.  Britt offers hope, joy, and peace, to young people on this her second release and she points to God as the Source of all three.  Musically her style can be compared to that of Miley Cyrus and Gwen Stefani.  I’m rating this one 87%.  For more info visit: www.brittnicole.com and www.capitolcmglabelgroup.com.

 

WIRE

Third Day take their name from the fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion.  They put out their self-titled debut album in 1996.  Their seventh album WIRE (2004, Essential Records) won the Grammy for Best Rock Gospel Album in 2005 and also won the Dove Award for Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year.  The album was produced by Paul Ebersold.  Band members at the time were: Tai Anderson (bass), Brad Avery (guitars), David Carr (drums), Mark Lee (guitars), and Mac Powell (vocals, acoustic guitar).  Unless otherwise noted, Powell wrote the words and the whole group is credited with writing the music.

The album opens with ‘Til the Day I Die’ which is a manly rocker musically.  It reflects on the permanence of marriage vows: “I said ‘Forever’/I said ‘Forever’ and I mean it/I made a promise/And  I intend to always keep it.../Forever is so far beyond the reach of my mind/So I’ll give all I have/My heart, my love, my life”.  ‘Come on Back to Me’ is another great rock song.  Scott Hardin performs background vocals.  This song finds God speaking to one of His lost children: “I have loved you/From the beginning/Long before you knew My Name/And even though you’ve broken My heart/I’ll love you just the same/I’ll love you anyway/Never mind your worries/Never mind your fears/They can only take you far from Me”. 

Mark Lee wrote the words to the title track, ‘Wire’, a terrific rock ballad with string arrangements by Paul Buckmaster.  The song features vulnerable lyrics about being a Christian rock star: “I am walking on a wire/I tiptoe in through the fire/Never looking down to see that/I am walking on a wire/The pressure’s getting higher/But I don’t look around.../Your time at the top only lasts fifteen minutes/Then they just leave you behind”.  ‘Rockstar’ speaks of how celebrity can deceivingly look so appealing to outsiders: “Living lifestyles of the rich and famous/Turning all heads in the music scene/Flying in my own jet plane to Vegas/Riding in a big black limousine/Well, it’s alright/Yeah, it’s alright.../No I ain’t got nothing/But to you I’m something/Something so much more”.

Richard Thomas plays cello on ‘I Believe’ which has a pretty chorus with inspiring lyrics: “I believe in a faith that’s strong/I believe in a hope that carries on/I believe in these things and more/Most of all, most of all/I believe in love”.  ‘It’s a Shame’ is a slow, melodic number that speaks of relational dysfunction: “She longs for better days/She’s always been afraid.../You left her without leaving/You hit her without swinging/You took away without giving a thing/Except for pain and sorrow/I’m praying that tomorrow/You will open up your eyes and see”.

Boyd Tinsley plays violin on ‘Blind’.  This is a well-crafted song of gratitude to God: “How could I have been so blind to not see You?/The more that I look the more I find/You’ve led me to the truth/That I am nothing if I’m without You/You opened my eyes and helped me to find/How could I have been so blind?.../You took my heart and You changed it/With Your words of life/You took my eyes and You opened them/And gave me sight”.  Chrystina Lloree Fincher sings backing vocals on ‘I Got a Feeling’.  This gritty rocker finds the band excited about sharing their faith: “I got a mission/I got a sign/Is anybody listening?/I gotta make sure this time/I’ll tell the people/What’s on my mind/Maybe I will tomorrow/Maybe I will tonight.../I got a message/I got a song/Everybody help me sing along”.

‘You are Mine’ is a song of praise to God for what He has done: “Whenever I hear/Of Your saving grace/And how You gave Your life/In exchange for mine/Sometimes I wonder why You even love me/And why You ever chose to call me ‘child’/Then I remember/It’s by Your sacrifice/I can say that/I am Yours and You are mine”.  Mark Lee penned the words to ‘Innocent’.  It builds in intensity musically and revels in spiritual liberty: “I am innocent and I have been set free/And I no longer have chains around my feet/And no matter where I go or what they say/I am innocent”.  Scotty Willbanks plays piano and B3 on ‘Billy Brown’.  This rock song seems addressed to a Hollywood star: “Super Star Billy Brown/Whatcha doing to this town?/Don’t cha know that everybody here/Want to be like you?/All of your adoring fans/Sitting in the seats and stands/Listening to every word you say/And watching every move/Once I saw a sign that said/’Billy Brown for President’”.

‘San Angelo’ is one of my favourites on the album.  It includes these very relatable lyrics in today’s day and age: “The day it feels like winter/The night it feels like stone/You turn around and you remember/When you’re surrounded/You can still feel so alone”.  The last cut is ‘I Will Hold My Head High’.  Here are some of the words penned by Mark Lee: “Sometimes the night starts closing in/And I’ve lost my way home again/I’m running out of places I can turn/Enemies on every side/Not a friend around for miles/That’s the time it really starts to hurt/Beat me up and drag me down/I’ll never be afraid/I will hold my head high/And lift my hands to the sky/Rise above all who try to bring me down/I will hold my head high”.

In the cd booklet, Third Day writes: “All glory to God for His mercy, provision, and grace”.  WIRE is a wonderful album.  Mac Powell’s vocals are great and I appreciate that this album leans more towards rock than adult contemporary.  I also like the album cover depicting a fellow balancing on a high wire above a city.  Third Day skillfully examines being adored by their fans on this album.  Fans of Nickelback and Kutless will like this one.  I’m rating it 90%.  For more info visit: www.thirdday.com and www.essentialrecords.com.

