--------------------------------------------------------------------------- TLeM1.2.3 REVIEWS: Lisa Bevill _All Because of You_ (Sparrow) Even with only one listen to Lisa Bevill's sophomore release _All Because of You_, the average listener notices that things have changed significantly since the release of her first album, _My Freedom_. But even for those of us who bought _My Freedom_ and liked it, this is not a bad thing. To be sure, the sonic quality of the album is equal to, or better than, her debut release, which is saying plenty. This shouldn't be surprising with the likes of Tommy Sims, Dann Huff and Jerry McPherson lending their musical talent, Angelo and Veronica helping out with backing vocals, and both Sims and Charlie Peacock handling production on the album. What is surprising, however, is both the trend toward slower songs and the increased depth and spiritual content of the lyrics since Bevill's last effort. One has only to listen to songs like "The First Uncloudy Day," or "All Because of You" to wonder if perhaps Bevill's heart has been in this type of soft, melodic tune from the beginning. In fact, even though the hip- hop sounding "Sunshine and Joy," the pop standard "No Condemnation" and the funky "Trouble the Waters" hardly classify as slow, they still sound as if the singers and players are purposely holding back just a little, emphasizing artistic style and variety over sheer speed and volume. Still, the cornerstone of the album is it's lyrical content. Songs like "Fall into Your Arms" and "No Condemnation" are written and sung with a sensitivity that can not help but highlight the spiritual maturity of the artist. Where _My Freedom_ dealt in positive themes, _All Because of You_ addresses clearly and specifically the need for, and the benefits of, a one to one relationship with Christ. In fact, "Sunshine and Joy" quotes almost word for word from Philippians 4, "Hold On" from Isaiah 40, "Trouble the Waters" from John 5 and, of course, "No Condemnation" from Romans 8. From the title to the specifically Christian message, _All Because of You_ stands as a well-produced effort designed to carry its listeners to a more intimate knowledge of the Lord. To take such a marked turn on the second album may seem risky in light of an audience that would probably be content to hear _My Freedom_ Part Two, but Bevill should be admired for making an album like _All Because of You_ regardless of that risk. --Bert Gangl World Wide Message Tribe _Dance Planet_ (N-Soul) The trio from Manchester England is back with a follow-up to their self- titled debut, a project that should excite pop and dance music fans. This time their sound is a little more even across the project. Taking a little more pop influence in with their techno/house stylings, making it slightly brighter and more even, I think it's a strength for _Dance Planet_. There is plenty of variety, from slow grooves to deep driving techno beats to cheery upbeat tunes, but not so much that it appears schizophrenic (a personal criticism of their first album). Another potential problem is that techno music is generally not a very good medium for insightful Christian lyrics. With heavy use of loops and samples, most lyrics tend to be short repeated phrases in this genre. By using some rap verses and vocal segments, WWMT is able to squeeze some content in the tunes--giving the album good substance, and keeping it from becoming simple and redundant. The vocals are not simply another rhythm track--they have a purpose. They remain straight ahead, and focused on eternal life and getting close to God, with the exception of "We Take the Blame," which focuses on worldly problems. As on their debut, they add one ballad. "Peace" is a wonderful tune with a surprise--a female vocal. It is an appropriate affirmation of the dependability of God and the peace that He offers. With over 51 minutes (well, there are two remixes added) of some excellent and easily accessible dance/pop music, it has readily become a personal favorite. If you like the genre, you should be pleased. --Roger Appelinski 4HIM, _The Ride_ (Benson) If you are a tried and true 4HIM listener, you will enjoy their latest release titled, _The Ride_. Producers Michael Omartian, Don Koch, and Peter Wolf team up to create a typical 4HIM recording, tremendous 4-part harmony with vibrant vocalization. The theme created throughout the project is one of encouragement to the Christian of God's never-ending love. Beginning the project, Orville & Wilbur Wright are the center of the song, "Wings." The artist contrast the flight of the Wright's to our heavenly desire to spread our "wings" to our eternal home and "wave these worries good-bye." This theme mimics the song, "Fountain of Youth " from an earlier album. Switching lead voices, we hear from the distinct voice of Kirk Sullivan on "The Nature of Love." An urgent, powerful message brings, "For Future Generations" to the forefront as one of the hits on this album. The lyrics "what has been I can not change, for