WHEREVER YOU ARE

Third Day released their self-titled debut in 1996.  Their eighth studio album is WHEREVER YOU ARE (2005, Essential Records).  It debuted at No 8 on the Billboard 200.  It was nominated for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album at the Grammy’s and also nominated for a Dove Award.  On this album Third Day is: Tai Anderson (bass), David Carr (drums), Mark Lee (guitars), Mac Powell (vocals), and Brad Avery (guitars).  Avery would leave the band in 2008.  Additional musicians used include Geof Barkley, Scotty Wilbanks, and Eric Darken.  Half of the album was produced by Third Day and half was produced by Brown Bannister who has worked with Amy Grant and Petra.

The opening song ‘Tunnel’ is one of six that Mac Powell alone wrote the words to, while the whole band wrote the music.  This rock track offers hope to the hopeless: “You’ve got your disappointments and sorrows/You ought to share the weight of that load with me/Then you will find that the light of tomorrow/Brings a new life for your eyes to see/So remember what I’ve told you/There’s so much you’re living for/There’s a light at the end of this tunnel (2X)/For you, for you”.  ‘Eagles’ is one of three songs whose words were written by Brad Avery.   These words make it clear that God is a sure Source of strength and place of refuge: “And I tremble with this heavy weight/And I’m buried underneath my grief/I’ll run to You and not grow faint/And I’ll lay my burdens at Your feet/I will soar on the wings of eagles/I will learn to fly high above this world”.

‘Cry out to Jesus’ peaked at No 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart.  George Cocchini (credited as Tone Chaperone) plays acoustic guitar.  This one is a wonderful inspirational ballad: “To everyone who’s lost someone they love/Long before it was their time/You feel like the days you had were not enough/When you said goodbye/And to all of the people with burdens and pains/Keeping you back from your life/You believe that there’s nothing and there is no one/Who can make it right/There is hope for the helpless/Rest for the weary/Love for the broken heart/There is grace and forgiveness/Mercy and healing/He’ll meet you wherever you are/Cry out to Jesus (2X)”.  Musically ‘I can feel It’ is a moody rocker.  It confirms that God is alive and moving amongst His people: “I keep on searching for Your presence in this place/I see Your hand at work/I feel Your touch of grace/Sometimes it falls like rain upon this thirsty land/Sometimes You gently stir the heart of every man/I can feel it/All around me.../I can feel it/I can feel Your heartbeat”.

The words to ‘Keep on Shinin’’ were penned by Mark Lee.  This one has a happy pop/rock vibe to it.  It encourages us to overcome our fears and let Christ’s light shine through us: “It feels like forever since I can remember/It seems like it’s always been this way/Keep the good news to ourselves, like a secret we’ll never tell/I don’t know why we’ve been so ashamed/But changes are in the air, sparks are starting everywhere/And oh, what a sweet, sweet sound/With millions of voices singing new choruses/Leading the way to higher ground/Keep on, keep on shinin’/Wherever you may be/Keep on, keep on shinin’/For all the world to see”.  Next up is the reverent song ‘Communion’.  The world would be a far better place if we all prayed the following words: “I will remember everything, Lord/That You’ve done for me/I won’t take for granted/The sacrifice that set me free/I hunger and thirst for Your love/Come fill me today”.

‘Carry My Cross’ is a well orchestrated song of inner turmoil and utter determination to obey Father God: “I’m  praying in the garden/And I’m looking for a miracle/I find the journey hard but/It’s the reason I was born/Can this cup be passed on?/Lord, I pray Your will be done/In this world/So I’ll carry my cross/And I’ll carry the shame/To the end of the road/Through the struggle and pain/And I’ll do it for love/No, it won’t be in vain/Yes, I’ll carry my cross/And I’ll carry the shame”.  ‘How Do You Know’ is a great rock song!  It is one of frustration and addresses someone who tries to tell another just what they should do: “You’re thinking that you’ve got all the answers/You’ve got my situation figured out/But you’re only seeing part of the picture/There’s so much more that you don’t know about/And here you come to speak your mind/But I’ll say one more time/How do you know, how do you know/What I’m supposed to be doing?/Why do you go, why do you go on/Thinking you know my fate/So many times I’ve lost my step/But never lost my way/How do you know (2X)/When I don’t know myself?”

‘Mountain of God’ was written by Mac Powell and Brown Bannister and includes the vocal stylings of Ashley Cleveland.  They should have made it a duet, trading off verses.  This adult contemporary song places great confidence and trust in God: “Even though the journey’s long/And I know the road is hard/Well, the One who’s gone before me/He will help me carry on/And after all that I’ve been through/Now I realize the truth/That I must go through the valley/To stand upon the mountain of God”.  This reached No 1 on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart.  ‘Love heals your Heart’ is a song of great optimism: “When you think your life is shattered/And there’s no way to be fixed again/Love heals your heart/At a time you least expected/You’re alive like you have never been/Love heals your heart”.

‘The Sun is Shining’ speaks of God’s transforming power: “Yesterday I lost/Everything I had and loved/Then I cried out for You, Lord/And You came and picked me up/And the sorrow lasted through the night/But the joy came with the morn.../I will lift my voice/No, I won’t be silent/For You heard my cry/And You turned my mourning into dancing/And so forever I’ll sing”.  ‘Rise Up’ is a modern anthem and a great album closer!  It includes this terrific message we all need to hear: “In life or in death/Through joy or regret/And all of the secret things you have done/No matter what comes, my friend/Nothing can keep you from the love of God”.

In the CD booklet you will find the following words from the band: “Wherever you are, whoever you are, whatever you’re going through, our prayer is that this music would encourage you, bring you hope, and draw you closer to the warm embrace of your Heavenly Father”.  If I had to sum up the thesis of WHEREVER YOU ARE, it would be that you will go through troubles but with God you can come out on top of them.  This is a splendid batch of songs drawing mostly from the genres of rock and adult contemporary.  I’m rating it 88%.  For more info visit: www.thirdday.com and www.providentpress.com.

 

JESUS FREAK

DC TALK was formed in Virginia in 1987 by Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max Smith while they were attending Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University.  The trio released five studio albums.  The first came out in 1989.  It was self-titled and included the hits ‘Heaven Bound’ and ‘Spinnin’ Round’.  JESUS FREAK, their fourth album, came out in 1995 on ForeFront Records.  It was distributed by Virgin Records in the mainstream market.  The album hit No 16 on the Billboard 200 chart.  Six of its seven singles hit No 1 on Christian radio.  JESUS FREAK won the 1997 Grammy for Best Rock Gospel Album.  Years later a tenth anniversary edition of the album (2 discs) was released.  I will be reviewing the original standard version here.