 

TROUBLE IS A LONESOME TOWN

Lee Hazlewood lived from July 9, 1929 until August 4, 2007.  He is known for his work with guitarist Duane Eddy in the late 1950’s and with singer Nancy Sinatra in the 1960’s.  He wrote and produced her #1 US/UK hit ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking’.  Lee had a baritone voice and his sound was described as Cowboy Psychedelia or Saccharine Underground.  He released his concept album TROUBLE IS A LONESOME TOWN in 1963.  A few years back Charles Normal (younger brother of the late Larry Norman) discovered the album in a secondhand junk shop in Oslo, Norway.  He couldn’t stop playing it!  Fast forward to 2013 and under the moniker Thriftstore Masterpiece Normal and friends released their version of the album on SideOneDummy Records¸albeit more fully orchestrated.  Normal produced, arranged, and engineered the album, and played various instruments on it.

Each song begins with a narration by Normal’s mailman Jerry Albertini.  At the start of the album, he tells us most of the people living in the small town of Trouble are good and bad most of the time.  The narrator says when he was ten he found a friend.  The first song ‘Long Black Train’ is an upbeat musical mishmash of styles.  Frank Black of Pixies fame delivers the vocals, while Scott Gerweck plays trumpet.  Here are some of the words: “Back when I was ten Jim was my best friend/We’d go down to the station and watch the trains come in/Someday I told my friend/We’ll ride that train and then we’ll make a fortune for ourselves and we’ll ride it home again/The long black train (2X)”.  Unfortunately Jim gets in trouble for robbing a bank.  The narrator then starts to describe a guy in the town of Trouble that people can barely stand to look at as he looks so beat up.  ‘Ugly Brown’ has Larry Norman on lead vocals (it’s good to hear him again), Charles Normal on guitar, mandolin, and synth, and Silver Sorenson on upright bass.  It has a saloon music feel to it.  The lyrics are depressing, almost as if the song could fit on Larry’s SOMETHING NEW UNDER THE SON project: “Nobody loves me in this town, this town (2X)/When they have parties, they never invite me/Even my own dog bites me/They call me, they call me/Ugly Brown/Nobody wants me in this town, this town/I won’t swim in the river and that’s a fact/ Cause every time I come out they keep throwing me back/They call me, they call me Ugly Brown”.

‘Son of a Gun’ has a slow, moody feel to it.  The vocals are handled by Frank Black and his eight year old son Julian Clark.  The song speaks of how we tend to stereotype people: “It hurts to be told when you’re not very old/That you’re an outlaw’s son/And the older you get/They won’t let you forget/That you’re the son of a gun/A bad, bad gun, you son of a gun/And then you’ll meet someone so sweet/And she says her heart you have won/But her old dad gets awfully mad/She’ll marry no son of a gun/A bad, bad gun/That son, son of a gun”.  The narrator then tells us about an undertaker named Sleepy and his assistant Charlie who has a unique drinking problem.  ‘We all make the Flowers Grow’ features Kristin Blix’s tender, compelling vocals, and Jason Carter on percussion.  Musically, it sounds like you’re in the Caribbean!  The lyrics reflect realistically on our mortality: “Cowards and heroes, listen my friends/If you have money or nothing to spend/It’ll make no difference in a hundred years or so/Sooner or later, we all make the little flowers grow”.

‘Run Boy Run’ finds Frank Black on vocals, Kristin Blix harmonizing, and William Slater on piano.  It is a fast, catchy, old country number, about a criminal: “You were born by a railroad track/Never knew your ma and your pa ain’t comin’ back/Had to make your way the best you can/But you didn’t have to steal from another man/Run boy, run boy, run boy run/They’re gonna get you boy, run boy run.../Shot a man for nothin’ and away you run/Wanted in most every state from here to Tennessee/If you’re caught you’ll do your running hanging from a tree”.  Next, the narrator tells us about George and Orville, two brothers who keep stealing from each other in Trouble.  Pete Yorn is on lead vocals.  He has toured with Coldplay and collaborated with Scarlett Johansson.  Kristin Blix provides harmony vocals.  The track ‘Six Feet of Chain’ is a sarcastic song about incarceration: “He can climb up a mountain so high/He can run, he can jump, he can fly/He can have plenty, fortune, and fame/If he can do it on six feet of chain”.

The narrator tells us people argue over whether the railroad was a good thing for Trouble or not.  Appropriately, the next song is called ‘The Railroad’.  It has a playful pop sound.  Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse) is on vocals, while Charles Normal provides glockenspiel and samples.  Here are some of the lyrics: “Workin’ on the railroad all day long/Workin’ on the railroad I sing this song/Sing about an old love I once knew/Sing about an old love or maybe two.../I drove a lotta hot steel in my time//I drink a lot of stuff they call moonshine/I got me a lady in every town/Workin’ on the railroad, never settle down”.  The narrator informs us that Anna Mae Stilwell is the best looking woman in Trouble.  A slow rock song ‘Look at that Woman’ is up next.  It finds Courtney Taylor-Taylor of The Dandy Warhols on lead and Fathead on backup vocals.  These lyrics remind us that looks can be deceiving: “Face like a child/Body so nice/Eyes like an angel/Heart cold as ice/Look at that woman/She seems so fine/I wish that woman was anybody else but mine/She can’t cook and she can’t love/She ain’t worth a dime/I wish that woman was anybody else but mine”.

‘Peculiar Guy’ is the hardest rocker on the album.  Eddie Argos delivers vocals that put me in mind of Mick Jagger.  Charles Normal plays a mean electric guitar.  The song tells quite a tale: “I worked with my team and I soon grew as rich as the land/The woman called Red learned to love me as I loved the land/My valley turned green, my mountain smiled down from the sky/But a lion lured my mountain and a lion is a peculiar guy/One morning the lion came down from his kingdom I owned/He killed the woman called Red then left me alone/My valley turned brown, my mountain didn’t seem so high/Cause a lion lured my mountain and that lion was a peculiar guy/I climbed up my mountain and buried the woman called Red/I emptied my gun in the back of that lion’s head”.  The narrator says you won’t find Trouble on any map, but if you take three steps in any direction, you’ll be there.  Larry Norman performs the lead vocals with a country flare on the closing title track.  Charles provides strings.  Here are some of the words: “Lord, I’d like to leave this town (2X)/But I guess I’ll hang around/Yes, I guess I’ll hang around/Trouble is a lonesome town (2X)/Trouble is where I was born/Trouble is where I am from.../Trouble is where I belong (2X)/Oh Lord, trouble”.

