5 comments about Soldiers Under Command.

1. Just like the cassette was. Good clean wholesome christian metal music at its best. A must for everyone who enjoys christian metal. They really are a great band.



2. If you like Christian rock, Stryper is the one you should defintely know, and this album is the one you should defintely own. With this album Stryper opened the gates for many other Christian rock artists. Their Debut album "The Yellow And Black Attack" had many great songs but this album has ten great songs. Songs like "Soldiers Under Command", "Reach Out", "Makes Me Wanna Sing" and "The Rock That Makes Me Roll" can still be heard in their gigs after 22 years. I know because I have been in their gig in 2007. They also had "Battle Hymn of the Republic" as an intro. You could say that it was a great day for "Soldiers..." (it was also for THWTD...). Also the ballads "First Love" and "Together As One" are great songs. Michael Sweet has a great voice...I think it's even better than for example Bruce Dickinson's. Anyway, this album is pure gold, and a metal classic.
   Stars: Together As One, The Rock That Makes Me Roll, Soldiers Under Command



3. Come on, admit it.... you remember the old days when MTV actually played music, watching the Stryper videos playing and rocking out to the music.
   
   I got the urge to hear some of their classic hits again, so I picked up the first four CDs via Amazon. I fully expected to listen to them now and think, "Huh, I remember them being so much better than this...."
   
   I was wrong. Their original songs still rock as hard today as any other band out there in their sound genre. They didn't go for half the gimicky sound that some of the bands had, they just stuck to a standard rock & roll formula that worked, and it sounds just as great today as it did back then.
   
   Well worth the meager price paid for the CDs. ;-)



4. This album rocks and it has the typical girly slow songs engineered for the radio.
   
   If the whole album was like the first two songs, it would have been 4 or 5 stars!



5. Raw, hard and crunchy! But it has a twist... It's almost like Judas Priest meets Styx...I know...it's weird, but in a good way. Awesome album. If you like Christian metal then you'll love Soldiers Under Command.

5 comments about Come Together.

1. Third Day has been one of my favorite all time bands for several years. This album is superb.
   
   Not only does it contain great sounding southern rock, but the lyrics also contain very meaningful Christian messages. Mac Powell's vocals are unique and amazing.
   
   This CD contains many great songs and has no weak links. My favorites song here is 'Show Me Your Glory'. It is an amazing tune. The top notch sound goes well beyond that track however.
   
   I strongly recommend this album. I consider it a must have for any collector of rock and/or contemporary Christian music. Buy it. You won't regret it.



2. This album is the best of 2001!I bought this CD with my lawn-mowing money and It's great!!My personal favorites are:come together,40 days,show me your glory,when the rain comes,and nothing compares.This album takes us on another ride (like conspiracy no.5)Except it has a more southern twist.I hope you buy this and if you do,enjoy!



3. This CD is by far one of the best that I have ever bought.



4. This cd gets better every time I listen to it! The lyrics hit home and make you think of God's grace.



5. Come Together is a great album that combines great music and great lyrics. My personal favorites are Come Together and 40 days. Those are the first two tracks on the disc but don't think that it goes downhill from there. The disc is full of southern rock treats and a ballad or two. Overall this disc doesn't disappoint. Give it a try and you won't be disappointed.

1 comments about Phantasmagorical: Master and Musician, Vol. 2.

1. The latest instrumental offering from Phil Keaggy shows us, once again, that their is no bottom to the well of Phil's music. The subtitle, "Master & Musician 2," is very appropriate: although Phil's music transcends any category or label, it is obvious to all who are familiar with him that he is the musician, playing music inspired by and written for his Master, and these pieces are worthy of Him. I cannot recommend this CD highly enough.

5 comments about Freedom.

1. I'm not a big fan of Michael W. Smith's, but this album is absolutely brilliant.



2. This is an awesome instrumental CD. Michael W. Smith is incredible. The title track is by far my favorite. It keeps building and building until finally, you are expecting the sky to open up and see Christ coming to take us home. I like all of the tracks. Personally, there's not one that I would "skip" on the album.



3. My friend made me listen to this cd first w/o telling me who it was by so that the experience wouldn't be ruined. I loved it. I couldn't believe that it was Michael W. Smith. I count it as one of my all-time favorite cds. Great instrumental cd.



4. I absolutely love this album! Of course, I love any music that Smitty writes; but this fully instrumental and beautifully written album truly shows what a talented musician and music writer he truly is. I could listen to him play the piano all day.
   
   He has since moved on to also writing movie soundtracks for movies like "Joshua" and "The Second Chance". Both are wonderful movies with great messages and his music just adds another layer to the stories they tell.