‘So Help Me God’, a grungy rocker with Dann Huff on guitars, starts things off.  The song admits that the Christian walk is not always the easiest: “Infected by the skin I’m in that’s starving with desire/And Jesus ain’t the latest thing to come across the wire/I throw myself at mercy for I am the chief of sinners/But daily taking up my cross/Has brought it’s share of splinters/You’re there when I call/And You’re there when I fall/Even though I don’t deserve it all/You, You light my way/Through the night and the day/And from You I will not stray”.  ‘Colored People’ was penned by Toby McKeehan and George Cocchini.  This pop song with a rap break is a direct attack on racism: “Ignorance has wronged some races/And vengeance is the Lord’s/If we aspire to share this space/Repentance is the cure.../We’re colored people and we live in a tainted place/We’re colored people and they call us the human race/We’ve got a history so full of mistakes/And we are colored people who depend on a Holy Grace”.

The unforgettable title track, ‘Jesus Freak’¸ was composed by Toby McKeehan and Mark Heimermann.  Musically, it blends elements of soul, rock, grunge, and rap.  Lyrically, it speaks of spiritual rebirth and its consequences: “Separated, I cut myself clean/From a past that comes back in my darkest of dreams/Been apprehended by a spiritual force/And a grace that replaced all the me I’ve divorced.../What will people think/When they hear that I’m a Jesus freak?/What will people do when they find that it’s true?/I don’t really care if they label me a Jesus freak//There ain’t no disguising the truth”.  Larry Norman would later cover the song on his concert album SHOUTING IN THE STORM.  ‘What if I Stumble?’ begins with a powerful quote by author Brennan Manning: “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today/Is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips/Then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle/That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable”.  This mellow ballad finds the group worrying about falling spiritually and disappointing their fans and God.

‘Day by Day’ is from the early 1970’s musical ‘Godspell’.  Toby McKeehan and Kevin Smith contribute additional lyrics.  The song includes these words of godly desire: “Day by day, day by day/Day by day, day by day/Oh dear Lord, three things I pray (1,2,3)/To see Thee more clearly (day by day)/To love Thee more dearly (day by day)/To follow Thee more nearly (I got to take it)/Day by day”.  ‘Mrs. Morgan’ is a short, silly spoken word track that has a lady complaining about the group’s loud drummer.  ‘Between You and Me’ is a smooth adult contemporary number written by Toby McKeehan and Mark Heimermann.  It broke into the mainstream market.  This one is all about reconciliation: “If confession is the road to healing/Forgiveness is the promised land/I’m reaching out in my conviction/I’m longing to make amends/So, I’m sorry for the words I’ve spoken/For I’ve betrayed a friend/We’ve got a love that’s worth preserving/And a bond I will defend/Just between you and me/I’ve got something to say/I wanna get it straight/Before the sun goes down”.

‘Like It, Love It, Need It’ is an energetic rock song with a rap bridge.  It finds the group speaking directly from their heart to their generation: “You’ll never find peace of mind in your pool of self/You’ll never find peace of mind in a sea of wealth/You’ll never find peace of mind in your rock and roll/You’ll never find peace of mind if you sell your soul/You gotta like it, you gotta love it/I know you need some freedom from the strife/You gotta like it, you gotta love it/I know you need some Jesus in your life/Some Jesus in your life (2X)”. 

Next up is ‘Jesus Freak (Reprise)’.  This short track has someone goofing around vocally off key with some of the lyrics from the title track.  This is followed by a cover of a great pop song Charlie Peacock wrote in 1991 called ‘In The Light’.  DC TALK’s version has Aaron Smith on drums and includes a vocal contribution from Peacock himself.  The words of the song could easily have been written by the apostle Paul.  They are some of the most vulnerable lyrics in CCM: “What’s going on inside of me?/I despise my own behavior/This only serves to confirm my suspicions/That I’m still a man in need of a Saviour.../The disease of self runs through my blood/It’s a cancer to my soul/Every attempt on my behalf has failed/To bring this sickness under control”.

‘What Have We Become’ is a soulful song.  Jerry McPherson and Dave Perkins play guitars, while Dennis Soley plays flute.  The lyrics ask questions many Christians are still asking today: “What have we become?/A self-indulgent people/What have we become?/Tell me where are the righteous ones?/What have we become?/In a world degenerating/What have we become?”  ‘Mind’s Eye’ is a great pop/rock track.  It even includes a short spoken word by Rev. Billy Graham.  The message is one of believing in God sight unseen: “Life is a gift that You choose to give/I believe we eternally live/Faith is the evidence of things unseen/People tell me that You’re just a dream/But they don’t know You the way that I do/You’re the one I live to pursue/Can you catch the wind?/Can you see the breeze?”  Track 13 is a hidden track of sorts that came to be known as ‘Alas My Love’.  It is poetry set to music with Kevin Max Smith speaking these words about the arrest of Christ: “You see it was one man against the night/Taking on a multitude that had left Him high and dry/No candle burning vigil could light the way/Darkness hit the ground, like a fallen satellite”.

If asked to name the most influential albums in CCM history, many would say Larry Norman’s ONLY VISITING THIS PLANET (1972), Amy Grant’s AGE TO AGE (1982), and Petra’s BEYOND BELIEF (1990).  JESUS FREAK is most certainly an album of this quality.  It is like nothing CCM had seen before musically!  It mixes rap, rock, and soul, with grunge music which was pioneered by Kurt Cobain and Nirvana.  It still sounds contemporary and relevant today.  JESUS FREAK was a bold statement of faith, but also delved into social issues and societal ills.  I’m rating this album a perfect 100% as I see no way it could have been improved!  For more info visit: www.dctalk.com and www.capitolcmglabelgroup.com.  Fans continue to long for a DC TALK reunion. Toby Mac is currently a solo artist, Michael Tait is lead singer of the Newsboys, and Kevin Max now fronts Audio Adrenaline.

ENDLESS SUMMER

ENDLESS SUMMER (1974) is an outstanding collection of songs by The Beach Boys pre-dating 1966’s PET SOUNDS.  This collection was released by The Beach Boys’ old label Capitol Records, while they were under contract with Reprise Records.  This album spent 155 weeks on the Billboard album chart.  It peaked at No 1 and sold over 3 million copies in the United States.  The songs are from the 60’s but the animated artwork accompanying the album shows The Beach Boys as they looked in the 70’s.  My parents had this on cassette and it hooked me pretty quick!

‘Surfin’ Safari’ is one of four songs penned by the duo of Brian Wilson and Mike Love.  It starts the album out on a lighthearted note: “Early in the morning we’ll be startin’ out/Some honeys will be coming along/We’re loading up our woody/With our boards inside/And headin’ out singing our song/Come on (surfin’) baby, wait and see (surfin’ safari)/Yes, I’m gonna (surfin’) take you surfin’ (surfin’ safari) with me”.  ‘Surfer Girl’ is one of twelve songs on this compilation that is credited to Brian Wilson alone.  This sleepy ballad finds a guy thinking out loud: “Little surfer, little one/Made my heart come all undone/Do you love me, do you surfer girl?/Surfer girl, my little surfer girl/I have watched you on the shore/Standing by the ocean’s roar/Do you love me, do you surfer girl?/Surfer girl, surfer girl”.

