Northwest Christian Music - Album Reviews

Autumn Heart

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:58:19 +0000

Band/Artist -SONSOFDAY
Release Date - Oct 12, 2009
Label – 1964 Records

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Our Rating: 5/5

In 2007, SONSOFDAY released Fragile People. For a debut album, this was pretty good. The production quality was very nice. There were also some hits. A couple that come to mind are This Place and the title track Fragile People. Now in 2010 comes their newest offering. It is of course titled: Autumn Heart. Leave any preconceived notions you may have of the band at the door. I’ll tell you right off the bat, this album is fantastic. The production quality is top notch again, and I noticed right away that the band has matured since the previous release.

The album opens up with Stay. This is more or less a standard pop flavored track. That doesn’t mean it’s obscure. The tune is catchy and the vocals are enticing. One thing I love about this album is the way SONSOFDAY experiments with the guitars. You’ll notice a lot more solos and guitar work. It really adds a lot to the bands sound. The band has always been creative, but I feel they really shine on Autumn Heart.

As I’ve said in past reviews, I don’t like to go into every song on every album. I think a listener needs to experience it for themselves. Saying that I want to talk about one more song. That song would be Revolution. If you don’t like catchy, addictive songs, then this one will ruin your day. The singer really tries out his different vocals here. I’ll admit I’ve caught myself many times singing this song in my head. You listen and it just sticks.

Later on the album slows down for some very worshipful moments. Some of these moments can be pretty deep if you really listen. I can’t really say much else about that.

So to wrap this up, be prepared to be impressed with the honest and real vocals and lyrics. This is a pop/worship album, and it’s great. It will be amazing to see what God continues to do with SONSOFDAY. Do not pass up Autumn Heart…You will regret it if you do.

Also, if you haven’t seen SONSOFDAY live yet, go check them out and support them if you like what you hear.

Jeff Schlottmann

Tonight

admin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:08:02 +0000

Band/Artist -Cen†erPeacE
Release Date - N/a
Label – None

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The Christian rap industry seems to be a risky business. With so many rap artists out there, how do you find one who stands out? Coming out of Portland, Oregon, Centerpeace brings a fresh sound without watering down the message of God.

Truthfully, there isn’t a lot of ground breaking material here, but Centerpeace has the right vocals to keep you listening. Lyrically, you will find nothing but honest, uplifting lyrics throughout this whole album. A lot is mentioned of Jesus dying on the cross for us, and simply living a Godly life. There seems to be a late 90′s R&B/Hiphop feel to Tonight, being able to compare to many groups from that era. It’s hard to explain what I mean by that, but anyone who listened to that genre in the 90′s will know what I’m talking about.

Tonight is really an album for die hard R&B/Hiphop fans, since it doesn’t stray at all from the said style. However, if you’re looking for an album full of hope and biblical truth, Tonight is definitely worth giving a listen or two.

Jeff Schlottmann

The Day Love Came

admin — Fri, 15 May 2009 04:42:17 +0000

Band/Artist - Encomium
Release Date - April 15, 2009
Label – Altar City Music

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Encomium’s latest album “The Day When Love Came” definitely reveals the heart behind the band itself. They are not afraid to proclaim their love for God in their music, all of their music shows that through the lyrics. It proclaims the power of God in our lives on a daily basis. It is also packed with high energy, intense worship songs such as Love Without End, The Day Love Came, Live it Out Loud. The song “You are My God” definitely has the potential to be a radio hit on Christian Radio.

This album has five brand new songs, and five original songs from their previous albums. However, the songs have been re-arranged, re-recorded, re-mixed, re-vived. That being said, this adds a fresh new sound to the band Encomium. Be sure you pick up this album, you will not be disappointed.

I personally know this my favorite album of theirs so far, I love worship Albums, so a new sound and mix to it, even makes it that much better.

Justen Martian

Let Us Reconcile

admin — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:34:54 +0000

Band/Artist - Garage Voice

Release Date - Feb 19th , 2009

Label - Upbeat Child Records

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There are so many things to say about Garage Voice. This three piece band from Seattle has a flare to them that just stands out from other bands.