5. Michael W. Smith does something different here. He doesn't do the normal pop music scores in this CD, but instead he dedicates a CD to one of his friends that has died. He creates beautiful, dramatic, and inspiring pieces that are sure to bring you to put this in the CD player more than once. I'm really definitely not a huge fan of Smith's earliest CDs, but this later one I can enjoy many times over. He uses some of his great piano talent, as well as there are orchestral sections. This is a must for anyone that enjoys beautiful and sometimes dramatic music with Christian overtones.

5 comments about All of Me.

1. Anne renditions of these songs are great! Several friends agree with me that her "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is the best there is! Wish she adds this one to her concerts!



2. This Anne Murray collection has something for just about every music fan-all of her biggest hits are here,along with some wonderful standards. Give this collection a listen-I think you'll like what you hear.



3. Anne sings some old standards that I can listen to over and over.
   I bought this CD set because of a few of the songs on it, but I
   discovered that there was more here for me to like, and that
   Anne Murray is much better an artist than I had realized.



4. At the outset, I've got to say that I am a very big Anne Murray fan. I, for one, though, am itching for an Anne Murray album of new material. The last such album came in 1996-- ten years ago.
   
   Whether by her own choice or by commercial realities, Anne has released only pop, country, gospel, and Christmas standards albums since then. At this point, standards albums have flooded the market. Though Anne has contributed to that, there is a little doubt that she has a fondness for the material-- and that she is especially qualified to interpret it.
   
   For those who liked Croonin', What a Wonderful World, What a Wonderful Christmas, and Country Croonin'-- you will also like this album. The arrangements, vocals, and overall quality are in line with those previous albums. If you haven't bought any of these, the one that stands out is the first-- Croonin'.
   
   This album, then, is not one to surprise. Of the songs, my favorite is What I'll Do. Anne's version of Over The Rainbow is one that stands out. I also like As Time Goes By, Twilight Time, and My Buddy. The big band arrangement of After You've Gone has generated a difference of opinion-- count me in the group that likes it.
   
   In the end, this is a good album, but not a great nor memorable one. Overall, I give it 4 stars. On a tougher comparison to other Anne Murray albums, I'd rate it a 3.



5. Purchase this 2-CD set for the first disc, which features sterling remasters of most if not all of her greatest hits. The second disc holds far less appeal. Murrary warbles pre-WWII ditties like "What'll I Do" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". Problem is, she doesn't have the voice, the reach or the emotional resonance to perform most of them. With maybe two exceptions, they are performed in the most perfunctory manner; they sound like throwaways, whether she intended them to or not. If you thought this was going to be a sequel to CROONIN', her wonderful collection of post-WWII standards, you will be sadly let down. If you want to hear those songs modernized and done right, listen to Harry Nilsson's interpretations, available on both the original album A LITTLE TOUCH OF SCHMILSSON and the 2-CD Australian set, THE BEST OF HARRY NILSSON (and this includes SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW, which was cut from the original album).

5 comments about The Face of Love.

1. I first saw these guys at a Lock-in at a small church in Port Clinton, Ohio years before they were signed. I new from that moment that these guys were going to make it big and if the didn't I would have been surprised. I bought two of their CDs that night and played the heck out of them. Fast-forward to today and I now own every one of Sanctus Real's albums and with every release they keep getting greater and greater! "The Face of Love" is by far my favorite CD of 2006. I've seen Santus Real Live several times and am amazed at the band's humility.



2. I was a huge fan of Sanctus Real's sophomore CD. It was the first CD I actually bought, and until I got into Relient K, it was the pride of my CD collection. Imagine how hyped I was when this CD came out. Imagine my hopes when JFH gave it a stunning review. I bought the CD, and liked maybe 3 songs, all of which were in the first 4 songs.
   
   "I'm Not Alright is a great rock song, and it's lyrics have a great meaning. "Eloquent" does very well in it's weaving of wordplay, something Relient K has mastered. "The Face Of Love" is a my favorite song because it's a great worship song, and every word is deep in meaning.
   
   Other than that, the CD is only good, but not great. Compared to "Fight The Tide", this album just can't match up. The great riffs and lyrics that made the tide such a great album have been replaced by stuff that's more "mature." A case in point: "Benjamin." This was supposed to be a great emotional song to end the record; it's not. I don't feel any emotion listening to it, and all I hear is a poorly executed song. The same could be said for other songs on the album.
   
   Overall, if you've never heard Sanctus Real, I would suggest getting this album first, then "Fight The Tide", that way your expectations aren't so high when listening to the album. A fan's dissapointment. This album has pretty much lost me with the band, and my former love for them is all but a memory. Hopefully the next album will be better, but it will be hard to win this fan back.