‘Catch a Wave’ is an upbeat song that praises surfing and its longevity: “Not just a fad cause it’s been going on so long/All the surfers going strong/They said it wouldn’t last too long/They’ll eat their words with a fork and spoon/And watch ‘em they’ll hit the road and all be surfin’ soon/And when they catch a wave, they’ll be sittin’ on top of the world”.  ‘The Warmth of the Sun’ is a tender song of heartbreak: “The love of my life she left me one day/I cried when she said ‘I don’t feel the same way’/Still I have the warmth of the sun within me tonight”.

Brian Wilson wrote the lyrics to ‘Surfin’ U.S.A.’ which is one of the funnest rock and roll songs ever.  The music is borrowed from Chuck Berry’s ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’.  Here are some of the words to the Beach Boys song: “We’ll all be planning out a route/We’re gonna take real soon/We’re waxing down our surfboards/We can’t wait for June/We’ll all be gone for the summer/We’re on safari to stay/Tell the teacher we’re surfin’/Surfin’ U.S.A.”  ‘Be True to your School’ encourages loyalty: “I got a letterman’s sweater/With a letter in front/I got for football and track/I’m proud to wear it now/When I cruise around/The other parts of the town/I got a decal in back/So be true to your school/Just like you would to your girl or guy/Be true to your school now/Let your colors fly”.

‘Little Deuce Coupe’ is one of two songs written by Brian Wilson and Roger Christian.  It is a groovy rock and roll song that has a guy bragging about his wheels: “She’s got a competition clutch with the four on the floor/And she purrs like a kitten till the lake pipes roar/And if that ain’t enough to make you flip your lid/There’s one more thing, I got the pink slip daddy/And comin’ off the line when the light turns green/Well, she blows ‘em outta the water like you never seen”.  ‘In My Room’ was penned by Brian Wilson and Gary Usher.  It is a pretty song that has a message just as relevant for teenagers today: “There’s a world where I can go/And tell my secrets to/In my room (2X)/In this world I lock out/All my worries and my fears/In my room (2X)/Do my dreaming and my scheming, lie awake and pray/Do my crying and my sighing, laugh at yesterday”.

‘Shut Down’ is a danceable song about a car race: “It happened on the strip where the road is wide/Two cool shorts standin’ side by side/Yeah, my fuel injected stingray and a four-thirteen/A revin’ up our engines and it sounds real mean/Tach it up, tach it up/Buddy gonna shut you down”.  ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’, is, well, a catchy song about having fun: “Well, she got her daddy’s car/And she cruised through the hamburger stand now/Seems she forgot all about the library/Like she told her old man now/And with the radio blasting/Goes cruising just as fast as she can now/And she’ll have fun, fun, fun/Till her daddy takes the T-bird away”. 

‘I Get Around’ has an adventurous spirit about it: “We always take my car cause it’s never been beat/And we’ve never missed yet with the girls we meet/None of the guys go steady cause it wouldn’t be right/To leave their best girl home now on Saturday night/I get around/Get around, round, I get around/From town to town”.  ‘The Girls on the Beach’ is a slow number that is every teenage boys fantasy: “On the beach you’ll find them there/In the sun and salty air/The girls on the beach/Are all within reach/If you know what to do/How we love to lie around/Girls with tans of golden brown/The girls on the beach/Are all within reach/And one waits there for you”.

‘Wendy’ finds a guy heartbroken: “Wendy, Wendy, what went wrong?/Oh so wrong/We went together for so long/I never thought a guy could cry/’Til you made it with another guy/Wendy, Wendy, left me alone/Hurts so bad/Wendy, Wendy, don’t lose your head/Lose your head/Wendy, don’t believe a word he says”.  ‘Let him run Wild’ is one of the most experimental tracks both musically and vocally.  Lyrically, it offers advice to a gal: “When I watched you walk with him/Tears filled my eyes/And when I heard you talk with him/I couldn’t stand his lies/And now before he tries it/I hope you realize it girl/Let him run wild, he don’t care baby”.

‘Don’t Worry Baby’ is a mellow song that contains these intimate words: “Oh, what she does to me/When she makes love to me/And she says/Don’t worry baby (3X)/Everything will turn out alright”.  ‘California Girls’ is one of my favourite mainstream songs of all time.  It’s a great party song: “Well, east coast girls are hip/I really dig those styles they wear/And the southern girls with the way they talk/They knock me out when I’m down there/The mid-west farmers daughters really make you feel alright/And the northern girls with the way they kiss/They keep their boyfriends warm at night/I wish they all could be California (2X)/I wish they all could be California girls”.

‘Girl Don’t Tell Me’ is a song of disappointment: “Hi little girl, it’s me/Don’t you know who I am?/I met you last summer/When I came up to stay with my Gran/I’m the guy/Who left you with tears in his eyes/You didn’t answer my letters/So I figured it was just a lie”.  ‘Help Me, Rhonda’ is a bouncy rock and roll song that utilizes tambourine and harmonica.  It finds a guy looking for a rebound relationship: “She was gonna be my wife/And I was gonna be her man/But she let another guy come between us/And it ruined our plan/Well, Rhonda you caught my eye/And I can give you lotsa reasons why/You gotta help me Rhonda/Help me get her out of my heart”.

‘You’re so good to Me’ paints a picture of every guy’s dream girl: “You take my hand/And you understand/When I get in a bad mood/You’re so good to me/And I love it, love it.../And every night/You hold me so tight/When I kiss you goodbye/You’re so good to me/And I love it, love it”.  ‘All Summer Long’ is a cheery song about puppy love: “Sittin’ in my car outside your house/’Member when you spilled coke all over your blouse/T-shirts, cut-offs, and a pair of thongs/We’ve been having fun all summer long.../I can’t see enough of you”.

When Capitol Records released this album on CD in 1987 they included 1966’s ‘Good Vibrations’ as the last track.  This quirky song that uses the theremin was The Beach Boys third U.S. No 1 single.  It is about sexual infatuation: “I, I love the colorful clothes she wears/And the way the sunlight plays upon her hair/I hear the sound of a gentle word/On the wind that lifts her perfume through the air/I’m pickin’ up good vibrations/She’s giving me excitations/Good, good, good/Good vibrations”.

ENDLESS SUMMER is an absolutely terrific collection of songs representing the early years of America’s favourite band.  This album is a lot of fun to listen to!  It puts you in mind of a time when things were simpler and innocent.  This collection still serves as a good way to introduce younger audiences to these musical heroes.  I’m rating it 98%.  For more info visit: www.beachboys.com and www.capitolrecords.com.

 

BORN IN THE U.S.A.

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949.  His debut album was 1973’s GREETINGS FROM ASBURY PARK, N.J.  1975’s BORN TO RUN was quite popular.  In 1984 he released his seventh studio album BORN IN THE U.S.A. on Columbia Records.  It was the best selling album of 1985 in the United States and his most successful album ever.  It sold 15 million copies in the U.S. and 30 million worldwide.  The album produced an incredible 7 Top 10 singles.  The iconic front cover was shot by Annie Leibovitz.  BORN IN THE U.S.A. was the first compact disc manufactured in the U.S. for commercial release.  Previously Columbia had imported its cd’s from Japan.  On this album Bruce is joined by the E Street Band comprised of Roy Bittan, Clarence Clemons, Danny Federici, Garry Tallent, Steven Van Zandt, and Max Weinberg.  Clemons and Federici are sadly no longer with us.

