Reviews

Recording Christmas music comes with its own unique challenges. Should one cover secular or spiritual carols? Ought one go for funny, serious or both? Plumb addresses these hard choices handily with two enjoyable new holiday-themed EPs. Of the two, Behold is the more spiritually centered. It’s Christmastime, on the other hand, is lighter and focused more on the secular pleasures of the season.... Read more

If you have fond childhood Christmas memories of listening to Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Andy William and Burl Ives, then A Jazzy Little Christmas is the prefect new holiday project for you. Ernie Haas & Signature Sound hit the spot for nostalgia for this time of year.... Read more

Hillsong Worship is back with their first studio album in almost twenty years, Awake. The album is a music tribute of prayer and meditation that takes the listener through the day. It is a flow up to their 2018 live worship release, There Is More.... Read more

Grammy award winner, Zach Williams is back with his distinct Southern Rock sound on his Sophomore LP Rescue Story. The title track has already enjoyed time in the Top 10 on radio. Lyrically, this album speaks of the struggles of this world and the ever presence help and salvation of God. This album solidifies Williams as artist that has staying power after the success of his first album Chain Breaker.... Read more

Sarah Groves returns with a second Christmas collection, following her excellent 2008 release O Holy Night. What might look like a list of traditional and modern Christmas favorites and a few originals is actually a journey of perspectives, highlighting the varied audiences of the incarnation.... Read more

The sophomore release for the “new” Sanctus Real finds the band solidifying their sound with lead vocalist Dustin Lolli. Pardoning the obvious pun, there is a “confidence” on display in this set of well-crafted songs.... Read more

Creating this collection of new songs helped Big Daddy Weave affirm their faith in a God who makes all things new, and light a path back to joy. Given the circumstances, much of When the Light Comes is surprisingly buoyant and punchy. The pop hooks are strong, though there are just a couple of instances when they don’t quite line up with the tenor of the lyrics.... Read more

Christians can sometimes feel like that near-beaten boxer, the bloodied and staggering Sylvester Stallone at the end of every Rocky film. Yet when Skillet’s John and Korey Cooper sing/shout the anthemic chorus to “Victorious,” the title track off this the band’s latest full-length effort, it creates the kind of adrenaline rush that propels Rocky to victory in the final round of (nearly) every fight.... Read more

The Afters Fear No More (Fair Trade Services) The Afters return following last year’s greatest hits collection with Fear No More, a set combining the two new tracks on The Beginning & Everything Afte...... Read more

Jon Egan, the longtime leader of Desperation Band and worship leader at New Life Church, has released his latest recording, Unveil.... Read more