tomorrow and today, I will be a light for future generations" set a challenge to the Christian community for accountability to those around us. Changing pace is the Bee Gees sound of Marty Magehee with "Shelter In The Rain." It definitely has the lively rhythm to make you want to break into a 70's disco dance. The relationships we have with friends through Jesus Christ is the theme for the slow pop tune, "Between You And Me." As always with 4HIM projects, there are a lot of different vocal arrangements between each artists to give each song a unique sound. This album makes good utilization of the voices, changing lead vocals to fit the mood of the song. "Real Thing" is the closest to a "rock" sound as 4HIM will get. The song is lead by tenor, Andy Chrisman, but there are a lot of voice-overs to give the tune a spirited tone. One of the most unique songs on the album is "Ride Of Life." Complete with roller coaster sound effects, you feel like you are on a scream machine as this arrangement takes you on this "roller coaster ride of life, lifts you up and lets you down...this roller coaster ride of life spins you round and round and round." A typical 4HIM arrangement is "What Do I Know," complete with lots of ooh's and aah's as only these four guys can do. "Love Finds You" is a distinctive song telling us that we are not far away from friends that we love. "We may be worlds apart but you're never too far from where I need you to be, love finds you, love brings you to me." Being one of those tried and true fans, I really enjoyed the new release from 4HIM. These guys have such great harmony, maybe an acappella project will be up next? The lyrics and arrangements are typical 4HIM but they do a great job of presenting them in a fresh, new way. I would recommend this album to anyone who needs encouragement when _The Ride_ gets a little rough. --Ann Hathcock Jerusalem _Prophet_ (R.E.X.) When I first caught a listen of the European import of _Prophet_ this summer, my ears quickly perked up. I had no idea what it was I was hearing. I quickly found out that it was Jerusalem, a band I know nearly nothing about. The only things that I've learned about them is that they were the first Christian group to have a video aired on M-TV and that I love this album. I was impressed by the liner note that states that the album was "recorded live in the studio with no overdubs." Without stating that in the jacket, I would never have known. The album is full, robust, and masterfully produced and engineered. Much of the music centers around alternative-rock, with some excursions into arena rock and hard rock. It makes for an exciting musical experience that should appeal to most rock fans--especially those drawn to groups ranging from The Choir to Petra to Guardian. Even with a highly impressive musical effort, the strength of the album is undoubtedly in the lyrics. Several tracks encourage rekindling of the Spirit in our lives and taking a strong stance against worldly compromise, while most of the balance deals directly with the Gospel and nature of Jesus Christ. The songs are straight-ahead and simply understood but not boring or elementary. After my first listen to _Prophet_ I knew why so many people were buying the European release of the album and not waiting for a release here in the states. I think one listen would work for any avid rock fan. --Roger Appelinski Steve Taylor, _Now the Truth Can Be Told (Boxed Set)_, (Sparrow) He's not dead. With a tribute album and a boxed set in the same year, I'm sure Taylor was wondering if his doctor was keeping secrets. So, why do a boxed set? If you have to ask that question, you are obviously not a fan of Taylor. However, it is for that reason that this collection should appeal to you. It's a chance for exposure to a cross-section of his music, with descriptions to guide you through the serious and the satirical. Naturally, any fans will jump at the chance for this new item. Enclosed with the 2-CD pack is a booklet that will be sure to please all. After an extensive biographical sketch and career history, the lyrics are included with a short description behind the conception of each song. There is, of course a wide range of off-the-wall Taylor. The collection of tunes ranges from the classics like "I Want to Be a Clone," "Meltdown," "This Disco (Used to be a Cute Cathedral)," "On the Fritz," "To Forgive," and "Jim Morrison's Grave" to the lesser known "Am I in Sync?," "I Just Wanna Know," "Under the Blood," "Bouquet," "A Principled Man" and the elusive "Winter Wonderland." It includes the live tracks "We Don't Need No Colour Code" and "You Don't Owe Me Nothing" and Chagall Guevara tunes "Murder in the Big House," "Echer's World," and "Violent Blue." Overall, it would seem a fitting mixture to appeal to fans and to be a reasonable introduction to new listeners. Of course a boxed set wouldn't be complete with something new--and there are two items that fit the bill. "Dream in Black and White" is a scaled-down tune about people who spend all their