‘Born in the U.S.A.’ is a grassroots rocker that starts the album off on a political note: “Born down in a dead man’s town/The first kick I took was when I hit the ground/You end up like a dog that’s been beat too much/Till you spend half your life just covering up/Born in the U.S.A./I was born in the U.S.A. (2X)/Born in the U.S.A./Got in a little hometown jam, so they put a rifle in my hand/Sent me off to a foreign land/To go and kill the yellow man”.  ‘Cover Me’ is a pop/rock number that finds Bruce yearning for shelter and security: “The times are tough now/Just getting tougher/This old world is rough/It’s just getting rougher/Cover me/Come on baby, cover me/Well, I’m looking for a lover who will come on in and cover me/Promise me baby you won’t let them find us/Hold me in your arms/Let’s let our love blind us/Cover me/Shut the door and cover me”.  Richie ‘La Bamba’ Rosenberg performs background vocals.

‘Darlington County’ includes a sax solo and is very cheerful musically.  It is a story song that begins like this: “Driving in to Darlington County/Me and Wayne on the Fourth of July/Driving in to Darlington County/Looking for some work on the county line/We drove down from New York City/Where the girls are pretty but they just want to know your name/Driving in to Darlington City/Got a union connection with an uncle of Wayne’s/We drove 800 miles without seeing a cop/We got rock and roll music blasting off the T-top”.  ‘Working on the Highway’ is a highly clappable, upbeat song.  It tells the relatable story of blue collar workers: “Friday night’s pay night, guys fresh out of work/Talking about the weekend, scrubbing off the dirt/Some heading home to their families, some looking to get hurt/Some going down to Stovell wearing trouble on their shirts/I work for the county out on 95/All day I hold a red flag and watch the traffic pass me by/In my head I keep a picture of a pretty little miss/Someday mister I’m gonna lead a better life than this”.

‘Downbound Train’ is a song about losing one’s partner: “She just said ‘Joe I gotta go/We had it once, we ain’t got it anymore’/She packed her bags, left me behind/She bought a ticket on the Central Line/Nights as I sleep, I hear that whistle whining/I feel her kiss in the misty rain/And I feel like I’m a rider on a downbound train”.  ‘I’m on Fire’ is a great ballad that finds Bruce sexually charged: “Hey little girl is your daddy home/Did he go away and leave you all alone?/I got a bad desire/Oh, I’m on fire/Tell me now baby, is he good to you?/Can he do to you the things that I do?/I can take you higher/I’m on fire.../At night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet and a freight train running through the middle of my head/Only you can cool  my desire/Oh, I’m on fire”.

The Boss performed the next song ‘No Surrender’ at several John Kerry presidential rallies for the 2004 campaign.  This energetic rocker includes these words of determination: “We made a promise, we swore we’d always remember/No retreat, baby no surrender/Like soldiers in the winter’s night with a vow to defend/No retreat, baby no surrender”.  ‘Bobby Jean’ uses sax to good effect, as does the next track.  This one finds Bruce missing a dear friend: “Now you hung with me when all the others turned away, turned up their nose/We liked the same music, we liked the same bands, we liked the same clothes/Yeah, we told each other that we were the wildest, the wildest things we’d ever seen/Now I wished you would have told me/I wished I could have talked to you/Just to say goodbye Bobby Jean”.

‘I’m Goin’ Down’ is a terrific song that talks of how one partner can emotionally leave a relationship: “I pull you close now baby, but when we kiss I can feel a doubt/I remember back when we started/My kisses used to turn you inside out/I used to drive you to work in the morning/Friday night I’d drive you all around/You used to love to drive me wild/But lately girl, you get your kicks from just driving me down”.  ‘Glory Days’ is one of my favourite mainstream rock songs ever.  It speaks of how we have a tendency to focus on our past: “Now I think I’m going down to the well tonight/And I’m going to drink till I get my fill/And I hope when I get old, I don’t sit around thinking about it, but I probably will/Yeah, just sitting back trying to recapture/A little of the glory of/Well time slips away and leaves you with nothing mister/But boring stories of glory days”.

‘Dancing in the Dark’ was the first single from the album.  It hit No 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.  A pre-Friends Courtney Cox appears in the music video.  This fast-paced pop/rock song finds Bruce longing for companionship: “Man, I’m just tired and bored with myself/Hey there baby, I could use just a little help/You can’t start a fire/You can’t start a fire without a spark/This gun’s for hire/Even if we’re just dancing in the dark”.  ‘My Hometown’ is the last song on the album and was the last single from it.  This quiet song paints a dismal economic picture that is still relevant today: “Now Main Street’s whitewashed windows and vacant stores/Seems like there ain’t nobody wants to come down here no more/They’re closing down the textile mill across the railroad tracks/Foreman says these jobs are going boys and they ain’t coming back to your hometown/To your hometown (3X)”.

BORN IN THE U.S.A. is hands down one of the best rock albums of all time!  From start to finish there is not a filler song on it.  The stories Bruce tells are down to earth, and emotionally delivered.  This is an album for blue collar, working class people to be proud of.  This album has only gotten better with the passage of time.  I’m rating it 98%.   For more info visit: www.brucespringsteen.net and www.columbiarecords.com.

ey there bab

HEAR WHAT I SAY!

Jimmy P. Brown II founded Deliverance as a speed metal band in 1985.  They released their self-titled album in 1989.  In 1990 they released WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE.  The video for the decidedly Christian title track received airplay on MTV.  Deliverance’s fourth album STAY OF EXECUTION leaned more towards progressive metal.  Later, the band would venture into electronic and industrial territory as well.  Jimmy P. Brown II is now 44.  He cites Iron Maiden, Queensryche, and David Bowie as vocal inspirations.  In December of 2013 Deliverance released what is said to be their final album.  HEAR WHAT I SAY! came out on 3 Frogz Records and Roxx Records  Brown performs all the vocals and rhythm guitar, Michael Phillips of Join the Dead plays lead guitar, Manny Morales plays the 5 string bass, and Jayson Sherlock of Mortification plays drums and percussion.  Brown cites these words of Jesus as being of great import to him: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind” and “Your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27).

This final and tenth studio album from Deliverance opens with a short, quiet instrumental called ‘Liber111’.  It is performed and arranged by Olaf Lieb.  Next up is ‘The Annals of Subterfuge’ which could be translated ‘The Historical Record of Deception’.  Brown and Phillips wrote the music, while Brown alone wrote the lyrics.  Musically the song is thrash metal.  Lyrically, it expresses discontent with the abuses of religion: “Lies-spewing out in fury, seeking out the weak/Bold-authoritative stance, disguised as the meek/Made-to feel less than human, abnormal tendencies/Forced to surrender life’s will, a lived expectancy/Kraft (strength)-gehorsam (obediently)/Will we live our lives plagued in guilt?/Or will we live on freedom promised?/Laws of stone or felt from the heart”.

