5 comments about Turn Around.

1. jonny lang always just floors me... i like this cd.... its nice to know hes not just blue............. always powerful and i still will drive a longggggggggggggggggg way to watch him live.... its different but ever changing as any good artist will do........ love you jonny lang.....



2. Lots of complaints on here from prior Jonny Lang fans. I only learned of Lang recently, so I am only familiar with his new work. It is outstanding. I bet most complaints are not really about the music or artist himself, but rather that they were expecting something more similar to his past work. For what it is though, it is unique, inspiring , and has a great beat.



3. I am (was) a great fan of Jonny Lang. I have seen him a few times in concert and loved that a young kid could play the guitar like he did.
   
   Sure this album changes from darker themes to a more christian theme but that is not my beef with the album. The problem is that he apparently has gradually given up on playing the guitar in his songs. He was an excellent soloist and if he wants to find religion, fine, just keep playing the instrument that got you there. He is dangerously close to becoming a christian-backstreet boy.
   
   Jonny, you dont have to do drugs or sing about sin to make great music. This is not, musically speaking, great music.
   
   Maybe next album...



4. You can tell he has now experienced life, and is not just soulfully singing about it....although he did THAT well, too!



5. Love it!
   I understand why this Jonny Lang album is award winning.
   Excellent, Jonny! Keep it up!

5 comments about True Beauty.

1. I actually never watched Idol but I had heard of Mandisa. I went to an Extrodinary Woman conference and then to a Beth Moore DeeperStill conference (Christian Womens Conference) and fell in LOVE with her music. You can really feel her love for God in her music and you can see she was given the gift of music from God. This album is very uplifting and powerful. Voice of a Savior is my favorite!!!



2. This CD is a blessing. I've already bought a few to share with others as a ministry tool. I love every track. There is no way I can choose a favorite. Of all the CDs I own, this is by far the best. When you feel like praising the Lord, like dancing, like crying... when you are in need of encouragement... there's a track for you. It's complete. Her voice will amaze you and the words will refresh you. A must have!



3. "True Beauty" is truly one of the best albums I've bought all year. The album starts with single "Only The World" and is followed by "True Beauty" the title track. You basically have a taste of every genre on her album. Upbeat songs steal the show "Oh My Lord", (Never Gonna) "Steal My Joy", "Love Somebody" (which features Tobymac), and "Shackles" (Praise You) formerly done by Mary Mary. The softer songs make you enjoy her voice all the much more with song including, "God Speaking", "Voice Of A Savior", "Unrestrained", and "He Will Come." This album is definately Idol worthy! If you still aren't sure? And want to hear her sing first! Then be my guest! www.myspace.com/mandisa GO-GO MANDISA! Oh I forgot...She isn't on Idol anymore? haha. Cheers!



4. I also bought this C.D. with much higher expectations. I enjoy all Christian and gospel music but this C.D. is mediocre. It's not at all soulful or intensely moving.



5. My husband purchased a copy of Mandisa's "True Beauty" gospel cd last year. We fell in love with it after listening to the VERY FIRST SONG! Each subsequent rendition is filled with power, melody and inspired lyrics. "American Idol" introduced this godly young woman to the world, but our Father gave her a voice and a song. By the way, the cd I purchased via Amazon.com was for my mom, now living in North Carolina. She, too, loves Mandisa, and listens to her while getting her workout on. It's truly a thing of beauty....

5 comments about Revival in Belfast.

1. The music on this CD got my parents singing praise and worship again. Anything that can do that-and that sounds this brilliant-is worth it.



2. I recently had a chance to hear Robin in person at my church. He is very gifted at bringing God up close and personal for worship.



3. Wonderful collection of worship music, some meditative, some upbeat, all very meaningful and performed as well as anyone cold perform them. This is a great worship experience. We use this music often at our church. All for Jesus!



4. This compilation of music has been a blessing to me and to those around me. I would recommend this CD to anyone who has a desire to learn more about how He has reached out to other nations. This is truely a blessed CD. Robin Mark is truely gifted by God. I pray that this CD would truely open your heart to God and that you would hear the words spoken in the songs. God bless to you all.