3. The first cd had more cool sounds and songs to it, but this one seems like a lot more filler songs all listed behind the first song. If it's cheap, buy it, if not, you're not missing a whole lot.



4. All of the songs are great. I only found one not so great song, but the songs in the cd has a great message. Go ahead and check it out yourself!



5. Just saw Sanctus Real the other night with Steven Curtis Chapman and I was blown away. This is one of the best live bands I've heard in a long time, very talented, great vocals and sound. I loved every song they played including one they say will be coming out on their next album. I knew their songs from the radio but hadn't bought the CD...yet, I definitely will be now. Great band, great lyrics and message, it was awesome worshipping with them!!

5 comments about To Hell with the Devil.

1. Another great cd by stryper. What else coud I say. The cd is as great as the cassette. A must for anyone collecting christian metal music. Just like I remember when they first came out. They know how to get the message accross. They really rock.



2. "To Hell With the Devil" and "Soldiers Under Command" are both classic Christian rock album but which one is better? At least from "To Hell With the Devil" Stryper often plays more songs than "Soldiers...". The Devil's 'nightmare song' "To Hell With the Devil", "Calling on You", "Free", "The Way", and their greatest hit, the ballad, "Honestly" are played probably in every gig they have had in 00's. Also "More Than a Man" and "Sing-Along Song" are very often in the set lists. This album reprents everything that Stryper has to offer: heaviness, tenderness, a great message, and great songs with great playing and singing. Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet, Timothy Gaines, and Oz Fox are truly God's soldiers. However, there's more great songs that just those seven I mentioned at first; "All of Me" is a great beautiful ballad, "Rocking the World" really rocks, and "Holding on" is also a good song, although quite basic stuff for Stryper. "More than a Man" could be called "To Heaven With Jesus" also because if you sing it and mean what you sing, you're soul will be saved. Great album, I recommend this together with the album "Soldiers Under Commandment" because they both are Christian metal classics.
   Stars: Honestly, To Hell With the Devil, The Way, More Than a Man



3. I had heard of Stryper in the 80s, then in the 90s they were about as 80s as totally 80s gets. Then they made a comeback this decade. This is their best aklbum, featuring the huge hit Honestly with a woman on vocals. The rest of the album is more straight forward metal, not really Christian lyrics all the time but condemning Satan. I picked up the Roxx Regime which contains Yellow and Black Attack and Honestly, and the only track better than hOnestly on there is From Wrong to Right. Abyss the opener gets things going, a joke their not. With this album they have gotten rid of most of the 50s influences into a much more EMO Poison meets Slayer tongue in cheek Christian metal band with a "we're the Christian metal kings" humor. Don't miss it!



4. Come on, admit it.... you remember the old days when MTV actually played music, watching the Stryper videos playing and rocking out to the music.
   
   I got the urge to hear some of their classic hits again, so I picked up the first four CDs via Amazon. I fully expected to listen to them now and think, "Huh, I remember them being so much better than this...."
   
   I was wrong. Their original songs still rock as hard today as any other band out there in their sound genre. They didn't go for half the gimicky sound that some of the bands had, they just stuck to a standard rock & roll formula that worked, and it sounds just as great today as it did back then.
   
   Well worth the meager price paid for the CDs. ;-)



5. If you want to hear Styper hungry, but polished: driven, but uncompromising lyrically...then this is your album. Listen to the song More than a Man. These guys were big in the secular market in 1986, but this song gives praise and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ himself. It's a wonderful album!

5 comments about He Reigns: The Worship Collection.

1. I have enjoyed the CD. The shipment was timely and I will order again. Thanks.



2. If you are looking for Christian music that is truly worshipful and you want to hear all the words, then this is the CD for you.



3. I am not a big Christian Rock fan as I seem to be "outgrowing" some of it, but I must say that I enjoy a lot of the Newsboys material. I especially enjoy this worship collection! It has some wonderful worshipful music with intelligent lyrics. I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the Newsboys or just enjoys contemporary Praise and Worship.



4. Wait. All these songs are recycled from previous albums? Nothing new? And not one good song out of the bunch? What's the point of buying this album then? That's my point. It doesn't get much worse. This is a lazy, pathetic excuse from the Newsboys. Sorry, but you failed your fans badly. Harsh words yes, but they deserve every one.



5. Was purchased for church use for one song but we have enjoyed the others we've heard

5 comments about Blue on Blue.

