No comments about Simplemente Exitos Cristianos.

No comments about in the silence we fight.

No comments about Jackie Live.

3 comments about Don't Give Up.

1. One of the greatest Christian composers of all time, Andraé Crouch delivers another awesome album. His passion and love for Jesus shines through in each track of "Don't Give Up". Always original, Crouch delivers clever contemporary music with a variety of instruments, such as saxophones and harps. Crouch's inspired vocals showcase his catchy lyrics, which deal with issues like abortion, prostitution, and forgiveness. Every song includes a definite beat that is right in rhythm with the heartbeat of God. Few music writers can combine pop styling with classic gospel, but Crouch reaches the mainstream audience and shares God's love with them while they enjoy his great tunes.



2. This album is classic Crouch but not your usual gospel album. The music has influences of Steely Dan and Stevie Wonder and the lyrics are the most daring of any 70s black gospel album I've ever heard. "Hollywood Scene" is a song about an naive boy from the south, running away to tinseltown and becoming a male prostitute. "I'll Be Good to You Baby" is about abortion. All the songs are enjoyable, but I particularly enjoy the bouyant sound of "Save the People" and "Handwriting on the Wall". "Start All Over Again" wraps up the whole album very nicely. Listen and enjoy if you're a Crouch fan or just like 70's music.



3. Andrae jumped out of the box again on this one. Having set the standard for others in top quality production, he broke new ground with this release. A bit too contemporary for the 'old guard' (as he always has been), this was deemed a sellout or crossover album. With hot keys from his old friend Joe Sample and an all star cast of musicians and vocalists (The McCrary's are my favorites), this album had it all. Just listen to Edna Wright scream or James Felix's chops on the chorus 'Everything's going to be allright' from the title track and you know this one has it all. Andrae's comeback release of 'Mercy' featuring El DeBarge on 'He is the Light' pays homage to this signature release. Truly a master, timeless and without peer, it is Andrae at his best!

5 comments about Buzz.

1. While I must admit that I prefer Guardians Hard Rockin' style displayed on "Fire and love",as well as "The Miracle Mile" to this type of music,if you're going to reach out to new untapped audiences,then this is the way to go. There are some good hooks and melodies to be heard,as Guardian prove once again to be a tight unit.If you are into alternative,grunge,or whatever they call it this week,give this one a try,....it kind of grows on you,



2. Despues de tres de sus mejores discos, Guardian regresa con un sonido más moderno, En mi opinion es el tercer mejor disco de guardian. Mis rolas preferidas son "This old man" y "State of mine"



3. Guardian's best AND one of Christian Music's best 10 albums of all-time. This is a VERY heavy and somewhat dark album (for top 40 Christian radio). Actually, each of the first 4 songs on this album spent time at #1 on the Christian charts. Too bad this band hasn't released anything in almost 10 years (other than BEST OF). Tony Palacios is one of the best and believe me I'm familiar with them all. This is the type of album you would want to get into the hands of a wayward soul. It looks at the hard issues in life through a clear lens, not the typical rose-colored disconnect we're used to in the Christian music scene.



4. I know it's pretty cheezy to give your favorite albums 5 out of 5 stars...but I honestly can't avoid it. After nailing the arena rock, hard rock, and acoustic rock genres, Guardian redefines themselves with this dark, moody, alternative-esque album. Don't let "alternative" scare you. There is more here than just power chords. Tony Palacios' guitar work is nothing short of amazing. The guy can SHRED! The entire band is outstanding on this disc, and I urge any fan of Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, or even OLD Guardian to give it a chance. Steve Taylor's production is top notch, and his contribution in the lyrical department is a breath of fresh air in a world full of lyrical cliques.

   Yes, it's a Christian album...but it's an honest album. The life of a Christian isn't all roses as made very clear by songs like "State of Mine", "Hand of the Father", and "Psychadelic Runaway". I can't say enough about this album. ...




5. All joking aside, this really is a terrific collection of songs. As you listen through this CD, you can feel Guardian pulling away from its pop-metal sound and venturing into a harder alternative genre. However, there is plenty enough edge here to satisfy most intense hard-rock fans.

   Once again, the guitar work of Tony Palacios leads the band from one great song to the next. Tony probably is humble enough not to make a noise about himself, but he could shred with the best (Joe Satriani (sp?), Steve Vai, etc.). The rhythm section of David Bach and Karl Ney remains solid. You will never complain about the bass guitar work nor the drumming. Of course, Jamie Rowe's talented vocals simply helps glue all of it together to make Guardian one of the best kept secrets (why a secret!) in rock-n-roll.

   Using Steve Taylor as the producer is a stroke of genius. He is a gifted humorist (check out the lyrics where he contributed) and a dynamite producer. All 13 songs are gems, but the ones I like the most include: "Lead The Way"; "The Lions Den"; "One Thing Left To Do"; "Even It Out"; and "Lift Me Up".

   Christ-centered themes and lyrics are throughout the CD. Some songs are more overtly Godly than others, but the lyrics guide the listener through the goodness of being under God's will or through the despair of traveling in darker circles ("Psychedelic Runaway" for example).

   If you do not yet have this CD yet, then get it soon. You will not regret it!

No comments about Deeper Still.

No comments about Digital Black.

No comments about Power in the Touch.

No comments about Shauna.

5 comments about Live in Japan.

