Bethan - Time Gone By

Since this record ranked in my top 30 of 2014, it'll come as no surprise that I loved Bethan's sophomore release, Time Gone By. But I'm going to say a couple of words about the record anyway.

A mixture of Richard Swift's 20's/40's laced nostalgia, Map's ability to craft compelling pop songs, and Kissing Cousins' slight quirkiness. That's what Time Gone By offers. All of those things in varying doses and to different degrees, but long time fans of Velvet Blue Music should be drawn to Bethan. The difference from Chapter 1 is noticeable and vast. In a good way!

Songs like Low Expectations, Beside Me, Out West, and Greedy Songbird jump out of your speakers. None are indie pop hits in the traditional sense, but each offering a unique expression and stylistic impression of an era gone by. The more introspective moments, In Our Paris, Honeymoon, We Are All Expiring, Don't Be Afraid To Lie To Yourself, all play like moments torn out of a diary and shared. There's a painful beauty in Time Gone By that can only be experienced.

Time Gone By is one of those records that reminds you how special an artist is and rekindles your love for depth and intricate layers in a "pop" record. Obviously, 5 out of 5 Stars.

Review Wrap Up 6

The return of Copeland. It seems more like an ideal than something to be actually excited about. Copeland's first two records are fantastic and the memory a lot of people have with the band. I always felt like the band got a little lost in itself after In Motion. Too many studio tricks and vocals effects, masking beauty. Which makes the band's reunion and new album an interesting concept. It's been six years since You Are My Sunshine. Marsh has been working as an engineer and producer. The other members have been releasing really rest records with States. So what would Copeland's return look like? The band that myself and many other feel in love with is no more. Which is fine. Everyone gets older and grows and matures. So has Copeland. Which isn't to say anything disparaging about Ixora. In fact I think it's some of the band's best work since In Motion. Yet it's very different. There's a nice post rock vibe in the music. From the swing to the instrumentation and guitar tones/riffs, Ixor has a real soundtrack feel to it. Ixora is a beautiful record and one that I truly enjoy listening to. I imagine that on vinyl the record just shines. Ixora's problem is that nothing stands out. There aren't songs where I go "goodness, that's great." It's a nice record and one that I imagine listening to often and enjoying. But there's nothing the "stands out." 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

I think I've mentioned before that I root for Solid State Records. It's the hardcore label I grew up invested in. I loved their bands! And I want them to have more great bands. Of course the good old days are just that, old. Young kids don't sound like or listen to the bands that I liked or listened to when I was there age. And so what I want and hope for doesn't exist or get signed. Silent Planet is the labels newest signing. And the band isn't bad. The Night God Slept is a nice little metalcore record. The shades of bands like The Devil Wears Prada, For Today, Becoming The Archetype cover the record. It's another heavy band playing heavy music well, wearing their influences on their sleeves. I like it a lot. At times I hear things that really impress me, or at least connect with me from other bands that I love. As I've said about countless other records, I enjoy them and as a fan of heavy music they're records and bands that I will add to my collection and possibly enjoy in the future. But there's nothing that stands out and makes me say, watch out for this band. 4 out of 5 Stars.

I respect Project 86. They always find new ways to reinvent themselves without ever losing what makes them Project 86. But reinvention isn't always good and doesn't always work. And Project 86 has had some missteps in their catalog. The reworked version of the band released an excellent record with Wait For the Sirens. Knives To The Future is a bit up and down. There are some songs that I think are classic Project 86 hits. And others where I kind of shrug and don't get it. The addition of Darren King from The Overseer as studio guitarist on this album really shines on those moments when King does what he does best. I've seen people say that at times Project 86 sounds more The Overseer, Underoath (Disambiguation era) and the Deftones. I'd say... Sort of. It's still Schwab on vocals and his unique vocal stylings make it Project 86. But the songs that have that ambient hardcore vibe are some of my favorite's on the record (Ambigram, Genosha). But I honestly think that Knives To The Future is the record Truthless Heroes was supposed to be. It's a little punk, a little more "pop", but still heavy and innovative. It's what I think the band would've like to do following Drawing Black Lines but got lost in trying to please a new label and make it big. The title track is a new classic Project 86 anthem, a song with that hook that crowds will go nuts for. Captive Bolt Pistol might be the best song Project 86 has EVER released! Pale Rider is the best example of a Truthless Heroes do over. I think if you put that song randomly into the Truthless Heroes track list, you'd hear it. The gang vocal chorus interplaying with Schwab is perfect! While I think Wait For the Sirens was a better record, there's more on Knives To The Future that the band can take on the road and play in front of an audience and get an immediate response from. 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

