ADIE Just You and Me (BEC) For Fans Of: Sara Groves, Christy Nockels Adie’s press maintains that her primary focus is on being a wife and mother—as if the music is a side project. Perhaps that explains the low expectations coming from her rather quiet hype machine. Despite the all-but-absent buzz surrounding her latest project, Just You and Me, Adie delivers a nice mix of originals and covers—half and half—for an all-around pleasant, albeit simple, album. –Matt Conner We Recommend: “Redemption Song” MEREDITH ANDREWS As Long As It Takes (Word) For Fans Of: Kari Jobe, Britt Nicole, Hillsong United Topping lists of modern worship newcomers over the past couple years, singer/songwriter Meredith Andrews will no doubt be enchanting the music world for years to come with her accessible stamp of pop/worship. And though her songwriting is stellar, proven by hefty co-writes with the likes of Paul Baloche who guests on “How Great Is the Love,” and her voice broadcasting the prominence of a powerhouse, As Long as it Takes lacks the creativity to discern her from the sea of artists appearing daily in the praise and worship scene. –Andrew Greer We Recommend: “Can Anybody Hear Me” CHASEN That Was Then, This Is Now (INO) For Fans Of: Daughtry, Sister Hazel With great production, incredible hooks and a chart- topping lead single, Chasen’s national debut, That Was Then, This Is Now, contains all the ingredients for an out-of-the-box top seller. Add to that the band’s past success on the independent circuit and frontman Chasen Callahan’s weekly exposure to more than 5,000 as worship leader at the Greenville, S.C.-based Marathon Church, the pop/rock foursome possesses both the marketing inertia and raw talent to tag them 2010’s “Most Likely to Succeed.” –Andrew Greer We Recommend: “Airplanes” DECEMBERADIO Live (Slanted) For Fans Of: The Black Crowes, Aerosmith One of the most colorful, consistent and colossal rock groups on the road these days is undeniably Virginia-bred rock band DecembeRadio who growl through the southern stomper “Powerful Thing,” followed by the blistering “Believer” and the inspiring “Love Found Me.” After a few insightful interview segments and a short sneak peek at their tour bus, they blow the roof off this CD/ DVD set (each sold separately) with “Better Man” featuring crunching guitars and militant drums. Live captures their fi ery, faith-based rock ‘n roll and smoldering old-school appeal to arguably solidify them as the rock band of this and a few other generations. –Andy Argyrakis We Recommend: “Better Man” PASSION Awakening (sixsteps) For Fans Of: Chris Tomlin, Hillsong United, David Crowder Band Several guests of honor were invited to this most recent Passion worship gathering around New Year’s Day in Atlanta, Georgia. Alongside Passion staples such as David Crowder Band, Chris Tomlin, Charlie Hall and Christy Nockels, the uber-popular Hillsong United also joined in the proceedings as well as worship rock act FEE. The new inclusions stand fi ne enough, but the center stage still belongs to the familiar faces—especially Chris Tomlin’s beautiful “Awakening.” With eight new songs and other favorites such as “How He Loves” from David Crowder Band, Passion: Awakening serves up another impressive offering in a catalog that already leads the worship music pack. –Matt Conner We Recommend: “Awakening” ROBBIE SEAY BAND Miracle (Sparrow) For Fans Of: Leeland, Phil Wickham, U2, Coldplay RSB’S INFECTIOUS ROCK ANTHEMS CONTINUE TO ROLL Quick disclaimer: What I don’t mean to say is, “if you’ve heard one Robbie Seay Band album, you’ve heard them all.” At the same time, RSB’s latest batch of worshipful pop/ rock tunes, Miracle, is everything you’ve come to expect from the Texas four-piece and not much else. But in this case, that’s completely and totally fi ne… because whoever’s in charge of the melodies here might just be the fi nest songsmith in the genre. Seay’s trenchant song structures cut right to the good stuff, moving sharply toward epic builds and quiet endings, creating an album that brings nearly every emotion along for the ride. From somber considerations (“Lament,” “Long Way Home”) to exuberant refrains (“Crazy Love,” “Your Love Is Strong”), RSB fully explores the dynamics of the spiritual journey. It’s diffi cult to name highlights when they span nearly every portion of Miracle. The title track might be Seay’s fi nest yet with every pop element perfectly aligned with a soul- stirring chorus. Album opener “Love Invades” rides spacious guitar tones straight into an undeniable RSB guitar progression that demands an instant replay. The sparser “Long Way Home” utilizes Seay’s haunting falsetto and infectious drum work to great effect. True, Miracle is just another album from the Robbie Seay Band. But with releases this good, each is just another cause for celebration. –Matt Conner We Recommend: “Miracle” 38 CCM