1. I first heard of Stacie Orrico when she performed at a Dove Awards celebration. I've seen her music at Christian book stores, and hear "(there's gotta be) More To Life" on Christian radio. So one can assume she's a Christian singer. This blurb from the back of the video gives this promise of this concert's spiritual emphasis:
   
   "From Stacie Orrico's outstanding almost platinum album, see the hits come alive with an elaborate stage set, lively dance interpretations, and costume changes . . ."
   
   One can argue if Stacie is a Christian musician or a musician that is a Christian. My first impression is that she was a Christian answer to Britney Spears; rather, I think she is rather a wholesome alternative.
   
   I have no doubt that Stacie is my sister in the Christian faith. (Actually, with our relative ages, she may be more likely my niece or daughter). Some of the songs have great meaning, such as "Genuine", "(there's gotta be) More To Life" (the video also fit the bill), and "I Could Be The One". But other songs have no hint of Christianity to them (including the video "Stuck").
   
   Artistically, it was better than I expected. The band was top-notch, able to play jazz as well as pop, and Stacie did well on the piano. Besides the songs I mentioned, I also liked "Strong Enough" and "Security". I also liked the slow start for "(there's gotta be) More To Life".
   
   However, Stacie can be used as an argument for those who think "Christian rock" is a contradiction. While her performance and the dancing could be more flirtatious than seductive, there is not much lyrically or in the performance that seperates her from secular performers. From the sound of reviews, her following project is even less spiritual.



2. I am not a fan of concert CDs or DVDs, or of concerts themselves, actually. Music in concert rarely sounds as good to me as on the record, since the record is recorded with careful perfection while concerts are done on the fly. But I do enjoy this concert CD.
   
   Stacie Orrico's "2 1/2" album, her self-titled white cover album, was my favorite CD of 2003. It is an album of pop perfection. The songs from that album are performed on this DVD, plus a couple from her first album. But beyond the songs from her self-titled album being the most perfectly crafted pop songs to be heard today, Stacie Orrico has a great voice. On this concert CD, you get a sense of how good her voice really is.
   
   For me, to make a live concert or concert CD/DVD special, I want to hear some different treatment to the songs or some other special treat, not just the album songs performed live. There are a couple touches like that on here. At the end of the beautiful pop ballad "I Promise," Stacie leaves the stage to do a costume change, and the song is extended with a nice saxophone solo. On the single "(There's Gotta Be) More To Life," she starts it out slow, instead of with the beat, and then has the audience sing the chorus to her, before she kicks off the song at regular tempo. But the highlight of the "different" element of this concert is her performance of an Ella Fitzgerald song. She says that she grew up listening to Ella Fitzgerald, and when you hear her sing this song, you hear an entirely different Stacie Orrico come to life. The song is true-to-life jazz, even using an acoustic bass, and Stacie shows complete command of the jazz vocal style. Her outfit of a 1920s style pink dress and pink feather boa add to the effect.
   
   Those are my favorite moments of this concert. The rest is mostly just straight performances of the songs from the album, but again, her vocal skills are more salient in this DVD.
   
   A bonus to the concert is the inclusion of the music videos of her two singles. I really like both videos, but in both music and video concept, "(There's Gotta Be) More To Life" is definitely superior.



3. Whoever said Stacie is not in the same league as lip-synching, sex selling women needs a serious reality check! Stacie is an amazing singer, far better than those mentioned. She performs her songs live and her dancers don't look at all like they are...you know what I mean. Her songs are about deeper things than just relationships. This DVD is amazing. I have been a long time fan of hers and it blew me away. Her voice sounds better live than on the cd! So, if you would like to see a TRUE artist then buy this dvd. It's worth it!



4. Before beginning my review of the DVD, I have to quibble with the review below that stated Stacie was not "in the same league" as Hilary Duff, Britney Spears, et al. First and foremost, Stacie is a far different artist from those mentioned below. For the most part, her songs speak about God and the challenges/triumphs she faces as a young Christian woman. Her material is not sexual (while that of some of the aforementioned performers is). The dancing featured in the DVD is more athletic than sensual and Stacie also performs all of her songs live (unlike a couple of the others previously mentioned).
   
   Filmed in Tokyo in 2004, Live in Japan features material from the entire "Stacie Orrico" album (with the exception of "That's What Love's About"), two tracks from her debut cd "Genuine", and a lovely rendition of Ella Fitzgerald's "Can't We Be Friends". The musicianship is impeccable (highlights include Stacie herself playing the piano on "Strong Enough" and "Dear Friend", the jazz interlude, and an acoustic rendition of "Maybe I Won't Look Back") and the dancers are spirited and enthusiastic. Also included are the videos for "Stuck" and "(there's gotta be) More to Life" (a bit of a disappointment since the DVD was previously advertised as including the videos for "I Promise" and "I Could Be the One" which were only released overseas, not in the United States). Overall, this is a wonderful concert appropriate for all ages. Definitely a great buy for fans of Stacie Orrico or those who wish to learn more about her as an artist.
   
   The tracklisting:
   
   1.Tight
   2.Bounce Back
   3.Hesitation
   4.Instead
   5.I Promise
   6.Strong Enough
   7.Stuck
   8.Can't We Be Friends
   9.Jazz Interlude
   10.Security
   11.Genuine
   12.Maybe I Won't Look Back
   13.(there's gotta be) More to Life
   14.Dear Friend
   15.I Could Be the One



5. Overall this is a pretty good concert DVD. Stacie has excellent potential moving forward. At this time, this is not quite in the same league as Hilary, Shakira, Kylie, Britney, Beyonce, et.al.