There has been a lot of great hip-hop released this year. But I'm just going to say it, Jackie Hill Perry's Humble Beast debut, The Art of Joy, is the best of year! I know that's a lofty statement in a year that saw Lecrae blow up bigger than ever. But The Art of Joy is special. It's not flashy and at times very understated, but that's when Perry shines. The production from Courtland Urbano and the Beautiful Eulogy crew creates the perfect score to Perry's hard hitting and honest lyrics. In the same way that Beautiful Eulogy's debut had that special quality, so does The Art of Joy. Natalie Lauren's almost painful hook on Better highlights the want and need of something better than what the world is offering. As a woman Perry brings a different perspective to justice issues that shine on tracks like Miss Fearful. The guest appearances from Eshon Burgundy and JGivens showcase the new breed of the Humble Beast crew and the future is bright! Ode To Lauryn is great song for Lauryn Hill. It's an appreciation for the great things Lauryn did, as well a concern for her spiritual well being and life. As a spoken word artist, Suffering Servant showcases where Perry came from. There's an undercurrent of hurt and want throughout the album, so when the upbeat piano on the title track kicks in, you're instantly uplifted. It's the light at the end of the tunnel and ending the record on an upbeat note is perfect! You exhale a sigh of joy! Jackie Hill Perry rhyming style is different and that comes from her  spoken word past. It's a fresh voice in hip-hop and you don't find many women in hip-hop and even less in the christian side of the genre. The Art of Joy is worth your time! 5 out of 5 Stars!

There must've been a concept behind the new Tourniquet record that I missed when they kickstarted the record. It's really a solo record, but Ted's always written and recorded the music for the band anyway. And Luke and Aaron still appear on the album, so it's not like "they're out." So... It's Tourniquet... With guests. Which is a great concept. Write and record a great metal record and invite all my friends to come sing and play guitar solos on the record. The only combination that I thought didn't work as well as I had hoped was on the album opener and title trac. Onward to Freedom (the song) features both Mattie Montgomery from For Today and Michael Sweet from Stryper. I love Sweet's vocals and it matches with the song beautifully. But Mattie Montgomery's part just feel like an add on to a different song. Luckily Montgomery gets a second chance and nails it on The Slave Ring. Some of the vocal and vocal combinations seem weird, and probably just different for a "Tourniquet" record. But musically, it's what you'd expect. The guitar solos are all amazing! Some of the band's best guitar solos ever! A lot of people aren't happy about it being a themed record, with each song being about animal rights, but that's always been a passion of Tourniquet's and it's not surprise that the band choose to focus an entire an album on the subject. Musically it's top notch. A lot of instrumental and weird moments that keep this record from being perfect, but it's very good! 4 out of 5 Stars.

An acoustic record from P.O.D. Honestly, I was looking forward to the SoCal Sessions. It's exactly what it sounds like. Acoustic renditions of P.O.D. songs. Some hits, some nice deeper cuts that make good acoustic songs. Maybe more hits would've been nicer, but there's nothing wrong with the songs the band chose. The new version of Youth of The Nation is great and actually makes me like the song again! Alive is always great! And going back to The Fundamental Elements of Southtown,  the band closes the record with Set Your Eyes To Zion. Panic and Run was an interesting choice, but it's a nice reggae take on the song. Lost In Forever and Higher are both nice but don't really give you anything new to the track. Strength Of My Life might be the best new rendition of any song on the album. I mean, it's hard to really say much about the album because it's P.O.D. doing acoustic versions of their songs. If you like P.O.D. you'll probably enjoy this album. 4 out of 5 Stars.