What a delightful album of cohesive, imaginative stories this is!  It is great to meet all these interesting characters from Trouble.  Fans of Johnny Cash’s storytelling should give this one a listen.  Musically, it is a diverse, creative success!  It is never boring.  Charles Normal is very talented and I look forward to whatever his next project may be.  I’m rating TROUBLE IS A LONESOME TOWN 90%.  For more info visit: www.thriftstoremasterpiece.com and www.larrynorman.com.

ere are H

 

HI-FI DEMONSTRATION RECORD

Wondergroove released their debut album HI-FI DEMONSTRATION RECORD in 2000 on Solid Rock Records.  The group’s roster is: Aslak Nygren (Vocals and Tambourine), and Charles Norman (Guitars, Vox, Synth, Rhythm Machines, Bass, Hard Drive).  Aslak is from Sister Rain, while Charles is the younger brother of CCM music pioneer Larry Norman.  Also appearing on the album are: Kristin Stavang (synth), Rune Annaniassen (bass), Sid Riggs (drums), and Dizzy Reed (additional keyboards).  Reed is best known for his work with Guns ‘N’ Roses.  This album is thinly produced and engineered by Charles Norman and is said to be “sonically treated for your enjoyment (now with anti-static lubricant)”. 

‘Down to the Water’ is a great Southern rock song.  It starts the album off on a hopeful note lyrically: “Take me down to the water/Take me out of misery/Take me down to the water/Set me free/These memories, yeah, they’re living/In most everything that I see/Sweet memories, yeah, they’re living/They’ll set me free/Here I come/With a chance to rise”.  ‘Postcards from Heaven’ is a melodic rock song about the bliss awaiting us in heaven: “I met the angels when they came to me this morning/All dressed in white, they said there’s nothing to fear/They showed me through a gate that led into a garden/When I looked back I saw the world disappear/They walked me down a long hallway/They took me into my room/They said I’ll be here forever/And I said I never wanna go back home/Wish you were here where the sky is so clear, I’m in heaven”.

‘One Man’ addresses someone who is spiritually lost: “Somehow you took a turn along the way/That left you standing in the cold/You might not understand the words I try to say/Until you open up your soul/Anyway that the wind blows/You’ll return with the season/Anyway that the wind blows/And you say that you don’t know ‘cause you can’t find a reason/So you go where the wind blows”.  Next up is ‘The Arms of Morpheus’.  According to Wikipedia.org “Morpheus has the ability to take any human form and appear in dreams.  His true semblance is that of a winged daemon...”  This song is a rock gem, with Helen Barrington­-Ward credited with extraneous warbling.  It is a highly experimental track both lyrically and musically: “Like Aphrodite’s kiss/The arms of Morpheus/Keep me so warm/It’s like I’m burning within/And Cupid takes my wrist/His arrows never miss/I’m on my knees and crawling out of my skin”.

‘Morning Glory’ features incredible electric guitar work and runs the emotional gamut lyrically: “Morning glory lifts me above the earth/Makes me look around and wonder what it’s worth/To see where my life is going/Trying to learn, but never really knowing/The garden down there is choked with weeds/I wanna go where the morning glory leads.../Morning glory promised me so many things/Before it snuck up behind me and stole my dreams/Poisoned my heart with sorrow/Left me to beg and borrow/And ran off with truth that won’t be back tomorrow”.  ‘She Knows It’ muses about a member of the fairer sex: “She says she’ll try to make me believe this/She says we’ll live in aquamarine/She knows it’s hard to believe what she says/She says she thinks that she knows me/It’s hard to imagine the things in her head/But she’ll show me”.

‘I Want it All’ begins with a sample that says: “We strongly recommend that you stand back when playing this track”.  This straight up rocker portrays a man of great ambition: “I wanna stand in the sunlight/I wanna sleep in the rain/I wanna walk the line between pleasure and pain/I’m gonna circle the courtyard/I’m gonna cast the first stone/I’m gonna rattle the ground where they sit on their thrones/My head’s in the sun/I’m a thousand feet tall/When you wanna run/Why waste time learning to crawl?/I want it all (2X)/With my head on the ground/I hear destiny call”.  Ivar Eidem plays synths on ‘Then You’re Gone’.  This one is a ballad that deals with human mortality in a dreamy, inventive manner: “Take a shot at the pale moon/Hitch a ride on the powder balloon/Cotton candy along the way/Then you’re gone, you’re gone/And when I’m turning on the news they’ll let me know/When they’re walking in your footsteps, it’s your show/I know you know, you know that I know that you want to go/I didn’t think you meant it though (5X)”.

‘What am I Looking For’ is one of the best songs on the album.  At times it is an aggressive rocker, at other times it is more laid back.  It ponders the meaning of life, but will upset some Christians as it leaves room for various beliefs: “Excuse me sir/Can you tell me how to get from here to there?/Cuz it’s getting quite upsetting never getting anywhere/We’re on the road from the day we’re old enough to crawl across the floor/We laugh, we cry, we live, we die/there must be something more/No matter where I am/No matter where I roam/I can’t help feeling like I’m a long, long way from home/Like a kid who’s got no money, standing in a candy store/What am I looking for?”

‘First Kiss of Love’ reflects with fondness on love long past: “You send me messages that I’ll never get/You turn your back but you will never forget/I’ll be there waiting at the end of the day/To remind you.../As years fly away with the wings of the dove/Your dearest remembrance will still be the last/Your sweetest memorial/The first kiss of love”.  ‘The Long Road’ is a plodding rock song over six minutes in length.  It draws this realistic, though not upbeat, conclusion: “I’ve heard that all is fair in love and war/Whichever this is  I don’t quite know/Maybe sometimes they’re one and the same/When there’s nowhere left for love to go/I saw it coming and should have known/That in the midst of love I’d still be on my own/And that I’d have to face that long hard road alone”.  If you let the album continue to play a few short, silent tracks after this, you will be treated to Larry Norman putting his vocals and spin on ‘Down to the Water’ and ‘I Want it All’.