5. This is one of the BEST CD's I've heard in thirty years.
   It is so inspiring, and the music and Robin Mark's lyrics are
   incredible!
   I highly recommend this to all ages. You'll put it on your cd player and never take it off.

1 comments about Christmas Gaither Vocal Band Style.

1. It seems that with each successive album, the GVB strolls further and further away from southern gospel, and unfortunately, this CD is no exception. I'm a huge fan of the Vocal Band, owning all their albums, but I think that "Still The Greatest Story Ever Told" is the better of their two Christmas albums. If you can only purchase one, and you don't have that one, I highly recommend that one first!

4 comments about Expect The Impossible.

1. Stellar Kart's newest CD, Expect The Impossible, is much more than I expected. I've never really listened to their music before. I purchased the CD from Pepsi points and was really impressed with what I heard. Their sound is much different than what I typically listen to (i.e., Starfield, Telecast, Salvador, etc.), but different is good in this case. I highly recommend this CD!!



2. I bought the first 2 Stellar Kart cds and saw the newest one advertised on Amazon for a pretty low price, so I went ahead and ordered it, but did not have very high expectations. I thought the first CD was great lyrically, but not very good musically. The second one was a little better, but still a bit on the cheesy side. I really like the newest CD quite a bit. Their musical ability is improving. The guitars are sounding better and the tunes are a little more catchy now. Their lyrics are still very spiritual, which is fine with me. I think there was quite a bit of improvement over the first CDs here. It's still not quite in the league of Hawk Nelson or Relient K, but they're catching up, in my opinion. Listen to some samples and see what you think.



3. Really . . . it does. David Lee Roth once said music in the '80s smiled. By capturing elements of '80s music, that's exactly what this album does. I don't like a lot of Contemporary Christian music, but this album is good --very good--from beginning to end. They don't compromise a modern sound while experimenting with elements from previous generations.
   
   It's got a little of Def Leopard's (or Blue Oyster Cult's) cowbell, Van Halen's 1984 synthesizer, and various other '80s synth sounds similar to Ah-Ha or Cutting Crew. Compared to the normal dark and disturbed albums prevalent in secular as well as Christian music, this is more than a refreshing diversion.
   
   It's great to see a modern group with a modern sound that can capture in sound and mood the essence of what made a decade of music so popular.



4. This album is a step in somewhat of a new direction for Stellar Kart, as there are a number of poppy tracks mixed in with the occasional pop-punk throwback. My two complaints are the length of the CD, only 10 tracks and about 30 minutes of music, plus there are a couple of tracks that sound like Linkin Park, which is just not a good sound for this band. The sunny pop of "Innocent" to begin the record is classic Stellar Kart, and the ballad "Jesus Loves You" proves that these guys write and sing the songs they feel in their hearts as opposed to some corporate, mainstream spit-shined glossy band who only does what their record label tells them to do. "Automatic" is another song with lots of hooks and guitars. Despite the length of the album, there are enough hooks in the upbeat anthem "Sunshine" and the guitar-studded pop punk of "The Rigt One" (which recalls MxPx even moreso than track #4 on their previous CD) to keep the appetite of their fans satisfied. This band continues to gradually improve, but one does get the feeling that they have not quite hit their peak yet on their three albums to date.

5 comments about Something to Say.

1. Matthew West hit the Christian music scene in a big way back in 2003 with Happy and the hit single More being the most played song of 2004. His 2005 follow-up album History was even more impressive with several hit songs including History, Only Grace, and the cross-over hit The Day Before You, also recorded by country artist Rascal Flatts. A true singer-songwriter in Christian music, Matthew also wrote Only The World, the hit song recorded by Mandisa. So, when Matthew had vocal cord problems and lost his voice and needed surgery, he had to truly rely on God's grace and thankfully recovered to release his third and best album in my opinion.
   
   Something To Say is easily the best-named album of the year considering Matthew's situation and the title song has a great autobiographical style with a strong calling to us as Christians as in the bridge: "Listen up, I got a question here, Would anybody miss you if you disappeared? Well your life is the song that you sing, And the whole wide world is listening". The first single You Are Everything is such a hope-filled anthem of truth and is my favorite song on this great album. The Motions and A Friend In The World are both great upbeat songs similar to Matthew's hit song Next Thing You Know. This album has that perfect balance of upbeat and reflective songs and Save A Place For Me, Life Inside You and Safe And Sound are excellent songs of comfort. The album closes with the stand-out song Stop The World which is a great reminder of something we all need sometimes. Thank you Matthew for opening your heart to us and I really like what you have to say.