I've listened to a handful of Brooke Fraser's solo work but never really given it much thought. So I'm not sure compelled me to check out Brutal Romantic. It seems cheap to call what Fraser is doing pop music. But there's also no better term for it. Pop in the same way Lorde or Florence and the Machine are pop. But more electronic. There are the super catchy, radio friendly pop tunes you might want or expect from a pop record (although Kings & Queens has been working it's way into my brain the last couple of days). But what you get is a very intelligent and smart pop record that more sophisticated listeners can enjoy without having to dive into another genre. There's an art to the complexities of Fraser's music that's Radiohead esque (a high compliment). Using drum machines to change dynamics, keeping instrumentation simple to highlight it's point and need when it arrives and leaves. Using melodies, harmonies, and choirs to bring attention to the importance of the vocal. Of course there are more "commercial" numbers on the album. Songs like Kings and Queens, Start A War, Bloodrush, and Magical Machine offer a little more depth of sound and a hook that gives the album it's "accessibility" but even in their arrangement, the songs would still put Taylor Swift's most artsy moments to shame. This is pop music fro adults! 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

The reason I love christian music is much has a lot to do with my dad. Steve Taylor always sticks out in my head as the artist my dad really introduced me to. Goliath is Taylor's first record since 1993's Squint. Talk about waiting for a follow-up! I love Squint! It would probably rank as one of my top 20 favorite albums of all-time. Possibly top 10. So yes, I was excited for Goliath! Goliath is a rock and roll record that sounds like it's the follow-up to Squint. It's almost classic in sound. Which is another way of just saying it's a simple rock and roll record. Mixed with Taylor's fun loving but never without meaning and purpose lyrics and demeanor, Goliath is a great record. It might be nostalgia, but I love this record! 5 out of 5 Stars!

Review Wrap Up 5

Much like Lecrae's Anomaly, I was waiting and looking forward to Rise. Trip Lee released an enjoyable record with The Good Life but I just knew that there was going to be something special about Rise. From beats to wordplay to album structure, Rise is near perfect! The hooks on Lights On, Shweet, You Don't Know, and All Rise Up showcase a maturity as an artist. The transition from drum machine to real drums on You Don't Know creates a depth musically that makes me smile. The wordplay between Lee and Lecrae on Manolo is vicious! There isn't a moment on Rise where I find myself uninterested or hearing Lee repeat things he did previously. Reach Record has released all gold this year! 5 out of 5 Stars!

At some point in the last five years you've heard a Taylor Swift song and enjoyed it. It's ok to admit it. I think Fearless has a bunch of great songs! And State Of Grace, the opener on Red, is perfection! But I don't think anyone was prepared for 1989. T-Swift's first full fledge pop endeavor (although I'd argue she's always been a pop artist) is a masterpiece. Even the moments on the album that don't seem to fit, listened to out of context, are earwigs that you can't help but like a little bit. From the upbeat opener of Welcome To New York to the records first single, Blank Space, to the down-tempo Style, each song has something different but each is catchy and three songs into the record, I was hooked! I couldn't help but admit that I like Taylor Swift. It's that damn good! As a whole, the record is enjoyable. But there are songs where you go, meh. The super 80's Out Of The Woods is catchy and when the hook comes in I get it more, but the verses don't have the super lush vibe that the rest of the record has had up to this point. It's like an extra instrumentation was needed to thicken the sound up just a hair. Shake It Off is the ear worm above al ear worms and when it's on the radio I'm going to stop and listen and sing at the top of my lungs. But when it comes on in the context of the record, it sounds weird and out of place and doesn't jive with the feel of the rest of the album. Yes, Taylor has released some of the greatest songs of her career on 1989, but as a whole album, it doesn't hold up as "great" from start to finish. 4 out of 5 Stars.

