Review Wrap Up

It's been a while since I've really sat down and written a quality review. My wife and I expecting our first child soon and getting our house and lives as ready as possible for our new addition has taken a lot times. But I've been spinning all the new releases with the intent on reviewing them. So here's a quick snapshot of a lot of records!

If you didn't pick up Beartooth's debut ep, Sick, you should do yourself a favor and go get Disgusting. DO NOT SLEEP ON BEARTOOTH!!!

Disgusting picks up where Sick left off and then blows it out of the water. Where Sick was focused of turning away from those things that keeps us down and turning to God, Disgusting is a message of hope in the midst of pain and tragedy. 5 out of 5 Stars!

Adam Young always creates great pop soundtracks, and Ultraviolet is no different. 4 songs of bubblegum, electro pop goodness. I wish it was more than 4 songs, but I know there's another ep coming later this year! 5out of 5 Stars.

Forevermore is a great new addition tot he Solid State family! Not mind blowing, but very solid and interesting Telos is a metal core record worth listening to. Some great riffs, light on clean vocals, and technical enough to keep things from getting stale. 4 out of 5 Stars. 

I love Audrey Assad! Death Be Not Proud continues in the vein of Fortunate Fall. Stripped down, piano led songs. While musically very similar, lyrically, there's a victorious and joyous tone to the record. Her cover of John Mark's Death in His Grave is fantastic! 4 out of 5 Stars. 

Death Sentence is brutal! More hardcore and heavier than Unholy Anger (if you can believe it). Those Who Fear might not win many new fans with Death Sentence, but there fans will appreciate this record! 4 out of 5 Stars. 

There's no lie that I was a little disappointed with Alert 312's Of Vice and Virtue. But the duo's follow-up EP, Singular Vision is a thing of beauty! Musically, it's the most interesting and intricate work in the band's catalog so far. A complex and musical journey and soundtrack for life. 4 songs with very different vibes and great guests on each track. A true work of art! 5 out of 5 Stars. 

Brave is a record I picked up on a whim. One of the better (and only?) true pop records I've heard from a christian artist in a while. Neither bubblegum or CCM, but true, well-crafted pop songs. It's a mature style of pop music that won't find Peter's amid the Top 40, but it's a record worth checking out! 4 out of 5 Stars. 

Some times you find a record where the lyrics have an impact instantly. Red Pills + Black Sugar is one of those records. The hook on Red Pills, the album's opener, hits you with "Take two a day, the pain will go away, but you're still going to die without those pills." It's heartbreaking and deep, but it's catchy enough to get into your head and spirit. Dark themes mixed with upbeat sarcasm and hope in the midst of the pain. An unexpected hip-hop gem. 4 out of 5 Stars.