1. Leigh's voice is unlike any other you will hear. While I dearly miss SixPence NTR, I do enjoy still being able to listen to Leigh's lovely singing. If you are a SixPence fan, this is a must. If not, then try it out. Listen to it several times before you make up your mind. It grows on you. Thanks for sticking with it Leigh. I can't wait to hear more from you.



2. If you are a fan of the gentle, gliding voice of Leigh Nash, you will enjoy the selection of Blue on Blue. Leigh has a way of infusing each song with melody beyond the music. When I play the record I find my mood elevating as I am lead by her sweet vocals into the careful lyrics. Some of the songs are pop-y, but I don't mind that because she is such a pleasure to have in the atmosphere. Each song is like a little joyous morsel that I look forward to unwrapping as the previous song ends.
   As a fan of Sixpence and her Delerium track, I am happy to have found Blue on Blue. It's definitly worth the buy.



3. I have to agree with another reviewer. For fans of Sixpense this album will get you part of the way there but not all the way. What is lacking is the essential harmony and sweet discordance that was created between Matt Slocum's guitar and Leigh's voice. I'm not pulling any punches here and being brutally honest the songs lack depth. Matt Slocum is just a better song writer and his absense here is very evident. I bought this Album because I heard and fell in love with the song "Charmed Life". One of Leigh's few solo efforts after Sixpense None The Richer. For those that are seeking that vibe - this is not the album that will give it to you.



4. I loved this album. Although, to be fair, this definitely is not a bubble gum pop album that telegraphs within 15 seconds if you are going to like a given song or not. You really need to pay attention to what is going on and it might take two or three listens to really discover how accomplished, complex and graceful the overall album is. People who like poetry and savor listening to great lyrics will find "Blue on Blue" to be a treat during a long commute or maybe quiet afternoon where you just want to relax and contemplate things.
   
   Leigh Nash has a particularly memorable voice that is supple and sweet without sounding too polished. And in this album, her sound is beautifully showcased with a low-key rock sound and, as I already said, some great songwriting. In fact, every time I listen to the album I'm more and more impressed with that aspect. Every song has something intriguing going on musically and the lyrics are universally intelligent, and emotionally wise. There really isn't a bad track on the whole album.
   
   As a side note, I recommend you also check out Nash's work as a guest vocalist with Delerium. Other reviews mention that Nash was mostly known for being the lead singer for Sixpence None the Richer. But she's lent her voice to the rock-electronica band Delerium and that partnership produced some great songs. The sound is more up-tempo, but check out "Innocente" (from "Poem") and "Run for it" (from "Chimera").



5. Leigh Nash released this, her first soloalbum, 4 years after the break-up of her band Sixpence None the Richer. Though some may feel that the album lacks a bit of the edge that can be heard on Sixpence None the Richer's albums, fans of the ballads of that band are bound to love this album too. Nash co-wrote all songs on the album, which is full of fine songwriting.
   
   One of the very best songs "Nervous In The Light Of Dawn " was written with Sixpence None the Richer partner Matt Slocum, and it was really great news that the band in early 2008 announced their reformation.
   
   Leigh Nash has a very beautiful voice and with so much great material it should not go wrong - and it doesn't. Most tracks are really not that different from SNTR, but the guitars are generally more in the background on this album. A nice exception to this is the rocking "Blue".
   
   Other stand-outs are the opener "Along the Wall" - a nice ballad dominated by piano and nice vocals.
   
   Another exquisite ballad is "Never Finsh" with its gorgeous chorus. The same could be said about the moving closing track "Just a Little".
   
   Among the bonus-tracks there is another Matt Slocum collaboration - the upbeat "Run Together".
   
   Vocally Nash often touches upon the same sentiments as another great songwriter Suzanne Vega; though her approach is obviously more "pop". A fine album.

5 comments about Every Time I Breathe.

1. Thank you so much for how quickly this item was shipped and how carefully it was packaged. I will certainly do business with you again if you are selling something I'm looking for. God Bless



2. I'm certainly not a BDW fan - but very disappointed at the Rich Mullins remake. Seldom does one improve on the original (as was the case here) so what is the point? Write your own songs and leave others alone.



3. I really love this band. I was excited to get it. It stayed in my cd player for 2 weeks before I finally stopped listening to it in the car.



4. I was lucky enough to see these guys in concert and couldn't WAIT to get the CD. It's really uplifting and I have about worn it out. I never get tired of listening to it.



5. I heard big daddy for the first time in 2001! I was blessed by them and so were the entire crew that was with us. Their lyrics are honest and they are really good musicians to boot! On this albumn, the Rich Mullins song "Hold Me Jesus" is my favorite!