time away from work watching television--watching the world in color, but dreaming in black and white. "Shark Attack" is a compilation of several demos of early versions of his songs, including one that never made it to an album--very interesting to hear songs still very young in the creative process. So, if you're looking for your first real picture of Steve Taylor or if you want something to add to your collection of his work, this is a well- compiled project that shouldn't disappoint. --Roger Appelinski Steve Taylor, _Now the Truth Can Be Told (Video)_, (Sparrow) Seventy minutes to scan the career of an artist. It's possible, but not accurate, or is it? For Taylor, it captures his most redeeming quality, his odd and cynical sense of humor. The project offers some examples of his famous video collection, including: "Jim Morrison's Grave," "Since I Gave up Hope I Feel a Lot Better," "I Blew Up the Clinic Real Good," "Babylon," "A Principled Man," "Lifeboat," and "Meltdown." Also included are the promotional video for Chagall Guevara, "I Predictionary"--a short video to promote _I Predict 1990_, "The Lost Interview" from the 700 Club with Steve Taylor and Amy Grant, some promotional footage Taylor directed for Greenbelt, and two of his student film projects. The two film efforts are interesting to say the least. They're a bit too hard to describe without spoiling the fun, so if you understand Taylor, they'll make sense... As they say, if you're a fan, you won't want to be without this--I know I wouldn't. --Roger Appelinski The ForeFront Extended Play Remixes--DC Talk _Free At Last_, Audio Adrenaline _Don't Censor Me_, and Code of Ethics _Code of Ethics_ (ForeFront) Scott Blackwell is a busy man these days, yet he managed to contribute most of the creativity behind these new offerings--remixes of some of the industry's upbeat songs. He pulls off some excellent work, up there with his best. The DC Talk project includes two remixes of "Jesus is Just Alright"--an energetic 'Techno Mix' and a funky, R&Bish version in the 'Retro Mix.' An stripped-down, but almost downbeat mix of "Luv is a Verb" and the video remix version of "The Hardway" round out the 22+ minutes on the album. Two mixes of "Can't Take God Away" start the Audio Adrenaline project. The first, the 'Eternal Life Mix,' is an extended version of the original with long digital-effects based interludes in spots. The 'House Mix' relies more on some funky organ sounds with the synthesizers enhance the original. The 'Hardcore Mix' of "We're a Band" is a rather stark contrast to the original. Practically the vocals are the only thing left with a few drum and synth loops, leaving a slow grooving remake. Ian Eskelin adds an 'Aquatic Dub Mix' of "Big House." It also offers a fairly slow groove in contrast to the original, with much of the track being a slow loop with quick electronic effects , bringing this album close to 23 minutes. The most artistic license is taken on The Code of Ethics mixes. Vocal effects are a force behind the 'House Mix' of "Without Reason," mixing heavy delay of the sped-up vocal with a sparse drum and synthesizer loop resulting in a light, intriguing mix. The eight-minute 'Trance Dub' of "Without Reason" is a bit more full and slow than the first. The 'Tribal Groove Mix' of "Follow On" is also on the slower side, with a slightly organic layer under the samples and effects. Barry Blaze and Ian Eskelin round out the almost 26-minute project with the 'Salsa Tribal Mix' of "Satellite Babies." It is a radically different sound than the original. Featuring a quick R&B background with plenty of samples and quick guitar riffs, most of the lead vocals are a sped up, and altered to sound like something across a bad telephone connection. The choruses feature a blend of the altered vocal with the more natural one, creating a very impressive sound. While there are only four songs on each album, I thoroughly enjoyed the mixes and like most of them more than the originals. If you liked them once, you'll probably like them again in their new form. --Roger Appelinski White Heart, _Nothing but the Best--Rock Classics_ _Nothing but the Best-- Radio Classics_ (Star Song) As White Heart prepares to enter the next stage of their career with a new record label, they close this chapter with two "Best of" releases. _...Rock Classics_ contains "Convertibles," "No Taboo," "Sing Your Freedom," "Let the Kingdom Come," Powerhouse," "Independence Day," "His Heart Was Always In It," "Light a Candle," "Nothing But The Best," "Change the Way," "Heaven of My Heart," and the new songs "Climb the Hill" and "Letter of Love."" _...Radio Classics_ includes (a complete and fully instrumented rendition of) "Morningstar," the new "My Eyes Have Seen," "How Many Times (Seventy Times Seven)," "Fly Eagle Fly," "Montana Sky," "River Will Flow," "Desert Rose," "A Love Calling," "Say the Word," "Unchain," Silhouette," "Once and for All," and "The Flame Passes On." "Letter of Love" is a driving guitar-based rock track with heavy keyboard