2. Even though I'm already a Matthew West fan, I was very pleased and happy about this CD. It even came with some bonus Videos and songs which were exactly that...a BONUS. Even without those this is a great CD to add to the collection. Matthew has a way of writing and uplifting your spirit. Like the title of this review says....He never disappoints.



3. I absolutely LOVE this CD! I am new to Matthew West's music and have not been this excited about an artist since discovering Bebo Norman a couple years back. Matthew West is a great singer/songwriter but what sets him apart is that he has really good pop sensibilities (i.e. really catchy pop). I highly recommend this and his other CD's.



4. I really liked the bonus DVD that came with my 2 disc set. The DVD shows what Matthew went through in relation to voice surgery and his internal struggles. To see this album and these songs born out of that experience gives the album a whole new meaning. Certainly, different people face differnt struggles - some my be perceived as worse than Matthew West's ad some as less - but the principles Matthew brought out of his suffering can bring enlightenment to us all. A beautiful story resulting in powerfu music.
   
   The song "Something To Say" makes you want to find your purpose and live it loud. "The Motions" helps you regain your focus, if you've lost sight of your purpose. "You Are Everything" reminds us that, even though we have a God-inspired purpose, He is the ultimate purpose of our life. Without Him, we would be utterly worthless. "The Center" reveals that, whether you feel like nothing can stop you or like you can't get started, the most important thing is being in the center of God's will.
   
   I could go on with the rest of the songs, but I'm sure you're beginning to get the picture. These are "bring me back to You and your purpose, Lord" songs and they are VERY uplifting and inspiring. Excellent CD!



5. This CD is an amazing mix of different sounds that seem to flow effortlessly from song to song. The intro has a great transition to the first song, "Something to Say," that right away catches your attention. I like how Matthew West masterfully switches off from singing to rapping to talking ("The Center" is a good example). Because of this his voice never seems to get old. His songs are also rich in meaning, the inspirational ballad "You Are Everything," contains such powerful lyrics:
   
   "Breathe again / Feeling all this life within / I'm the one with big mistakes / Big regrets and bigger breaks / Than I ever care to confess / Oh but, You're the one who looks at me / And sees what I was meant to be / More than just a beautiful mess."
   
   Other songs seem to draw from personal experience, such as "Save A Place For Me," about someone close that passed away, and "Safe and Sound," a moving lullaby for his newborn daughter. These meaningful songs coupled with the fact that Matthew West lost his voice during the recording process, really demonstrates God's amazing grace in his life. Overall, "Something To Say" is definitely a must-listen album that everyone can relate to. It may even change your life.

5 comments about Opposite Way.

1. I love this cd. I saw them in concert at Harvest in Philadelphia a couple weeks ago and was instantly hooked. Their lyrics are deep and meaningful. They don't sing about fluff like so many Christian artists do. They are clearly a Christian band who isn't afraid to use the name "Jesus" within their songs.
   
   The song opposite way is definitley one of my favorites. It applies to those who are unsaved AND to Christians who still need to run the opposite way and have one foot in the church and one foot in the world. ultimately, Christ calls for all of us to run the opposite way.
   
   Leeland, the main singer, has a great vocal range and when he sings you can tell he means what He is singing. He has passion and an anointing. I truly would recommend this cd and band to anyone. Their sound is just right.



2. I have enjoyed this CD with my daughter and was very happy it got here before her birthday.



3. This CD contains several songs that are pretty good. All of them have solid Christian lyrics, but the sound is not as catchy as their first album.
   
   I don't think that any of these songs are really standouts. I would rate it as just ok.
   
   The debut album by this group is far better. I would recommend that one - Leeland Sound of Melodies - to anyone. My recommendation on this one would be to get a couple of digital downloads before buying the whole album.