The third track is ‘Angst’ which is fear or anxiety.  This is one of the heaviest songs musically that Deliverance has recorded in some time.  It is the song of one who is disheartened with how things are: “Frustrated, perplexed, at the current world view/Maligned, upset, as the straight becomes askew/Knowledge so vast, yet we dive deeper still/Into the murk, and we’ve become the mentally ill/OCD¸ADHD quickly has become the norm/Independent thought, so swiftly to conform/Escape the real, dive into fantasy/To live with eyes closed, unfurled heresy/Worlds apart, or are you just like me?/Contempt for all, to be or not be/Or is there hope?/Will we find a cure?/Paths aligned, trails beyond the blur”.

‘Hope Lies Beyond’ was penned by Rick Mester and originally performed by Sombrance.  This one is an experimental progressive metal song with Brown singing in his lower register.  It has more tranquil, peaceful lyrics: “My eyes roll back, and I see You!/You bring me back where I am stillborn/Just let me supernova, admire me for a moment/A thousand eyes they’re on me, they flicker in the night/And I become as they”.  Brown plays keyboards.  ‘Detox’ is a pop-metal track with an opening guitar solo by Brown.  A detox involves getting rid of poisonous substances in the body.  Here are some of the words to the song: “Only so much one can take of mundane living/How much can one make without a thought of giving?/The picture is getting clear, but the air is still so thick/I can no longer shed a tear, it’s all making me sick!/I need to detox!/Unlearn the old way!/I need to detox!/Hear what I say!”

Brown says that the next song ‘Nude’ embodies where he is at spiritually and mentally with the whole concept of religion and God and our personal relationships with God.  This terrific melodic metal song is about spiritual growth and dying to self: “There has to be some way to crawl away from the mundane/To start again, be born again/And dare to live without compromise or conform.../Fly into the center of the Universe/And find the meaning behind your ‘self’/Watch it die, then watch it reborn/Stumble on this darkened path/The answers are there, reach in and see/Death is not the end, but a start/A chance/To live as if you were nude/Nothing to hide/Only as nude”.

‘Passing’ begins by reflecting on our mortality: “I’m tired of hearing and seeing death counts/The passing of another friend/The clock is ticking, the pendulum swinging/Worried hearts wonder for their end/They’re running to Doctors or the Medicine Men/Looking for the wonder cure``.  The song also talks of how we can easily turn into the living dead nowadays: “We hide from families, the neighbors and pets/And make friends with the computer/We Twit and Facebook our lives on a screen/Past friends and memories relived/I would hate to come to the end of my life/And realize I had not lived”.  Michael Phillips wrote ‘A Perfect Sky’ himself and plays all acoustic guitars and solos on it.  It is a pensive ballad: “Drifting, a thousand thoughts begin to cross my mind/The door keeps getting farther back behind/Stories and memories, a strong urge to obey/A call to act, a call to pray.../Caught up inside a peaceful bliss, a taste of Heaven upon my lips/Beauty abounding, tranquil feelings I surmise/Hoping I will not open my eyes”.

‘Where Eagles Dare’ is an Iron Maiden cover.  It was the opening track on their 1983 PIECE OF MIND album.  Brown says he enlisted the help of Ken Tamplin’s vocal academy so he could hit the high notes.  This pounding heavy metal number is over six minutes long.  It is set in World War 2: “It’s snowing outside, the rumbling sound/Of engines roar in the night/The mission is clear, the confident men/Are waiting to drop from the sky/The blizzard goes on but still they must fly/No one should go where eagles dare/Bavarian alps that lay all around/They seem to stare from below/The enemy lines a long time passed/Are lying deep in the snow/Into the night they fall through the sky/No one should fly where eagles dare”.  Last up is a German language version of ‘Detox’ called ‘Entgiftung’.  Brown has ancestry in Germany and lower Bavaria and has a lot of German fans.

2013 really was a stellar year for Christian metal fans with new albums from Stryper, Bloodgood, and Deliverance.  HEAR WHAT I SAY! is a standout album!  Deliverance has finished off at the top of their game!  In the CD booklet Brown thanks Rabbi Ahyh and The Church of YHWH “for always challenging and helping me find the light switch!”  In a recent interview with ‘Beyond the Riff’ Brown revealed that there are a few songs that did not get finished on time for this last album and that they will see the light of day.  Also, he is working on new Jupiter VI material.  I’m rating HEAR WHAT I SAY! 95%.  For more info visit: www.deliverancerocks.com, www.3frogzstudio.com, and www.roxxproductions.com.

 

DANIELLE BRADBERY

Danielle Simone Bradbery was born on July 23, 1996.  She won Season 4 of NBC’s ‘The Voice’.  On November 12, 2013 she made her Grand Ole Opry debut at the Ryman.  She released her first album, self-titled, on November 25, 2013.  It debuted at No 5 on the U.S. Top Country Albums chart.  It sold 41,000 copies during the first week and by January 8, 2014 had sold 103,000 copies.  In the CD booklet Danielle writes: “First and foremost, I would like to thank God.  Without Him, my life and the blessings within would not be possible.  I would also like to thank my wonderful parents, family, and friends for their love, support and prayers...I love you all”.

The album begins with the upbeat country song ‘Young in America’.  It was written by Jaren Johnston, Kylie Sackley, and Whitney Duncan.  It is all about having fun: “We could do the Vegas thing, you could buy me a ring/Make a lot of love and a little bit of money/Go dancin’ in the rain with the guitars playin’/Down there in Memphis, how about it honey/Fine white sand, bare feet, kiss me on the beach/So much to see, come on, come on, come on”.  ‘Wild Boy’ contains a lyrical theme that is no stranger to country music: “He draws you in with his flame/Takes you on a ride like a paper airplane in a hurricane/Looks you in the eye when he says your name/Midnight ride on a motorcycle in the pourin’ rain/Oooh, he charms you senseless/Oooh, leaves you defenceless/Wild boy, wild boy.../He’ll disappear without tellin’ you goodbye/Oh, no matter what you think/You can’t tame a wild boy, no”.

‘The Heart of Dixie’ was penned by Caitlyn Smith, Brett James, and Troy Verges.  It’s the only track on the album not produced by Dann Huff.  Brett James produced this one.  It peaked at No 16 on the U.S. Country Charts and No 46 on the Canadian Country charts.  The song has a melodic, classic country sound and tells the story of a woman leaving her alcoholic husband to find herself: “Dixie packed up and said her goodbyes and she went/Drivin’ so far away nobody’s gonna find her/Flyin’ just fast enough to leave it all behind her/But she didn’t know ‘til she hit the road/Deep in her soul/She’s got the fire and the fight of a gypsy/Ain’t nothin’ stronger/Than the heart of Dixie”.  ‘I Will Never Forget You’ is a terrific country ballad about heartbreak, with Charlie Judge performing strings.  Here are some of the words: “Sooner or later they say, that it all gets easier/Take it one tear at a time/And I’ll wake up one day to find some closure/Shinin’ like the sunlight through the blinds/No matter how much time may pass between us/You’ll never be more than a memory away/Cause I’ll never forget you”.