 When I reviewed Phoenix I said I wasn't a fan of The Classic Crime. A fine band, but not my cup of tea and even though there are songs that I like, I've never felt compelled to listen to the band. But when the band teamed up with Bad Christian and the BC Podcast sampled the bands acoustic retrospective, I found myself thinking I might enjoy the acoustic take more than what I'd heard previously from The Classic Crime. And there is a new charm to these songs. The stripped down versions with the addition of the string section add something new and dynamic that I never felt about The Classic Crime's music. The ballads lend themselves perfectly to the stripped down nature of the record. The strings add a level of emotion that compliments the acoustic guitars and Matt MacDonald's vocals. Songs like Salt In The Snow, Who Needs Air, Headlights, and The Fight are all songs and moments that I truly enjoy. Even the more upbeat Vagabonds is a great rendition. But the other upbeat songs like You and Me Both, The Coldest Heart, and God and Drugs are nice but at various moments in the songs, it just doesn't feel right. The two new tracks, Selfish and Where Did You Go are both excellent and two of the best songs on the record. 3.5 out of 5 Stars.

Revivalist teamed up with On The Attack Records and HM Magazine to offer their debut ep, Brother, for free. And because it's free, you should make sure you pick it up! Not just because it's free. But because it's a really good hardcore record. Paradise opens the record up with a bang! Tough guy is alive and well! The ending hook is catchy and along with the chugging chords and the circle pit breakdown, 90's hardcore fans will drool all over this track. The album then rips into Jeremiah with a vicious riff!Brother features Josiah Lyle from Mouth of the South and keeps the punishing pace.  But juxtapose that with the melodic hardcore sound on Vanity and Free and you see depth in Revivalist's writing. It's not just play a lot of chugging chords and moshy parts. The band can write and play with the heavy hitting tough guy crews but would blend well with bands like Your Memorial and Misery Signals. This is a great ep and I'm looking forward to more from Revivalist. 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

So... At some point KJ-52 became a legit hip-hop artist. I know people will argue that KJ's always been great and his album's are worth listening to, but... KJ's been this bubble christian artist. But listening to tracks on KJ's last record, Dangerous, I heard something different. And Mental is a whole new ballgame. KJ manages to balance two audiences on Mental. It has it's super hype, dub step inspired, Family Force Five esque beats, that young kids and youth groupers will instantly be drawn to and love. But having guest appearances from Lecrae, Tedashii, Propaganda, KB, Social Club, SPZRKT all instantly raises the credibility of what KJ is doing. That those guys want to work with KJ says a lot. To be fair, Lecrae's track (Fight Music) is a remixed version of They Like Me, but that fact that Lecrae was a head of curve...It speaks volumes to what KJ is doing. Island of Misfit Toy (featuring Social Club and SPZRKT) is one of KJ's best tracks ever! Tonight is bit old school Toby Mac, but I still really like the song. Gameface has two editions. Each similar but differences that even though you can tell it's the same song, it's still enjoyable. The second half edition is better than the first. Brand New Day is a full on power pop beat and it's a great party song that closes the record! KJ-52 isn't my favorite record, but Mental is a fun record. Sure, it has it's flaws, but it's better than anything I've previously from KJ. 4 out of 5 Stars.