enhancement. "Climb the Hill" is slightly slower, with a slow start that builds to an almost anthematic crescendo, and "My Eyes Have Seen" is a forceful midtempo tune. Each seems to fit on the project--not classics, but the proverbial "destined to be classic" category. They're the standard greatest hits--no surprises, but a nice addition to a collection. --Roger Appelinski Whitecross, _Unveiled_ (R.E.X.) Let's get this right out in the open: Whitecross' _Unveiled_, like so many Christian albums, is an album full of derivative and unexceptional tunes. There is nothing here that hasn't been done at least as well elsewhere. Having said that, _Unveiled_ does have its modest charms. While most songs are reminiscent--sometimes uncannily so--of earlier tunes from AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, or the like, this is perhaps not an altogether bad thing. Vocalist Scott Wenzel sounds as though he was born to belt out tunes like these. If what you want is an album full of solid rock songs you can crank up to "11" Whitecross delivers. The obvious difference is that _Unveiled_'s lyrics are generally more uplifting than those of their secular counterparts, praising God's mercy and love instead of some groupie's more carnal attractions. Again, there are no deep insights here, nor are the lyrics especially clever, but Whitecross does speak the truth of the Gospel in their straightforward way. No one will mistake the members of Whitecross for musical geniuses, but this album deserves the kind of airplay and appreciation that any solid rock album would receive. Guitarist Barry Graul (formerly of Halo) may be no Eddie Van Halen, but he's smart enough to spare us the gratuitous solos other guitarists of his caliber might inflict upon their audience. Likewise, bassist Tracy Ferrie and drummer Michael Feighan lay down a solid foundation. _Unveiled_ may be uninspired, but it does display a level of workmanship that is at least above average for the industry. --Rob Szarka Crystal Lewis _The Remix Collection_ (Metro One) Crystal raps! It's true. On the remix of "I Now Live," and "Spiritual Warfare" the little lady takes a vocal assault that really isn't too bad. Oh course, she isn't going to take over the rap world, but it serves as a nice addition to this compilation of remixes of her most famous tracks. In addition to the two remixes "I Now Live" (the energetic opener with rap, and a slower grooving mix) there are two versions of "Little Jackie." The first is a slow groove featuring raps by T-Bone to tell a different version of the story, while the second is a funky R&B version. There are also two versions of "Shine Jesus Shine." One is upbeat with plenty of guitar work, while the other is a slow, laid-back, R&B version. Both remixes of "You'll Be Back For Me" are upbeat, with the former being a looser, percussion driven version, with the latter (the aerobic version) being a little faster, deep bass lead remake. "Lonely" is a pleasant remake with a stripped down feel. It offers a driving R&B bass track with jangly guitar and bright horn samples along with keyboard effects creating a peppy and light experience. "Don't Worry" is slow, full groove, loaded with rhythm tracks--keys, bass, synthesizer, horn, and drum. The mixing is handled mostly by Scott Osborne, Muffla, and Kaliq. Scott Blackwell and Peter Jacobs work on a few of the tracks. I wouldn't say this project breaks considerable ground, but it is impressive in the diversity of style covered. Freely admitting that I'm not much of a Lewis fan, I found this collection to be quite enjoyable and fresh --something I've listened to quite a bit. If you want a little bit of an adventure, sample this one. --Roger Appelinski DC Talk, _Narrow is the Road (Video)_ (ForeFront) DC Talk's concert tour is rated as one of the best on the road by fans. _Narrow is the Road_ is a long form video focusing on the concert experience of this popular group. The video opens with some of the video's many clips from the past year on the road, set to "Luv is a Verb." A short interview with Michael Tait explains the group's intent for touring. Up next is a concert performance of "Jesus is Just Alright." After a bit of "Say the Words," they talk about Compassion International and meet a child they support. They also feature a segment of instrumental solos by the band members as they introduce them to the crowd. The guys took cameras along as they went with Billy Graham on a day off. They also took a trip to Liberty University and reminisced about the founding of DC Talk. After concert footage of "That Kinda Girl" and "I Don't Want It," they go behind the scenes to look at the making of the video for "The Hardway." One of the highlights is a chance for the guys to meet with Larry Norman and discuss the song "I Wish We'd All Been Ready." They share a small clip of their performance of Norman's classic in a downbeat unplugged vein. After another short interview about the purpose of the video project, they add more concert footage of "Free at