HI-FI DEMONSTRATION RECORD is good, fun rock and roll music masterfully performed.  The vocals are easy to listen to and the album is quite experimental and innovative.  If you are tired of the same old, same old on today’s daytime Christian radio, check this album out.  It will renew your interest in music again.  It is an album that is full of life and promise!  I’m rating it 95%.  For more info visit: www.larrynoman.com.

 

 

DANGEROUSLY CLOSE

Bloodgood released their debut ep METAL MISSIONARIES in 1985.  The next year they put out their self-titled full length debut produced by Darrell Mansfield.  Michael Bloodgood says: “The idea for putting Bloodgood together came long before there was anything like Christian/White Metal.  It was born through prayer and a burden the Lord put on my heart.  At the time, there was no outreach of any kind for all the people into metal and headbangers simply wouldn’t listen to anything else...As the months went on, it became clear that the Lord wanted to use me to be a part of this new work”.  It has been 22 years since they released their swan song ALL STAND TOGETHER.  In 2010 they were inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame.  Now Bloodgood is back with DANGEROUSLY CLOSE (2013, B. Goode Records).  It is mastered by former group member David Zaffiro.  Today, Bloodgood is: Michael Bloodgood (bass/bgvs), Les Carlsen (lead vocals), Paul Jackson (guitar/bgvs), Oz Fox (guitar/backing vocals), and Kevin Whisler (drums).  Fox joined in 2007 and is also in Stryper.

The lead off single, written by Les Carlsen and Paul Jackson, is ‘Lamb of God’.  It is a memorable heavy metal number that declares who Jesus is and what He has accomplished: “On His knees He washed our feet/Poured His blood on the mercy seat/Told us to love one another/Lay down your life for your brother/Lamb of God/Born of a virgin/Water to wine/Taught in the temple/Healed the blind/Holy Spirit/Fruit of the vine/I am Yours/You are mine.../Lamb of God”.  ‘Run Away’ is a catchy rocker.  It is the familiar story of a man who finds himself being seduced by a dangerous woman: “I shouldn’t be here/Oh God, help me/Give me the strength to leave this place/What was I thinking?/I know this is wrong/Run away (from the spider’s web)/Run away (you soon will be dead)/Run away (the wise men said)/Run away and hide/Run away (from where she lays)/Run away (she’s an open grave)/Run away (the wise men say)/Run away, run away and hide/Run away!”

‘Child on Earth’ features a great electric guitar solo by Oz Fox and is prophetic in nature: “The fall of man/You’ll overcome/To earth Your Son You’ll send/And He will be/The Lamb of God/And wash away our sins/Virgin birth, Child on earth...Amen/Crucify, pierced His side...Amen”.  ‘I Will’ is an artistic rocker.  It is also a song of testimony: “Oh, You’ve rescued me/Gave me eyes to see/Oh, Your love for me is guiding my life/Oh, You shower me with pure ecstasy/All the plans for me are shining so bright/I will, I will, I will/Sing for Your glory and I wanna fly on the wings of Your love”.

‘Bread Alone’ is a tasty heavy metal treat.  It warns us that material things can’t complete us or meet our deepest needs: “You know the world will tell you, ‘Satisfy yourself/The most important thing is you and no one else’/And everything you own and all that you consume/Will not be able to keep you from the tomb/I want to testify and need to tell the truth/And as the years go by, I’m further from my youth/And that’s just fine with me/These lines are living proof/We don’t live by bread alone!”  ‘Pray’ speaks of the importance of conversing with our Maker: “When you awake your day begins/Speak to God, confess your sins/Call to mind the ones you love/Lift your enemies up above/Bring to Him the world today and pray/Pray, pray, pray, pray!/Call for those who need some peace/They hurt so bad and seek release/And so you bow and make request/For those so tired in need of rest”.

‘I Can Hold On’ finds Eric Robert on the Hammond organ.  It is a ballad about spiritual determination: “I can hold on and stay the road You put me on/My life, Your love, this is right where I belong/And I surrender the guilty memories/It doesn’t matter what I’ve done before/From the moment I saw Your face/My wasted past is not welcome anymore/I’ll never stop fightin’/Never stop trying, never denyin’/Never stop fightin’/Never stop trying, never denyin’/’Til the day I die”.  ‘Run the Race’ is a hard rocker with a punch, that encourages us to pursue intimacy with God: “Lose your life/Find yourself/Stay the course/Run the race that He has given you/Go!/To the Word of God where you find the source/It’s His written voice, yeah/In the quiet place/A still small voice/Just you and God, yeah”.

‘Father Father’ is a dare I say, pretty ballad, that starts with these words written from the perspective of Jesus: “I’m hanging on a tree ‘cause I love you/Walking on the sea, ‘cause I can/I’m coming to visit, I’m not going to stay/I’ll be out of here in just a few days/Now my arms are wide open to embrace/The pain that I have is raw and real/But the joy!/Outweighs the disgrace/Father, Father, you know how I feel”.  ‘Man in the Middle’ is a guitar driven rocker that is one of the strongest songs on the album.  Lyrically, it will please those who like clear songs about the atonement: “Via De La Rosa, the road to the cross/The Lamb of God redeeming the lost/Carry the load and the disgrace/Willing to be there in my place.../Torn in the flesh/Ripped open skin/Never cried out, never gave in/Determined to die and go to the grave/This act of love, so all might be saved”.

‘Crush Me’ is a cry for God to bring us under His full control: “My lips say I adore You/But my heart is so wild/Love me, find me/Break me, crush me/Fix me and give me life again/Love me, find me, break me/Crush me, fix me/And give me life again”.  The closing song ‘In The Trenches’ was penned by Les and Michael and uses vocal distortion.  It is a song of spiritual encouragement: “Don’t be a dead man walking/Faith untested is no faith at all/Nothing grows in the mountain tops, but in the trenches!/If you believe, don’t be afraid/If you believe, fall on your knees/If you believe, then you’ll be saved/If you believe!”