Kings Kaleidoscope do worship music differently. And I LOVE that! It's nice when a band isn't afraid to take risks, especially in a genre in which convention is king. But Kings Kaleidoscope isn't worried about fitting in. The music comes from a heart of worship and creativity, not trying to have their songs played every week in every church in America. From instrumentation to arrangement, there's nothing boring or normal about what Kings K is bring to the table. From gated key riffs to a horn solo, to varying drum patterns, Felix Culpa is the perfect song for anyone interested in what you might be hearing when spinning Becoming Who We Are. I described the band's last ep as jazzy, marching band indie rock. Becoming Who We Are still has that feel in a lot of spots, but it's matured and more electronic in spots. All the while still feeling very organic and live. The strings are a beautiful layer on the album's opener, Glorious. But the synth line the flutters in and out in the background create an odd interplay, while the drums kind of sound like a well produced 90's church kit (does that even make any sense?). It's a mixture of super well produced, computer tricks, and underproduced that creates interesting layers. Over all this Chad Gardner's beautiful voice belts his heart out in complete worship. Seek Your Kingdom as a huge guitar riff that gives way to flutes and strings on the chorus. Kings Kaleidoscope isn't afraid of doing things differently and it pays off. I Know has a very electronic/computer vibe. It's upbeat and you wouldn't be surprised if the song has a rap breakdown... Until the harp plays. Nothing is off limits. The band's take on All Creatures is another hymn that Kings K has deconstructed and made their own, updating a great song! Dreams and Redemption in Motion both have an R&B ballad feel, without fully committing to the genre. How Deep is another cover that just sounds like a modern twist on a classic, without actually sounding updated. It's like members of the high school marching bad were invited to play at your church in 2000. I just can't say enough about this record. 5 out of Stars!

Island of My Soul is interesting. I enjoy it because you get a wide glimpse at what Jason Barrows wants to do musically. I have a hard time following because the record is such a wide spectrum of sound and ideas that at times it doesn't even sound like the same artist. Voyagers opens the album with a very spacey singer/songwriter vibe with surfer undertones... But floating through space. It's actually really great! If Denison Witmer wrote a song inspired by Slowdive. That's in the ballpark of what Voyagers sounds like. Children of Light is also very shoegazer, but more on the side of M83. Very Kim and Jesse. It's easily my favorite track on the record. Golden Light is way less shoegaze and a whole lot of Coldplay influence. Promise Land is more standard singer/songwriter with a hint of atmosphere. License to Kill is more of a rock song in the vein of John Mark McMillan. Up From The Sea ups the rock and roll and it's more akin to the Foo Fighters. Heart On Fire is again, back to more of the standard singer/songwriter vibe, but the ambience and background guitars make it feel like a classic LN track. All of these things I like and I love listening to Island of My Soul. Jason Barrows delivered a musical odyssey. But it feels a tad disjointed at time. 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

I heard about Dominic Balli because Sonny from P.O.D. was on his last record, American Dream. I enjoyed American Dream. American Dream had some bite to it. It wasn't a hard hitting album but there was some push back. It was a great reggae record. Not For Sale has no bite. It's more of a surfer/reggae inspired singer/songwriter record. The album is upbeat and happy. It's easy listening. It's a completely different feel and it's a little hard to believe that the same artist recorded both albums. From piano ballads to r&b slow jams, Balli shows a different side on Not For Sale. Sure, Balli's reggae side comes out on Love Is The Final Fight and Not For Sale, which, no surprise, are my favorite tracks on the record. There are some nice moments on Not For Sale, but overall I was a little underwhelmed. 3 out of 5 Stars.

Having never been a huge fan of Jennifer Knapp before her coming out, I loved Letting Go! There was an attitude and freedom about the record that resonated with me. And I was excited for Set Me Free! Set Me Free is a little more of a mixed bag for me than Letting Go was. But the songs that are great, are top notch. The album opener, Remedy, is a rip roaring rock and roll song with a great hook. Set Me Free is a fine song but nothing that knocks my socks off. Why Wait is one of the more upbeat songs we've heard from Knapp in two records. The strings on Neosho are fantastic but the rest of the song is a little weird to me. Pseudo country western without ever fully committing. The main guitar theme on Mercy's Tree is excellent. So Happy is a bit of a downer musically, but it's one of the best tracks on the record. Almost classic Jennifer Knapp... If classic Jennifer Knapp wrote more downer, sad music. Set Me Free doesn't move me the way Letting Go did. But it's still has some great songs. 3.5 out of 5 Stars.