The album kicks off with Book It, which will immediately draw in anyone who was a fan of the late 90’s Christian bands. This is pretty much the feel of the entire album. That doesn’t mean there’s nothing to like on Let Us Reconcile. Some may see this as a step backwards, but it’s nice to see a band not following the crowd of rock and hardcore acts.

Another thing I love about this album is how the vocals seem to be left alone. Tommy Panigot’s voice sounds natural. You’ll probably even notice vocal imperfections throughout this album, which just makes it feels that much more real. The greatest factor about this album is the message. These guys don’t hold back about relying on God. In fact, while I’m writing this, I’m listening to Aside which says He’s the peace of our lives.

I can’t push this enough…you need to check out this album. Fans of the 90’s, fans of fun music, and anybody in between will love this album. Garage Voice is a band you need to keep your eyes on.

Jeff Schlottmann

The Everlasting Man

admin — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:12:30 +0000

Band - A Hope For Home Release Date - Jan 20, 2009 Label - Strike First Records

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A lot of times when a smalltime band sounds like a mainstream act, people are quick to write off that smalltime band as a rip off. This could not possibly be the case with A Hope For Home. With an obvious Underoath influence, as well as other bands from that genre, The Everlasting Man may be the album to prove that HFH is not a hack band. This Portland band is really a surprise.

I found out real quick that The Everlasting Man is quite the roller coaster ride, with the ups and downs of mellow to chaotic sounds that pull you into the album. The Covenant gets things to a start with a very smooth, calming tone that builds the excitement for the album to get going. I do have to say, the transition from the first track into Iniquity: An Offering felt a bit oafish, but you’ll quickly forget about it as you get sucked into the well thought out melodies and screaming.

I didn’t really find any other problems with this album. Every track, on it’s own, feels original and epic. Anyone who passes this album up is making a mistake. If A Hope For Home continues with this kind of quality production and music creating, they can only keep getting better. Don’t forget about this band.
Jeff Schlottmann

Expression Of Praise

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 01:49:29 +0000

Band/Artist - EncomiumRelease Date - May 7, 2006 Label - None

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I’ll get right to the point…I was caught off guard when I first listened to Expression of Praise. I expected them to sound like any other worship band out there. But I was was proven wrong, and I was suddenly put into a good mood. Coming out of Portland, Oregon, Encomium has a fresh worship style that just pulls you in and makes you want to keep listening.

What’s great about Encomium is that they know how to mix a nice rock sound with awesome worship. There really isn’t a lot of that out there. There is also an influence of Delirious and Hillsong United, but they’ve made the sound all their own. Another thing that was really nice about Expression Of Praise, was the ‘live’ feel. There were no distractions of the crowd yelling and screaming, but at the same time you feel like you’re in the “crowd”.

I don’t really like to go into each song individually. Expression Of Praise is an album you really need to experience for yourself. If you like a bit of rock mixed with honest worship, Encomium is the band for you

Jeff Schlottmann

Because Of Your Grace EP

admin — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:45:30 +0000

Band/Artist - The New Divide Release Date - Dec 24, 2008 Label - Break of Day Records

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About two years ago, a band called Styful sprung up from Vancouver, WA. Consisting of brothers Andy, Doug, and Aaron Ziesemer, they could be described as power pop with a little bit of punk. Very little. After building their fan base, Styful decided to change the band name to something a bit more meaningful. Thus, The New Divide was born. Along with the name change came a new sound. Fans were treated to heavier guitars, and a driving rock sound.

With only three songs, Because Of Your Grace is a very short EP. That doesn’t mean this isn’t worth the purchase. We start off with Control, a catchy tune which is actually about, giving up the control over our own life. Control has also become a staple in The New Divide’s live show. Next up is Grace, a very beautiful, worshipful rock song about being at the foot of our Saviour’s cross. To finish off the EP we have Home. Simply put, this is about being away from home.

If you’ve been to a TND show, you’ll know how hard these guys work at what they do. They know where their success comes from; God first, followed by their fans. If you haven’t been to a live show yet, make plans for it. Never willing to turn away a fan, you’re pretty much guaranteed to meet at least one of the band members. So check out their Myspace, leave a message, and listen to The New Divide.