‘Endless Summer’ was written by Sarah Buxton, Jedd Hughes, and Busbee.  It has a warm feel to it musically and Hunter Hayes adds an electric guitar solo.  This song fondly reminisces about a former love interest: “Warm winds blowin’ reckless through my mind/Takes me right back to the time/When I was your baby and you were mine/And we were on fire just like the sun above/Couldn’t burn hot enough for each other/Endless summer (2X)”.  ‘Talk About Love’ speaks of teenage adventure: “I snuck in at ten o’clock and you were waitin’ a couple blocks/Away in your car between your house and mine/We held hands and drove too fast/Took 5 hours and a tank of gas/But now we’re here and all alone/I know we’ll be dead when we get home.../Can you believe we’re finally here?/Bare feet hangin’ off the pier/I thought I’d seen it all tonight/But then you put your lips on mine”.

Gordie Sampson, Caitlyn Smith, and Steve McEwan wrote ‘Never Like This’.  It finds Danielle totally smitten with a guy: “Happens so fast, so much to lose/Fallin’ fifty miles an hour without a parachute/Tryin’ to resist, but I can’t refuse/I’m feelin’ feelings that I never knew/Ooh, yeah, ooh/I’ve thrown my heart out in the open/I always thought love could be mine but never like this/I’ve been afraid of being broken/I’ve laid it all out on the line but never like this”.  ‘Daughter of a Workin’ Man’ is a tender song.  It is also another example of a song with decidedly country lyrics: “I’m the daughter of a workin’ man/He built our world with his two hands/He gave us everything he had/I’m the daughter of a workin’ man/I’m a restless girl from a red-dirt town/Like a tumbleweed I rolled right out/The wind will bring me back around/Cause I’m a restless girl from a red-dirt town”.

I was expecting a fast-paced song when it comes to the next song ‘Dance Hall’, but I was wrong.  Nevertheless, the song has a youthful, playful slant to it lyrically: “We could string the stars over these corn stalks and we could turn your truck into an old jukebox/Just take my hand and baby we could fall/Let’s turn this open field into an old dancehall/No neon signs, no bar room fights/Just you and me in these headlights/Two steppin’ in rolled up Levi jeans/There ain’t no band playing ‘Ramblin Man’/No cowboys kickin’ old beer cans/Just a couple cherry Cokes and a mixed CD”.  Finally, ‘Yellin’ from the Rooftop’ is a more energetic song musically.  It borrows religious language to describe the experience of falling in love: “I wasn’t even lookin’ for the look in your eyes/Glory hallelujah, I feel like I’ve been saved/Washin’ in the river of your real love waves, yeah.../You made me want to testify every day and every night”.

‘My Day’ was created by Mallory Hope, Tom Shapiro, and Ross Copperman.  Dan Huff contributes an electric guitar solo.  This great inspirational song is to be featured in the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.  Here are some of the lyrics: “Like a lotus flower growing in the dirt/Ain’t nobody ever noticed what it’s worth/Til the sun shines and the rain falls and/In no time it all is beautiful.../This is the start of something/My heart believes it now/This is my day, this is my day/Oh, won’t let it slip away”.  The deluxe digital version of this album includes four additional tracks including a cover of ‘Jesus Take The Wheel’. 

Danielle Bradbery has a very good voice.  It is easy to listen to.  This album reminds me more of classic country artists such as Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill, and Sara Evans, than it does more contemporary ones such as Taylor Swift and Cassadee Pope.  One of the drummers used on the album is Greg Morrow of DeGarmo and Key fame.  Cherie Oakley and Sam Ellis provide backing vocals.  This album was released by Universal Republic Records and will appeal to those who like mid-tempo country songs more than real toe-tappers.  Danielle is on Brad Paisley’s ‘Beat This Winter’ tour.  The CD booklet includes many beautiful pictures of Danielle.  I’m rating this debut project 85%.  For more info visit: www.daniellebradbery.com and www.republicnashville.com.

 

 

TIME FOR THE SHOW

Kerrie Roberts was born on January 1, 1985.  She began singing at age five in her mother's church choir.  Later she would play piano and lead worship at church.  While she was in high school she started writing her own songs.  She has a degree in studio music and jazz vocal.  After school she toured as a background singer for the one and only Englebert Humperdinck.  Kerrie put out her self-titled debut album in August 2010.  Songs from it such as 'No Matter What' and 'Outcast' got CCM airplay.  Her latest project is TIME FOR THE SHOW (2013, Reunion Records).

The first cut is the title track which is a dance number penned by Roberts, Stephanie Lewis, and David Garcia.  It reminds believers of their identity and purpose: "You are the light of the world/A city on a hill that can't be hidden/You are the salt of the earth/Glorify your Father in Heaven/A billion tiny flames breaking through the dark/Show His love/Show His mercy/Show His heart".  'Sing' is a cool dance number that finds Kerrie very excited about her faith: "No, I won't be quiet/I'll sing and shout/I cannot be silent/You put the music in my heart/It's screaming out/I feel like jumping/Feel like dancing for You now/And sing out loud/No, I won't be quiet/I won't be silent, no".

'What are you afraid Of' is a bouncy pop song, but lyrically lists various things ladies may fear: "Being compared to the girl who has everything/Not living up when the whole world's watching/Being the last to get there and the last to know/You scream at the top of your lungs/When no one's listening/Being a basket case over anything/Giving your whole world for love/And the boy says no".  The pretty ballad 'Finally Home' is the album's first single and was written by Roberts, Rob Graves, Chris Flury, and Alex Nicefor.  It expresses a longing for Heaven: "I'm reminded again and again/I live in this world as a stranger and/As good as it's been/Or as bad as it gets/It all will end/I want to stand where hope and faith and love/All meet in one face/Oh, I wanna be where I can see/What I believe now.../The ultimate healing/Where hurt can't reach me/I won't need to find every answer/All I need will be found within Your presence".

'Middle of it All' is another great ballad, this time penned by Roberts, Stephanie Lewis, and Rusty Varenkamp.  It could be a theme song for the Salvation Army: "I want to be the one who stands in the fray/I want to take a chance so I can say/I'm coming through, gonna get my hands dirty/On the journey here with You/I want to remember those forgotten by the world/I want to be the words for those unheard/And I'll follow You into the hardest places.../No, I won't hide behind the safety of the city walls".  'Masterpiece' is a real self-confidence booster: "You're a masterpiece (beautiful, colorful)/Even if you don't believe/You're forgiven so (wonderful, loveable)/Everything you need to be/Cause when I look at you I see/You're a masterpiece".

'Not Real Yet' is a great song that finds Kerrie in a fragile state emotionally and spiritually: "Say that You love me/Tell me You won't leave/I wanna believe it, hear it, I'm listening/Wish I could see You/Get close and touch You/Lord, I need You here, please remind me/Help me feel it, it's not real yet/It's not real yet".  'In Your Sight' uses guitars, violins, violas, cellos, bass, and French horn.  It is a ballad that I could hear Carrie Underwood doing.  Here are some of the quite conversational lyrics: "I'm through with my emotions always guiding me/They take me places I don't want to be/So far from You/And I've lived in fear of failing/But that's just my pride/And I know it's not about me/Cause I've given You my life.../Where could I go?/What could I do?/There's no place I know/Apart from You".