Review Wrap Up Part 4

With each record they released, I like Gideon more and more. Calloused might not feel like the natural progression from Milestone. Calloused is harder hitting and brings back some of the aggressions from Costs (but does it better). But there are songs like The Limit (going into The Pulse) that are through and through the natal melodic hardcore progression, where the beauty and heaviness coexist in a way that's just perfect! The album's opener (and title track) is a perfect hardcore song with a great hook before busting into Gideon's more melodic side, briefly. Beartooth's Caleb Shomo's vocals on Survive bring a nice addition of intensity and melody on the hook. Straight up hardcore songs like Savage, Exposed, and The Drifter are true to the genre of hardcore without feeling dated. World of Hurt is one of those songs that showcase all the elements that make Gideon such a great band! Calloused is great and I think it cements Gideon as one of Facedown's top dogs. 5 out of 5 Stars!

in 2011 Lights released Siberia. A beautiful gem of an electro-pop record that made onto my best of the year list (number 7). That album's follow-up, Little Machines, is even better! At times Little Machines is subtle, and at others it's more in your face. It's warmer and more inviting. Where Siberia might not have been everyone's cup of tea, Little Machines is a pop music dream. Sure, that cold aggressive synth sound that accompanied great pop songs on Siberia was a huge part of the charm, but Little Machines is the natural progression. Lights is one of those artists that you're waiting for the mainstream to discover and become huge, but dreading the day when it happens. Until then the rest of us can enjoy this pop gem guilt free. 5 out of 5 Stars.

Colossus made an impression on me with their debut, Time & Eternal. Neither a good or bad impression, but an impression. If Colossus could collect their thoughts, listen back to their debut, see what was successful and grow from there, they'd release one killer album. Insert Badlands. Badlands is more cohesive. The songs are tighter and more focused, not running around in different directions. The growth that needed to happen, happened. Badlands is heavy! The melodic and "numetalish" riffs from Time & Eternal have almost all been left behind. It's not death core, but it's trending in more of their vein. As a fan of heavy music, Badlands is enjoyable and it has it's moments of pure enjoyability. But there's something about it that keeps it from being great. But much improved and focused from their debut. 4 out of 5 Stars.

Loose Canon Volume 2 is a hype album! Which doesn't make it shallow. But there aren't these introspective songs that are all over any hip-hop record you've heard this year (Although Common Sense is pretty slow jam/introspective). Canon instead delivers an upbeat party record. You'll bob your head and dance. The songs are fun but the lyrics still pack a punch. Motivation is instantly a song you're drawn to. The hook is catchy and the beat is all hype. Dreams is the best hook on the record! The bonus track Reach Into the Night is off the charts and it's reason alone to get the bonus tracks! Loose Canon Volume 2 is fun! 4 out of 5 Stars.

I didn't really think that New Found Glory as a four piece would vary much from the five piece version. The pop punk kings do what they do well! Resurrection might not have the obvious radio single that jumps out of the speakers as the new catchiest song you've ever heard, but it's got an "old school" vibe. Resurrection feels more like NFG's self-titled debut and Nothing Gold Can Stay. Just the maturer, more polished version. New Found Glory are what we thought they were. A really good pop punk band and it's not like the band is doing anything new on Resurrection. But... We wouldn't want them to do something different! 4 out of 5 Stars.

Phanatik is name familiar to long time christian hip-hop fans. The long-time Cross Movement member has dropped his new album on bandcamp. There's something very interesting about The Art of Rap Battle. There's an old school vibe about the album that I like. And the more spins through The Art of Battle Rap, the more I enjoy the songs and find myself connecting with the songs. Where the record falls short is when you look around at the hip-hop scene and what else has come out this year. What gives the record an old school vibe, also makes it feel outdated by comparison. While the old school vibe is cool, the record just doesn't stand out because it doesn't sound like Phanatik's intent was for the record to sound "old school". Even though I enjoy The Art of Battle Rap, it just doesn't stack up. 3.5 out of 5 Stars.