4. Leeland hit the CCM scene in 2006 with a sound that everyone seemed to enjoy, with "Sound of Melodies". A mere 2 years after that, could they be expected to put out another album of solid mid-range (not quite rock, but not pop either) music? The answer, in a word, is 'yes.'
   
   This album may not quite capture audiences the way "SoM" did, but it is a solid collection of well-played, solidly produced tunes. Lyrically it is also strong, as Leeland Mooring challenges listeners to live their lives for Christ, and not conform to the world.
   
   Highlights on this album, for me, are the last tracks "Thief in the Night" and "May Our Praise" (both of which are on the slow side), as well as faster songs "Count Me In" and "Don't Go Away".
   
   If you liked their debut, you will likely enjoy this follow-up effort, too. The future's bright for Leeland. Let's hope they continue to make strong, bold, unique music while we await the Lord's return!



5. I waited to review this album until I savored it awhile because at first it didn't measure up to "Sound of Melodies", but not much does in my opinion. So, I spent more time getting into the music and lyrics of "Opposite Way" and I am now convinced it is a top 10 album of 2008. "Count Me In" gives a great way of thinking about our calling as Christians: "I didn't choose You, You chose me first" and is classic Leeland emotional alternative rock, and the other highlights are "Let It Out Now", "Enter This Temple", "Brighter Days" and my favorite song is "Opposite Way" which is an amazing worship anthem encouraging believers to follow Christ's example of being in the world, but not of the world.

No comments about Ring The Bells.

5 comments about Right Now Praise.

1. Okay, so I had this cd has been on my to get list for about a month. I attend a live show featuring Jonathan Nelson and Purpose July 18, 2008. Man this Brotha has a strong ministry encouraging people. I did not mind if sang his entire debut cd. I enjoyed all of his messages of encouragement in words and songs. So I do have the cd and I am enjoying it needless to say. He sang a little old school "It Is Well With My Soul" and it was on. I am so happy the world has access to the Word and Ways of God through music, preaching and other ministries. I am looking for another appearance from Jonathan Nelson real soon! I recommend this cd to many whom just need to be encourage sometimes and uplifted. God Bless you Mr. Nelson and thanks for a job well done.
   Carlina, Celest



2. Until today, I've never heard of Jonathan Nelson. I purchased the CD and I'm so glad I did. This young man is very gifted. I was very blessed by his CD. I look forward to future projects. Jonathan, keep praising God and Be Blessed.



3. I purchased this CD the week it came out because I knew it was going to hit hard, and I was not disappointed! Jonathan Nelson has to be one of the best writers in the Gospel Music Industry, and it doesn't hurt that he has one of the baddest ensembles around either! Every track is killin', and the artists he has on there are just as slammin'!! Sha Simpson is a beast in Praise and Worship, Nikki Ross and Sheri Jones-Moffett are two of the last vocalists, and to top it off he decides to give me songs with substance!! What more could you ask for in Gospel Music?



4. Jonathan was at West Angeles COGIC's Gospel Bash and he sang Victory and Right Now Praise. The songs sound as good live as they do on the CD. If you don't know him, you can check him out each Sunday on Streaming Faith at Jamal Harrison Bryant's church - Empowerment Temple. That's how I know him and why I support him even way out here in Cali. Keep praising God, Jonathan...Right NOW!



5. I need a second listen before rating this CD. I purchased the CD because it features Purpose.

5 comments about Songs 4 Worship: Country.

1. During one Sunday afternoon, I had the television on to CMT watching the top 20 songs when the infomercial for this album came on. While I love all of the songs, I will say that I am not crazy about all of the country updates. Overall, I would buy the album again because there are enough songs that I enjoy that would entice me to be interested in purchasing it.



2. This CD was very disappointing. I was hoping for something I could sing along with and this was not it!



3. I love this CD. It has the best country gospel sound of any I have.
   Great to get you moving in the kitchen or to sit and listen to in silence.
   Reminds me of the music from "Cowboy Church" in Nashville. Works for me.



4. The songs on the disc are as advertised, but the sound quality was extremely poor, no, not poor, but bad.



5. I have enjoyed listening to these familiar songs that are sung in churches every Sunday, including my own. All in all, it is a good album.