'Wake Up' is a catchy pop song written by Roberts, Matt Bronleewe, and Tony Wood.  It urges us to make the most of our time on earth: "Sun coming up far too soon/First cup of coffee at the crack of noon/I'm moving so slowly/Never know what's coming around/Hit the ground running or just fall down/I've got to get going/Don't wanna live so casually/And miss the life You have for me/It's time to wake up".  Dave Stovall plays piano on the closing number 'Like Jesus Loves'.  Also used are guitars, violins, violas, cellos, bass, and French horn.  The song extols Christ: "No road was too lonely/No cost too great/No distance too far for the reach of His grace/All He left behind, all He sacrificed/For every soul throughout all time/Nobody loves like Jesus loves, like Jesus loves.../Come to Him, all who are broken/Come to Him, all who are searching.../I want to love like Jesus loves".

In the CD booklet Kerrie quotes Psalm 30:12 which says: "That my heart may sing to You and not be silent.  O Lord my God, I will give You thanks forever".  Kerrie's faith message and contemporary pop sounds are contagious.  This is certainly an uplifting collection of songs!  Fans of Natalie Grant, Britt Nicole, and Mandisa should get this record.  Musically, at times it seems directed at teens, and at other times reaches for a young adult audience.  I'm rating TIME FOR THE SHOW 88%.  For more info visit: www.kerrieroberts.com and www.providentpress.com.

PET SOUNDS

PET SOUNDS is the eleventh studio album by The Beach Boys.  It was released on May 16, 1966.  It was made several months after Brian Wilson quit touring with the group and focused on writing and recording.  On this album you can hear various sounds including: bicycle bells, buzzing organs, harpsichords, flutes, electro-theremin, dog whistles, trains, and barking dogs.  The music is considered psychedelic rock and baroque pop.  The album cover was shot at the San Diego Zoo.  I am reviewing here the 2012 re-release of the album on CD on Capitol Records.  I prefer the stereo mixes here over the mono as they sound clearer.

The album’s opening song ‘Wouldn’t it be Nice’ was written by Brian Wilson, Tony Asher, and Mike Love.  It has a cheerful pop sound to it and longs for blissful matrimony: “Wouldn’t it be nice if we were older/Then we wouldn’t have to wait so long/And wouldn’t it be nice to live together/In the kind of world where we belong/You know it’s gonna make it that much better/When we can say goodnight and stay together/Wouldn’t it be nice if we could wake up/In the morning when the day is new/And after having spent the day together/Hold each other close the whole night through”.  ‘You Still Believe in Me’ is one of seven songs Brian co-writes with Tony Asher.  This sleepy song is one of gratitude to one’s partner: “I know perfectly well I’m not where I should be/I’ve been very aware you’ve been patient with me/Every time we break up/You bring back your love to me/And after all I’ve done to you/How can it be/You still believe in me”.

‘That’s not Me’ is a very reflective song coming from a male perspective: “I had to prove that I could make it alone now/But that’s not me/I wanted to show how independent I’d grown now/But that’s not me/I could try to be big in the eyes of the world/What matters to me is what I could be to just one girl/I’m a little bit scared/Cause I haven’t been home in a long time/You needed my love/And I know that I left at the wrong time”.  ‘Don’t Talk (Put Your Head on my Shoulder)’ is a very mellow song that takes a romantic turn: “I can hear so much in your sighs/And I can see so much in your eyes/There are words we both could say/But don’t talk/Put your head on my shoulder/Come close/Close your eyes and be still/Don’t talk/Take my hand/And let me hear your heart beat/Being here with you feels so right/We could live forever tonight/Let’s not think about tomorrow/And don’t talk/Put your head on my shoulder”.

‘I’m Waiting for the Day’ is an experimental pop song about falling for someone who is on the rebound: “I came along when he broke your heart/That’s when you needed someone/To help forget about him.../I kissed your lips/And when your face looked sad/It made me think about him/And that you still love him so.../He hurt you then, but that’s all done/I guess I’m saying you’re the only one/I’m waiting for the day when you can love again”.  ‘Let’s Go Away for Awhile’ is one of two tracks penned solely by Brian Wilson.  This one is an easy listening instrumental.

Two of my favourite Beach Boys songs of all time are up next.  ‘Sloop John B’ is upbeat musically and is one of the best story songs ever.  It begins: “We come on the Sloop John B/My grandfather and me/Around Nassau town we did roam/Drinking all night/Got into a fight/Well, I feel so broke up/I wanna go home/So hoist up the John B’s sail/See how the main sail sets/Call for the captain ashore/Let me go home, let me go home/I wanna go home, yeah yeah/Well, I feel so broke up/I wanna go home”.  ‘God Only Knows’ has a happy sound musically and vocally but conversely is somber lyrically as it puts into words just how attached we get to our romantic partners: “If you should ever leave me/Though life would still go on believe me/The world could show nothing to me/So what good would living do me?/God only knows what I’d be without you”.

Brian Wilson, Mike Love, and Terry Sachen wrote ’I Know There’s an Answer’.  It is eclectic instrumentally and searches for a remedy for the stresses of life: “They come on like they’re peaceful/But inside they’re so uptight/They trip through their day/And waste all their thoughts at night/Now how can I come on/And tell them the way that they live could be better/I know there’s an answer/I know now but I have to find it by myself”.  ‘Here Today’ reminds us that love and heartbreak oft go hand in hand: “You’ve got to keep in mind love is here today /And it’s gone tomorrow/It’s here and gone so fast/Right now you think that she’s perfection/This time is really an exception/Well, you know I hate to be a downer/But I’m the guy she left before you found her”.

‘I Just Wasn’t Made for these Times’ is a wonderful song of discontent and unrest: “Sometimes I feel very sad (3X)/I guess I just wasn’t made for these times/Every time I get the inspiration to go change things around/No one wants to help me look for places where new things might be found/Where can I turn when my fair-weather friends cop out, what’s it all about?” ‘Pet Sounds’ is actually a pleasant instrumental that makes me picture myself lounging carefree on a beach.  ‘Caroline No’, a soft song of lament, ends the album: “Where did your long hair go?/Where is the girl I used to know?/How could you lose that happy glow?/Oh, Caroline no/Who took that look away?/I remember how you used to say/You’d never change, but that’s not true/Oh Caroline you/Break my heart/I want to go and cry”.

PET SOUNDS was produced by Brian Wilson.  It is considered one of the most influential records in the history of pop music, with the likes of Elton John and Paul McCartney praising it.  Rolling Stone named it the No 2 greatest album of all time.  On this album you will hear the tight group harmony vocals you expect from the Beach Boys.  The songs here though are much more mature, creative, and artistic in comparison to their better known hits such as ‘Surfin’ U.S.A.’ and ‘I Get Around’.  This album is more of an acquired taste.  I’m rating PET SOUNDS 85%.  For more info visit: www.beachboys.com and www.capitolrecords.com.