It's no secret that I love Blood and Ink Records and everything they release. So it should be no surprise that I love Household's debut With Or Without. Household is more than a hardcore band. In a lot of ways With Or Without reminds me of Hopesfalls debut, The Frailty of Words. It's got an emo vibe. Not the 2000's MTV/Warped Tour emo or even the mid-late 90's midwest emo sound, but the classic early 90's post-hardcore. It's raw and emotive, never overly intricate but never boring. The music moves in waves, each new wave hitting you fresh but giving you just enough of a respite in-between to catch your breathe and get ready to embrace the next one. The bass riffs walk through the crunchy driving guitars, while the drums never stay stagnant, always finding a new fill or change of beat to keep the songs ever moving in directions you don't expect. It's what hardcore is supposed to be! 5 out of 5 Stars!

I didn't love Fit For A King's debut, Creation Destruction. The best thing I could say about it was that I like heavy music and I Fit For A King was another band that was heavy and good enough to have a home in my collection. But I haven't listened to Creation Destruction since I reviewed it. Slave To Nothing is both better and less memorable. The moments that are good, are stellar. The album's opener Kill The Pain, had me stop and curse out loud at how good the drop was. Young and Deserving is one heck of a metalcore song! The opening riff on Hooked is stellar, even if the songs teeters on the edge of numetal. The Final Thoughts Of A Dying Man is a great closer. It gets weird in the middle, but overall, a killer track. My issues are when Fit For A King veers into For Today/standard super heavy metalcore territory. It's been done time and time again that it's almost tiresome. A lot like their debut, it's not offensive and as a fan of the genre, there's something enjoyable about Slave to Nothing. But it's not groundbreaking. 3.5 out of 5 Stars.

Review Wrap Up Part 3

SPZRKT did vocals on Tedashii's track Fire Away (one of my favorites from Below Paradise). When I saw SPZRKT was about to release Bonfire, I was interested. SPZRKY offers a brand of pop/r&b that reminds me a lot of Kenna (which is great because I LOVE Kenna). Bonfire is both musically pleasing, super catchy, and emotionally compelling. It's a perfect record! 5 out of 5 Stars!

It's tough when you have such high hopes for a record and it just doesn't work for you. Everything Sleeping Giant has done has been great and I expected Finished People to be no different. And it isn't.  Finished People is heavier than anything the band has done previously. And I think that's where Sleeping Giant loses me on Finished People. The album is a brutally heavy assault. It's a hardcore fans dream. But Sleeping Giant has always been a band that has embraced a melodic side and there's no catchy melodies on Finished People. It's a good record... I was just hoping for great. 4 out of 5 Stars.

How do you celebrate 20 years as a band? If you're Jars of Clay you kickstart an acoustic double record and let fans pick their favorite songs. It's a great collection of tracks from the band's career that spans every album. Some new arrangements of old favorites and some just stripped down versions of newer songs. My favorite moments are the old songs. Worlds Apart, Tea & Sympathy, and Love Song, all slowed down and stripped down even more, with the cello, are all just beautiful moments on a record full of great songs. It's a record for fans, so if you're not already a fan, this might not be your cup of tea. But I love Jars of Clay! 5 out of 5 Stars!

House of Heroes is another band where my expectations are super high! And it took me a couple listens through Smoke before I started to click with the band's new ep. I was pretty disappointed my first listen through. But over time Smoke really grew on me. The songs don't have that overt, catchy pop rock feel that I've come accustom to hearing from House of Heroes, but it's a raw, gritty rock and roll record. A Fire Only We Know is a truly beautiful moment in the middle of the record! 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

What to expect from the members of As I Lay Dying's new "atheist?" project? Ok... According to Nick Hipa maybe all the band members losing their faith in God was a bit over blown from Tim... But still, the band stepping out with a new vocalist and trying to establish a new identity in the face of the adversity from Tim's fall and the AILD fallout. So is Wovenwar any good? In a word, yes. But it's complicated. It actually took me lots and lots of listens to really find myself enjoying the band's self-titled debut. Yes, musically, the guys in Wovenwar know their way around their instruments and it's an epic musical journey. On top of the being musically pleasing, the songs are super catchy and will get stuck in your head. The lyrics are complex and can be taken to mean a couple things... Which is kind of nice to listen to an album and draw your on conclusions or be speculative about what the songs and album means. There's a lot to love about Wovenwar's debut! And I'm not sure why it took me so long to be sold on how good a record it was. Just missing AILD I guess... 5 out of 5 Stars!