DANGEROUSLY CLOSE finds Bloodgood in fine form.  If you are an old school metal fan who appreciates meaty guitar work, distinct vocals, and straight forward evangelical lyrics, this one is for you!  I recommend it to fans of Stryper and Whitecross and am rating it 88%.  For more info visit: www.bloodgoodband.com.

 

MY TRIBUTE TO SAM CRAGG LOSEY

I would like to begin by extending my deepest sympathies to Angela, Timaya, Kyla, Trinity, Josiah and Winter.  Also to Sam's mother Fay, brother Gord, and all of Sam's other close relatives and friends.

When I first met Sam Losey, I was a student at Emmanuel Bible College in Kitchener, Ontario in the mid 1990's.  I remember him wearing a red and black lumberjack shirt.  Upon getting to know him, it quickly became apparent he was not a city boy!  He was simple, unsophisticated, and did not try to impress people by being something he was not.

Over the next several years, Sam and I truly became best friends.  In our case, the saying 'A true friend sticks closer than a brother' was true.  While on dorm Sam and I became each other's confidants and accountability partners.  We told each other EVERYTHING about each other's lives.  We supported each other through many family and relationship realtionship issues.  As most of you know, Sam had the much too rare ability to listen without judging.  If I had messed it up royally in my spiritual life, I knew I could go to him, anytime day or night and talk and pray it out with him.  He and i saw the potential in each other and who we could be in Christ if we kept pressing on.

It was not unusual for Sam and I to get involved in lively discussions about theological matters such as the 'once saved always saved theory'.  We would also spend crazy amounts of time voicing our opinions on how Bible colleges and churches should properly be administrated.

Of course, not all of our time was spent in the spiritual realm.  I remember spending many a Saturday in his dorm room hanging out and watching shows like Hercules and Xena Warrior Princess.  Also, he and I, and several other Bible college buddies would grab our Sunday noon lunch trays from the campus cafeteria and religiously go back to dorm together to watch WWF pro-wrestling and all the circus that is is.  We had a lot of good laughs.  Sam also was an avid player of foosball in the rec room at college, as our dear friend Grant Waters who is here today, could attest to.  Sam did have a competitive side, but never in a mean way.

Sam had the patience of Job.  On our dorm we had a fellow who never went to class and just wandered around and played video games.  Many of us found him irritating.  I think Sam did too, but Sam poured his life into this other guy's and spent many hours hanging out with him, making him feel wanted.  Sam had a heart for mission work and seeing people come to Christ.  It was he and Ang's dream to start a ranch for troubled kids.  We can only speculate now what a blessing that ministry would have been.

I am sure we will all miss Sam's smile and laughter and love of life.  People were naturally drawn to Sam.  I remember one of our close Korean friends had a habit of sitting down by Sam and literally caressing Sam's hairy arm.  Most guys would have been spooked by this, but Sam took it all in stride.

After our life on dorm together, Sam and I moved into a fourteenth floor apartment behind Fairview Mall in Kitchener with two of our close friends Shawn and Steve.  One of my best memories from this time is Sam and Shawn arguing over whether Garth Brooks was a Christian or not.  I'm not sure who won...Of interest, Sam from the country, who listened to the likes of Randy Travis and Billy Ray Cyrus, actually had a couple of hard rock tracks by Gun 'N' Roses in his music collection which I found interesting.

Sam's time at Bible college ended before mine.  I remember balling my eyes out and asking him how we would manage being so far apart from each other and not seeing each other every day.  He simply told me that God would take care of both of us and just because we didn't see each other that much didn't mean we weren't still close friends.

As the years passed on, it seemed everytime he would call, he and Ang were expecting another child.  I would ask him how they could handle so many kids.  He admitted it took a lot of energy, but he and Angela worked superbly as a team.

I would like to say a few words about Angela.  Sam was head over heels for you.  He loved you with all of his heart.  You truly were the missing piece of his puzzle.  He spoke only good about you and the two of you wre an incredible team.  Though Sam is gone from this earth, I am sure He will be cheering you on from above.  You can see him in the eyes of your five children.  If Sam were here, he would say: "It's going to be okay.  God is in control.  God loves you.  Go forward and make a difference in this life for Christ".  Rely on God and your family, friends, and church for support.  Ang, you are welcome at our house anytime.

To Sam's five wonderful kids: Daddy loves you very much.  He just has to do it from heaven now.  He will always be with you in your hearts.  I am sure you will laugh a lot about how funny your daddy was.  Your Daddy would say: "Always love Jesus. God is listening when you pray.  Help your mommy with the chores".

Fay and Gord, I learned a lot about your family from Sam.  I can truly say he loved you guys so very much.  You were always on his mind.  As you grieve, may you be flooded with many great memories of your son and brother.  Also, feel free to visit me or stay in contact online.  Sam would want you both to stay close to God.  God does not expect us to be perfect but wants us to stay close to Him and serve Him.

Sam knew well, even back in college, he did not know how long his days on earth would be, due to his health problems.  Nonetheless, he lived life with abandon and to the fullest and did not dwell on future complications.

When I heard that Sam had passed away, I felt a piece of me had died.  So many of my secrets and struggles are "buried" in a sense, with Sam.  I will never be the same again and I am sure many of you here could say that.

In closing, I want to relate something I hope with comfort Sam's family.  A week or two before Sam's death, when I would call my dad, he would play me a song over the phone from his CD player before we'd start to talk.  Well, the night I called Dad to tell him that Sam had died, wouldn't you know it, the song Dad played me was 'Far Side Banks of Jordan'.  I said to Dad: "You won't believe how appropriate that song is" and then I told him the news.  I would like to close with a few of the lyrics from that song: "If it proves to be His will that I am first to go/And somehow I've got a feeling it will be/When it comes your time to travel likewise don't feel lost/For I will be the first one that you'll see/And I'll be waiting on the far side banks of Jordan/I'll be waiting drawing pictures in the sand/And when I see you coming I will rise up with a shout/And come running through the shallow waters reaching for your hand".