 

FRAME BY FRAME-DELUXE EDITION

Cassadee Pope was born on August 28, 1989 in Palm Beach, Florida.  She was the lead vocalist for the pop/rock band Hey Monday.  They put out one studio album and three EP’s and toured with the likes of FallOut Boy.  Cassadee released her debut self-titled solo EP in May 2012.  That same year, she won Season 3 of NBC’s ‘The Voice’ under the direction of her coach Blake Shelton.  In January 2013 she signed with Republic Nashville, an imprint of Big Machine Records.  She released her debut album FRAME BY FRAME on October 8, 2013.  It peaked at No 1 on the U.S. country charts and No 16 in Canada.

The album opens with ‘Good Times’ penned by Nathan Chapman, Sarah Buxton, and Blair Daly.  Chapman has worked with the likes of Taylor Swift and Point of Grace.  This song is upbeat country and is all about having fun: “It’s time to sing about the good times/C’mon lets rock it ‘til the sun shines/Now that you got it, don’t you waste it/Ah, can’t you feel it?/Can’t you taste it?/Oh yeah, I really wanna put a smile on your lips/Like an 8^th grade kiss/Put a swing in your hips, come on move like this/And sing about the good times, good times, yeah”.  ‘Champagne’ is a pulsating song that finds Cassadee intoxicated with infatuation: “Yeah, you’re my champagne/Baby you go straight to my head/Just one taste/I’m about as high as I can get/Words trippin’, hearts skippin’/One look and my world’s spinning out/You’re my champagne (2X)”.

The album’s wonderful debut single, ‘Wasting All These Tears’, came out May 31, 2013.  It was penned by Caitlyn Smith and Rollie Gaalswyk and debuted at No 7 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.  It sold 125, 000 copies during the first week and was Cassadee’s first song to reach Gold status.  This powerful country ballad is a song of heartbreak: “You said you don’t want me anymore/And you left me/Standing on a corner cryin’/Feeling like a fool for trying/I don’t even remember why I’m/Wasting all these tears on you/I wish I could erase our memory/Cause you didn’t give a damn about me/Oh, finally I’m through/Wasting all these tears on you/These tears on you”.  ‘I Wish I Could Break Your Heart’ is a particularly strong song that begins with these words of revenge: “I wish I could break your heart/I wish I could bring you down/Just for a second teach you a lesson/About bein’ alone in the dark/I wish I could make you cry/So hard you can barely breathe/Maybe you just might know what it feels like/To be me”.

Cassadee, Blair Daly, and Troy Verges wrote ‘Everybody Sings’.  It finds Pope in party mode: “We’re dancing like fools/With the music blasting/Trying not to spill the drinks/In our glasses/No, we’re not goin’ home/’Til the taps run dry/We’re all shining in our own spotlight/Singing every line/It feels so right”.  ‘You Hear a Song’ is a serious ballad that speaks of how, often our love interest can see the positive in us and life, when we just can’t: “A one note symphony/Baby come on and sing it back to me/I see a mess in the mirror, you see the girl of your dreams/I see the dark clouds rollin’ in/You see the sky I can’t see/I hear this melody coming out all wrong/It sounds like the chaos I hear in my head all night long/You hear a song (3X)”.

‘This Car’ was written by Pope, David Hodges, and Gordie Sampson.  It is contemporary country in style and is not the first song in music history to link a mode of transportation with a love relationship: “5 years in the blink of an eye/Still smiling cause you’re next to me/We fought, made up, got lost, made love in the back seat/So many stories in this steel and glass/Yeah, there’s no wonder why we fell so fast/From the first time you opened the door/Well, it felt like the beginning of something more.  ‘One Song Away’ was composed by Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges, Aaron Pearce, and Mike Green.  Lindsey has worked with artists such as Faith Hill, Shakira, and Bon Jovi.  Here we have a well executed contemporary country ballad that finds Cassadee lonesome: “Late at night/Can’t go to sleep/It’s just me and the radio/Every single melody/Is wrecking me/And I know I’m getting close/To losing all control and picking up the phone/I’m one song away from/Breaking down and calling you up/And each one that plays is telling me that I’m still in love”.

Max Martin, Shellback, and Savan Kotecha wrote ‘Easier to Lie’.  It has Cassadee thinking out loud after being unfaithful: “You know that I’ve been cryin’/So you ask what’s goin’ on/Your arm’s around my shoulder/You’ve got no clue what I’ve done/Cause you don’t see the guilt in me/And that just makes it worse/Yeah, that just makes it worse”.  The next song is a pretty one.  Many females will be able to relate to ‘11’ and the tale it tells: “I was a little too young and a little too dumb/To ever think the day would come/When Dad would drive away and take his love with him/So I grew up fast in a whole new world/Waved goodbye to that little girl/I can see her now/Innocent and seven/I wish I had never turned 11”.  ‘Proved You Wrong’ has a bouncy pop sound and finds Cassadee emotionally strong and determined: “It’s easy letting go of us/Said I didn’t even have the guts/Yet here I am packing up/I’m taking my heart back ‘cause I’ve had enough.../Hey...I’m done with you and all the lies you made/You were such a mistake”.

The deluxe edition of FRAME BY FRAME includes four additional tracks.  Pope, Liz Rose, and Busbee penned the first one.  Many couples who have been together for ages will be envious of the passion expressed in ‘Edge of a Thunderstorm’.  Witness these lyrics: “I’ll tell you right now, I never felt like this/The touch of your hand, the thought of your kiss/Yeah, yeah, yeah/It’s a powerful thing washing over me/I’m reminding myself, don’t forget to breathe/Yeah, yeah, yeah/So right, the way you look at me/Feels like something’s calling/Maybe I’m gonna get swept away/I’ll worry ‘bout that some sunny day/Cause I can’t wait to taste that rain, whoah”.  ‘Cinematic’ is a cheerful country song.  It contains frisky lyrics I could hear Britney Spears singing: “You’re so cinematic, your touch I got to have it/Every scene you’re making me believe/It doesn’t have to be on the other movie screen/Red hot, non-stop, we got cinematic love, cinematic love/Rated R in our secret spot, hoping we don’t get busted by the cops/Heating up baby, ready or not/I’ve been waiting all this time for the fairy tale to come alive”.  The last two tracks are decent acoustic takes on ‘Good Times’ and ‘Wasting All These Tears’.

Instrumentalists used on the album include Jerry McPherson, Dann Huff, Tom Bukovac, and Jimmie Sloas.  Instruments used include: guitars, ganjo, banjo, mandolin, bouzouki, fiddle, B3 organ, and accordion.  Fans of Taylor Swift and Miranda Lambert will love the modern country songs on this record.  Pope’s vocals remind me a lot of earlier era Miley Cyrus on songs such as ‘Party in the U.S.A.’ and ‘The Driveway’.  This album gives us an up close look at the heart of Cassadee.  There is no doubt that she is quite talented and I look forward to hearing her follow-up release.  I’m rating FRAME BY FRAME-DELUXE EDITION 90%.  For more info visit: www.cassadeepope.com and www.republicnashville.com.