Veritas Vinyl released Moral Monsters' Postmodern Failurism ep at a name your own price option and I picked it up. I'm always looking for fun punk rock. And that's what Moral Monsters is. Good old fashioned fun punk. Not one of my favorite records of the year, but a lot of fun. 3.5 out of 5 Stars.

The Whosoevers turned me on to Islander. And I'm glad they did! Violence and Destruction is a straight up nu metal throwback record. The old school Deftones influence is heavy on this record. And I love every minute of it! Violence and Destruction is fun. There are some terrific hooks mixed with great poignant moments and introspective lyrics. Violence and Destruction has been a gem of a find for me. 5 out of 5 Stars!

Sometimes it's great to find that record you've been looking for. Not that I'm a huge fan of V Rose or that Forever After is one of my favorite records of the year. But Forever After is an album the "christian" industry needs. For far too long fans of pop music haven't had a christian artist that resembled or rivaled their radio favorites. And parents/youth pastors/etc... haven't had an alternative to say, "hey if you like blank check blank out. V Rose is that artist. Not that we need to make second rate cheap Christian versions of the mainstream, but quality artists that wouldn't feel out of place of awkward along side the likes of Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, or any of the other top 40 artists. Forever After is the record that could find a home admits those artist and standout on it's own. It's the pop record I've been waiting for! 4 out of 5 Stars.

After a couple of pop/country eps, Lexi Elisha returns with a maturer sound and outlook on the world. While I enjoy her Swift-esque previous endeavors, there's something really beautiful and intriguing about Rope that Elisha's previous records didn't have. A beautiful ep! 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

When I heard Silhouettes for the first time, I was hooked. I instantly downloaded When I Was Younger, Colony House's debut. Finding out that two of the band's three member's are Stephen Curtis Chapman's sons was shocking. What's undeniable about When I Was Younger is the indie pop sugary goodness! The first half of Colony House's debut is amazing! Sadly, the second half of the album just doesn't have the same luster and catchiness that makes the first half so compelling. Sure, songs like Moving Forward and Lose Control are fantastic ballads but there are just some underwhelming moments that keep When I Was Younger from being a great album. 4 out of 5 Stars.

Between the Stars opening track, and album's first single, Set Me On Fire, is an excellent kickoff to the new era of Flyleaf. Magnetic packs less punch but the hook is so catchy that by the second time the chorus comes around, you're hooked! There are some moments on Between the Stars that hit you instantly and then there are those that have to grow on you. But there's something very warm and inviting about the record. Like a rock lullaby. It's easily my favorite Flyleaf record since the band's debut! I love Kristen May's vocals! 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

2014 might be christian hip-hop's coming out party! In a year of quality hip-hop album's, Swoope's Sinema is just the latest. Sinema is full of explosively great tracks (SinemaBest of Me, LSD, Sin In Me), some tracks that take time to grow on you (On My Mind, Bow Down, Beauty and The Beast, #SameTeam) and tracks that I like but are hard to jam to (Right Side, Before Goodnight), which can make listening to Sinema a little tedious at times. You find a song that blows you away and then the next song just isn't your jam. Still, the great moments and the moments that grow on you far outweigh those that might make you scratch your head. Best of Me is one of my favorite hip-hop tracks of the year! 4 out of 5 Stars.

I enjoyed Disciple's last effort, O God Save Us All, more than I expected, so I was actually looking forward to giving Attack a spin. Attack features some of Disciples best work to date! The first four tracks on Attack are incredible! Say what you want about big anthemic radio rock,  Disciple can write one hell of rock song! But (like Skillet's last record), it's the ballads that get me. There aren't that many on Attack but they are the few moments where I'm not in love with the record. The punk influenced The Named, the walking, sexy groove of the bass line on Lion, the raw rock and blistering guitar solo on Kamikaze are all great moments on the second half of Attack! Attack is easily my favorite Disciple record. 4 out of 5 Stars.