Those who know Christ will see Sam again and when  we do, he will have a new and glorious body.  We love you Sam and God bless!

MIRACLE

The genesis of Third Day can be traced to Marietta, Georgia.  In 1996 they released their successful self-titled, debut album.  In 2009 they were inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.  MIRACLE is their 12^th album.  It was released in 2012 on Essential Records and sold 29,000 copies in the first week.  On this project Third Day is: Tai Anderson (bass), David Carr (drums), Mark Lee (guitars), and Mac Powell (vocals).  MIRACLE was produced by Brendan O’Brien who has worked with the likes of Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam, and Bruce Springsteen.  O’Brien also plays B3 organ, piano, keyboards, percussion, and parlor guitar on the album.  Most importantly he provides a lot of great backing vocals.  He is quoted as saying: “When I hear this music…it’s very inviting.  It brings people in.  It’s saying ‘Come along and hear what we have to say’.  It really moves me.  I really appreciate the hard work these guys have done”.  Longtime touring band member of Third Day, Scotty Wilbanks, plays piano, B3 organ, CP70, and mellotron on MIRACLE.

 

The album opener ‘Hit me like a Bomb’ is a pounding rock song that speaks dramatically of how God can take a person’s life by storm: “Hear the sound of the sirens ringing/See the world of a life that’s changing/Well, You hit me like a bomb/I was scared and I started running/Can’t say I never saw it coming/When You hit me like a bomb”.  ‘Kicking and Screaming’ is a pop song about a person who is totally committed to another: “What if I told you that I love you?/What if I showed you just how much?/I would do anything to hold you/Give everything to prove my love/Yeah, yeah, no one can keep me from your side/Yeah, yeah, but if they ever even try/They’d have to drag me away/Kicking and screaming”.

 

The next song ‘Your Love is Like a River’ is pretty and contains these poetic lyrics of testimony: “When I am tired and so afraid/Your love is like a fire that will light my way/When darkness falls and my vision fades/Your love is like a fire that will light my way/And it’s always burning and stirring my soul/To know You and love You much more/It never stops or ever fades/Your love is like a fire that will light my way”.  ‘I Need a Miracle’ is the awesome lead single and one of the best CCM songs in recent memory.  It confirms that God is the One most folks cry out to when at the end of their rope: “Well, no matter who you are/And no matter what you’ve done/There will come a time/When you can’t make it on your own/And in your hour of desperation/Know you’re not the only one/Prayin’ ‘Lord above, I need a miracle/I need a miracle’”.

 

‘You are my Everything’ features beautiful instrumentation and could be addressed to God or a human love interest: “Well, I’ve been in love before/But it’s never felt like this/When you’re knocking at my door/How can I resist?/And I’ll give you all I have/And I hope that you believe/I’d do anything you want in this world/Just to have you here with me/You are my everything”.  ‘For the rest of my Life’ finds Mac Powell practising his falsetto.  This song is a declaration of love for and dependence on God: “You rescued me from the darkness/I feel the warmth and the light/Somehow You’ve pulled me out of/A sea of pain and doubt/I’m never gonna go that way again/For the rest of my life/Will You be by my side?/I can’t make it by myself/I want You and no one else/For the rest of my life”.

 

‘I Want to Believe in You’ is an energetic number that finds the band pouring out their hearts: “I want to believe in faith and hope and life and dreams/Grace and love and all those things/Most of all, I want to believe in You/I want to believe in peace and freedom for all man/Redemption and a second chance/Most of all I want to believe in You/I want to believe in You”.  ‘The Victory’ is a gritty rock song of bold determination, that many of us will be able to relate to: “I’ve been fighting like a soldier/From the day that I was born/Trying to make it through the hard times/Of this cruel world/But I’m keeping my head up/Even if I am alone/And I’ll be fighting till/The good Lord takes me home”.

 

‘Take me Back’ again includes very relatable lyrics: “I wonder if I’ve gone too far/Lord, please help me get back home/Where I belong”.  These words from ‘Forever Yours’ seem to be spoken by one awaiting the day they will be reunited with their spouse in heaven: “When it’s time to leave this world/And reach the other side/I’ll wait for you upon that distant shore/For I have made a promise/And I hope you won’t forget/I will always remain forever yours/Somewhere far beyond this place/And in another time/I know we’ll be together once again/For I have made a promise/And I hope you won’t forget/I will always remain forever yours/Forever yours”.

 

‘Time’s Running Out On Me’ is a cool rock song that includes good guitar work and finds the band grappling with their mortality: “There’s so many places I wanna see/So many things that I wanna be/But time’s running out on me/There’s so many places I gotta go/So many things that I need to know/But time’s running out on me/Time’s running out on me”.  The last song ‘Morning Has Broken’ is skillfully performed and its lyrics were penned by Eleanor Farjeon in 1931.  This song ends MIRACLE on a cheerful note: “Mine is the sunlight/Mine is the morning/Born of the one light/Eden saw play/Praise with elation/Praise every morning/God’s recreation/Of the new day”.

 

In the liner notes Third Day write: “All glory to God for His mercy, provision, and grace”.  Drummer David Carr says: “If there is any overarching theme on the record, it’s about pressing on and holding onto faith in the midst of doubt”.  MIRACLE proves that Third Day is one of the best and tightest bands in CCM.  The musicianship and vocals are top notch and their lyrics are relevant to today’s society.  My only beef is that there are not enough all out rockers on the album.  I’m rating MIRACLE 87%.  For more info visit: www.thirdday.com and www.providentpress.com.