Jeff Schlottmann

Generation Unleashed Live Worship

admin — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 04:36:31 +0000

Band/Artist - Generation Unleashed

Release Date - Jan 29, 2008

Label - Maranatha! Music

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You want some honesty? This is my third attempt at this review. I was really conflicted. I just could not figure out what to write about this band. I first heard of Generation Unleashed about a year ago. A friend of mine had the album, God’s Not Dead, and I checked it out. I wasn’t a huge fan. They sounded exactly like Hillsong United. In fact, there were a few times when I forgot who I was listening to. So, needless to say, when I found out my next review was going to be a GU album, I already had my thoughts on what to write. But, as it turns out, I don’t always know what I’m talking about.

So the overall sound of GU is still obviously influenced by Hillsong, but this time around they seem to stand out a bit more. Live Worship starts off with Always, which is great rock song. You can really tell the change in the band with this track. It was nice to know I wasn’t listening to a rip off. Off and on throughout the rest of the record, you may still think you’re listening to Hillsong, but this isn’t a disappointment. You’ll notice that all the songs really flow together very smoothly. You can just feel the atmosphere that was seeping out of the auditorium and through the speakers.

While there is more to say about this album, and I could go more into each individual song, I don’t want to ramble too much. This is something that needs to be experienced. Please don’t give up on GU after the first listen, even if you don’t like the Aussie resemblance. The tunes will start to sink in and you will be truly blessed by the God given talent that is put into Live Worship. And while this isn’t the most original project out there, it’s nothing to be ignored by any fan of worship music. Make sure you check these guys out, and if you happen to be in the Portland area during the next GU conference, definitely stop in and experience Live Worship.

Jeff Schlottmann

The Wounded

admin — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 04:41:04 +0000

Band/Artist - Stillfire

Release Date - Dec 1, 2007

Label - None

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What can I say about female fronted Christian rock bands? Most of them sound too identical, to say the least. Sometimes I think somebody is sitting in the Christian music headquarters stamping these bands out with a cookie cutter. I like cookies, but too much is too much. That’s why I’m relieved to present a little band from the Portland, Salem, Eugene, Oregon area called Stillfire. Led by Megan Steele on vocals, this five piece has been stirring things up all over the place. One of these places was none other than Creation ’08.

I have to say, I was a bit surprised by Megan’s voice. It’s nothing like the industry standard, and she uses it well. It’s very distinct.

To open up the album is “I’m Yours”, which is a personal favorite of mine. It is full of some nice guitar work (as well as the rest of the disc). Other highlights are “Mystery” and “Further Still”. It’s easy to tell these folks have been playing for a while. The need for God in the midst of brokenness is an obvious theme throughout most of the ep. What I really like about this band is their passion. I can tell they are a hard working band who isn’t ashamed to sing about our Lord. That’s something you’ll see less and less of, even in the Christian industry.

Even though I like this album, I do have a few complaints. There are points throughout when the vocals drown out the music, and likewise, the music at times drown out the vocals. There is a point in “Sleeping” when the Megan and her backup start talking quietly. It’s very difficult to understand what’s being said, mainly because of the music level. You’ll also notice some screams sprinkled around. Sometimes this works, and other times it just feels awkward. An example is the song “Awaken”. It starts off with some metal styled screams, which is put to an end with Megan’s smooth voice. It’s a strange transition. But then later in the same song, these screams fit in very well. So it’s not all bad in any way.

So what’s the verdict? Overall, this is an enjoyable album. It feels like a raw album, which I think is good for certain bands. It’s not over polished, which is also a good thing. The album is not perfect, but I found myself wanting to keep listening. While there are some negative points, as with all albums, this band is nothing to put off. It is definitely worth the purchase for anyone looking for a new female led band. It will be nice to see where Stillfire goes from here.

Jeff Schlottmann

I Become Low

admin — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:29:35 +0000

	Northwest Christian Music worship band “The Neverclaim” released their first 10 track album “I Become Low”. For their first album, it exceeded its expectations. With the bands one heart and desire to worship God through their music, it’s clearly heard in this album. All their songs are declarations of what Jesus Christ can and wants to do with us, we just need to embrace Him. With this being only their first album, we expect even greater things are to come in their later projects. If your looking for a passionate worship album that you can put on and dive into God’s presence, then “I Become Low” is the album for you. Justen Martian
Band/Artist - The Neverclaim
Release Date - July 30, 2007
Label - Break of Day Records
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