 

 

NO MORE HELL TO PAY

A press release says: “Stryper are back to reclaim their throne in the hard rock/heavy metal world with the release of their 8^th studio album...”  NO MORE HELL TO PAY was released in 2013 on Frontiers Records.  It debuted at Number Two on the Contemporary Christian chart and Number 33 on the Top 200 Billboard chart.  Today, Stryper is comprised of all four original members: Michael Sweet (lead vocals, lead and rhythm guitar), Robert Sweet (drums, visual timekeeping), Oz Fox (lead and rhythm guitar, vocals), and Timothy Gaines (bass, vocals).  On this latest album Paul McNamara plays additional keys and synths.  Of the album title, Michael Sweet says that the hells we face on earth include addiction, financial ruin, and losing somebody”.   He adds: “When we get to heaven, there’s no more hell to pay”.  He also produced the much hyped album.

‘Revelation’ is the terrific hard rock opener.  It is written from the perspective of Jesus Christ and features some of the boldest lyrics ever from Stryper: “I’m, I’m coming like a thief at night/You, you’re out of time so make it right/There will be no more apologies/Cause My, My wrath/Will spread like a disease/There’s a revelation/It’s coming after you/Without hesitation/It’s gonna bring the truth”.  ‘No More Hell to Pay’ is a very strong title track penned by the Sweet brothers.  It is a song about diehard commitment to Christ no matter what: “I am taking it a day at a time/And I don’t care what the doubting voices say/I am lifting up the Name that will shine/And the light of heaven’s brighter every day/Oh, I know that it’s rough/Though I know there is pain/Even so when it’s tough/I will not be ashamed/If the dawn reveals the end of days/I’ll follow You till there’s/No more hell to pay”.

‘Saved By Love’ is very fast-paced and opens with a signature scream by Michael Sweet.  The song offers hope to the weary: “We can’t forget what brought us this far/It’s heaven sent, beyond the big star/Just when we’re feeling that we’re going down/We can’t go on anymore/We’re restored/We’re saved by love/We’re saved by love”.  ‘Jesus is Just Alright’ was penned by Arthur Reid Reynolds.  Many of my readers will be familiar with the Doobie Brothers version from 1972.  Others may prefer DC TALK’s 1992 version.  Stryper now puts a fun heavy metal spin on the song that will have you stomping your feet with glee.  Here are some of the simple words: “Jesus is just alright with me, Jesus is just alright, oh yeah/Jesus is just alright with me/Jesus is just alright/I don’t care what they may say/I don’t care what they may do/I don’t care what they may say/Jesus is just alright, oh yeah/Jesus is just alright.../Jesus, He’s my best friend (2X)/He took me by the hand, led me far from this broken land/Jesus, Jesus, He’s my best friend”.

Next up is ‘The One’.  It is the album’s only ballad and it’s a good one.  It is a love song for Michael’s wife Lisa: “I say with a smile/All I should with a word/And you’ve stayed for a while/It’s bordering on absurd/Cause that’s your glory and pains my story/But grace is what I’d prefer/Oh, you still move me/You will always be the one”.  ‘Legacy’ finds Stryper in heavy metal heaven.  The vocals are gritty and the guitars are meaty.  This song encourages us to think on things eternal: “We’ve built an empire/That in the end we can’t take with us/We walk the high wire/We cross the boundaries/And that’s our rush/Oh, but when we step/Beyond the other side/There will be nothing to hide/What’s our legacy?/Will we be humbled/Far beyond our pride?/Or are we in for a rough ride?/What’s our legacy?”

Michael Sweet wrote the original version of ‘Marching Into Battle’ when he was sixteen.  The song has evolved into a real fist-pumping rocker that has direct end time lyrics that would make Jack and Rexella Van Impe proud: “I saw the heavens open/And behold a white horse/The One that was sitting upon him/Was called faithful and true/His eyes were like two burning flames/And on His head a gold crown/He wore a vesture of blood/With a Name nobody knew/Marching into battle (3X)”.  The next track is called ‘Te Amo’ which is Spanish for ‘I Love You’.  These lyrics praise a human love interest: “You were there when I could sense no other soul/And you cared when I was down and letting go/You’re an angel that came down to earth to be/The saving grace/To help this non-believer see/There is more, so much more/Hidden deep beneath this land of stone/Now it’s known, I’m not alone”.

‘Sticks & Stones’ has a melodic chorus that should serve as a battle cry for those who have been wounded by another: “Sticks and stones may break my bones/But words will never hurt me, so they say/Oh well, yours hurt like hell/I’m a fighter on the mend/And I will rise above the world you spin/You fail, I wish you well”.  Michael Sweet says the next song ‘Water Into Wine’ has an AC/DC vibe to it.  Lyrically, it reminds us that we have an important choice to make when it comes to responding to Christ: “He turned water into wine/And made the blind man see/He cast devils out, into swine/He’s came to set you free/The road to hell is wide, but heaven’s narrow/Will we stop tryin’ to hide or be like Pharoah?”

Dave Mustaine, who is the founding guitarist/vocalist of Megadeth and the original lead guitarist for Metallica, is a fan of the catchy song ‘Sympathy’.  Michael Sweet says that we need to give each other more sympathy and not be so quick to judge.  Here are some of the song’s words: “Set in stone and sealed, I seem unbreakable/I’m forgiven-I forgive/As hearts degrade/Can I find some sympathy?/As mercy fades/I am blind but I just want to see”.  The closing track still finds Stryper rocking out.  The message is one of surrendering to Almighty God: “I’ve been running, I’ve been gone/Not forthcoming for so long/Disillusioned, heartless too/Convoluted, through and through/But I’m giving myself up and over to You/Take me, shape me/Break me, make me renewed”.  The song is called ‘Renewed’.

NO MORE HELL TO PAY is an album that most definitely lives up to its hype.  It is the best Stryper record in years.  Michael Sweet’s vocals are stronger than ever.  The electric guitar work is absolutely hot.  It is encouraging to see these guys still so passionate about their faith and their music after all these years!  The album artwork and band and individual photos are very professionally done.  Stryper continues to be a light in a dark place and for that I am grateful.  I’m rating NO MORE HELL TO PAY 97%.

The deluxe edition of the album comes with a 21 minute behind the scenes documentary look at the making of the album and the meanings of the songs.  The dvd also includes official music videos for ‘No More Hell to Pay’ and ‘Sympathy’.  You can catch Stryper live at the Rockpile West and the Rockpile East in Toronto April 24^th and 25^th, 2014.  For more info visit: www.stryper.com and www.frontiers.it.

 

 

1 GIRL NATION

The Christian Herald reports: “Each member of 1 Girl Nation had been pursuing separate musical careers when they heard about a unique opportunity to audition for a faith-based, all-female pop group”.  Lauryn Taylor Bach is from Alabama.  Kelsey Sowards is from Chicago and has a degree in music education.  Carmen Justice grew up in the Nashville area and attended Belmont University.  Lindsey Ciresi is a pastor’s kid from Florida.  Kayli Robinson grew up on military bases all over the world, as her father was in the Air Force.  She says: “The whole point of everything that we do is to bring more people into the Kingdom of Christ”.  The girls list Diane Sheets as their vocal coach.  1 Girl Nation’s debut album is self-titled and released in 2013 on Reunion Records.

The group’s contagious debut pop single ‘While We’re Young’ written by Jason Ingram, Chuck Butler, and Tony Wood, starts things off.  It is a song of declaration: “We’re gonna go right when the world goes left/Cause we don’t wanna waste even one of these days/We’re gonna save ourselves the heartache/We’re not looking back on what we wished we’d done/We’re gonna risk it all for one thing/And live for Jesus while we’re young”.  ‘Vertical’ is a fast-paced dance track that reveals these five gals are on a clear mission: “All the broken, all the hopeless, strangers in need/They are with us, they are Jesus, all the least of these/Oh Lord, how we need Your strength to stand/Oh Lord, help us be your Your feet and hands/We’re going vertical, praying for miracles/Wanna see heaven here on earth/Lifting our hands up high, people of God unite/Together we can change this world”.

‘Live For You’ finds the group overcome with God’s goodness: “You make me light up just like matches/If only I could find the words to say/Can’t think, can’t speak when I feel Your grace/Cause You love me up to outer space/You really blow my mind like dynamite/And I’m always gonna live for You.../I’m like a work of art made in Your hands/Van Gogh couldn’t draw like You”.  ‘In The Eyes’ is an effective ballad that could be addressed to those kids and teens who have been bullied: “You are treasured, you are beautiful/In the eyes, in the eyes of the One who made you/You are perfect/You’re worth more than you know/In the eyes, in the eyes of the One who made you/So you’re different, let them say you are/Cause you’re the vision of the Father’s heart”.

‘Count Your Rainbows’ was written by Lauryn Taylor Bach, Casey Brown, and Jonathan Smith.  It is reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s pop material and encourages perseverance: “The hands that paint the sky and lift the sun to rise/Will keep on holding you close through every season/Mercy and morning light breaks through the darkest night/So keep believing no matter what you’re seeing/Ooooo, just remember/He’ll bring you brighter days”.  The hip sounding ‘Love Like Crazy’ features Royal Tailor who were nominated for a Grammy for their debut album which released in 2011.  This song shows a desire to go against society’s flow: “We are meant to burn bright, be a light/Illuminate the night sky/We gotta be the spark/Show the world who we are/And love like crazy/We gotta follow to lead/Take a stand on our knees/And love like crazy/We’re gonna let it shine/We wanna live like Christ/We gotta be the spark”.

‘Turn Around’ reminds us that no matter how bad we’ve screwed up in the past God offers us a bright future with a clean slate: “You’re never too far from a brand new start/You can turn around, turn around/Cause where you have been isn’t who you are/You can turn around, turn around/You don’t have to stay down/He can lift you up now/Cause you’re never too far from a brand new start/You can turn around, turn around/Second chances are in His hands/He’ll forgive you even when you can’t”.  ‘Invade’ packs a good one-two punch musically.  The words put youthful exuberance on display: “There’s something in the air, something in the water/We can’t be quiet anymore/We are sons and daughters/You have given us a reason to jump and shout/Tell the world about how we’re sold out/No, we’re not afraid, we are outlaws/We will live on the edge, be a rebel/Oh, Your love, Your love, it has covered me/Gotta tell the world how to be free/We, we will invade this world for You/Spark a generation with the truth”.

‘Daddy’s Girl’ was penned by Keith Everette Smith (who also plays piano here), Jessica Campbell, and Jason Cox.  Chris Carmichael is responsible for strings.  This is a quiet song of deep gratitude for a loving, earthly father: “Ooh, one in a million and I got to be yours/Our souls are forever tied together/Through tears and all the laughter/You love me like no other/You say I’m the center of your whole wide world/I’ll always be my daddy’s girl/You danced me ‘cross the kitchen floor/And we’ll dance the day you give me away/You’re the first call when I need advice/You always know the right words to say”.  Of the album’s title track, which interestingly ends things off, Lindsey says: “It’s our message.  It encourages girls to stop all the gossiping and trash talk, but come together, be strong, and live for their faith.  Come together as a  1 Girl Nation.  Our message is unifying the generation that’s rising”.  This power pop song includes these words: “Drama, drama, talking smack on the internet/Sister, she’s just like you/So don’t talk trash ‘cause you’ve been there too.../Come together as a one girl nation/Shout it to all creation/Jesus is our foundation/We stand strong, it’s a revolution”.

1 Girl Nation performed on the Secret Keeper Girl Crazy Hair Tour in six Ontario cities this November.  These events targeted girls aged 8 to 12 and their mom’s.  1 Girl Nation’s music and message is smart, relevant, and contemporary.  They don’t talk down to their audience.  I highly recommend this album to those pop music lovers who value good, clean lyrics.  Fans of Zoegirl and Everlife will love this album which I’m rating 90%.  For more info visit: www.1girlnation.com and www.providentpress.com.