Last." Also included are the videos of "Jesus is Just Alright" and "The Hardway." While _Narrow is the Road_ doesn't really shed too much new light on the band's life, purpose, or message, it's an enjoyable experience, and one that serious fans of the group probably won't want to miss. --Roger Appelinski Tourniquet, _Vanishing Lessons_ (Intense) Tourniquet is back with a new lead vocalist and producer for what may be their best album yet. Luke Easter handles all the vocals and Jim Faraci is on the production helm for the band's fourth, _Vanishing Lessons_. The rumors concerning a less aggressive sound that have started (and not helped by the new logo and cover art) are founded primarily in the presence of a couple tunes which are not the screaming 100mph grooves that the group is known for. Fans of their heavier stuff can take comfort in the fact that they still can get as heavy as ever, as evidenced by "Pecking Order" and "Acid Head." The album contains plenty of the characteristic guitar harmonies and throbbing bass sounds, furnished by Gary Lenaire and Victor Macias. The spiritual caliber of the album's lyrics are as strong as ever. Listeners are given a taste of the strong new vocals in the opening seconds of the first track, "Bearing Gruesome Cargo," a song about using one's past as an excuse for one's behavior. The album deals with a number of topics usually left alone, such as the part-ballad (!) "My Promise," which is penned from the perspective of a new husband to his new stepchild. Easter even hits some high notes on this one. Drummer Ted Kirkpatrick, who wrote most of the songs, gets a chance to shine on "K517," which is simply an intense drum solo (without any overdubs) over Domenico Scarlatti's 517th sonata. "Twilight" is a slow melodic, lyrically-convicting song about the neglect of the elderly in our society. _Vanishing Lessons_ is quite a change for Tourniquet, but the change really worked here, and the album should help establish them further as one of the premiere bands in Christian metal. --Erik Sellin _Fireside Christmas_ (ForeFront) _Fireside Christmas_ sounds just like its name. Picture a couple cozied up by a roaring fire, sipping hot chocolate and wrapping presents. Or an intimate little gathering of friends as they gather around the Christmas buffet and share holiday plans and pleasantries. This album would make great background music for any occasion such as these. Produced, arranged, and performed by Mark Townsend, the album is a comfortable blend of secular and Christian holiday music. The traditional non-religious songs are "Jingle Bells" and "Deck The Halls" while the other side of the season is represented by "What Child is This," "We Three Kings," "Silent Night," "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," "Joy to the World," "O Holy Night," "O come All Ye Faithful," and "Away in a Manger." All are instrumental only and are performed in a light jazzy manner, never losing the dignity of the season. Last year, I reviewed Christmas albums by Kurt Kaiser and Phil Driscoll. Of the three, I think I liked this the best for setting the tone of the season without getting into really heavy production of the Christmas music we have grown so accustomed to. I would recommend this album to anyone who wanted something different _Fireside Christmas_ would make a great open-me-early gift to enjoy over the whole holiday --Julie Henry Don Francisco, _Genesis & Job_ (Star Song) Don Francisco has a new album out called _Genesis & Job_. Long known for his story-telling style, Francisco has developed a style that supports his theory that painting a picture rather than pointing a finger is a much more effective way to get the gospel into people's heads and hearts. In this case, Francisco focuses on the stories of the Old Testament found in Genesis and in the Book of Job. This album is the first recording in the series "Songs of the Spirit" which Francisco is planning to produce. Eventually he hopes to perform songs that cover stories in every book in the Bible. There is no explanation why in this album, Francisco jumps from the Tower of Babel to Job. Songs on the album include "All the World He Made is Good," "For a Man to be Alone What Have You Done?," "The Ballad of Cain and Abel," "The Death of Methuselah," "And Noah Found Grace," "Tower of Babel," "God, Job and the Devil," "Job's Lament," "Cold Comfort," "Job's Defiance," "and God's Reply." These are not hiphop, jazzy, or even grandiose in style, but rather they are simple 60's and 70's story-telling. Wife Karen joined Don for background vocals and they sound good together. Musicians were Mike Banta joining Francisco on guitar, Kirk Hutchinson and Joe Bellamy on keyboard, Banta on bass and Shan Martin joining Francisco on harmonica. This is a very good album. All in all, if you like Francisco's style, then you'll like this collection of Old Testament stories. --Julie Henry Concert Review: MORTAL Mortal has always been a big draw in Memphis, so it was no surprise that the local CCM club, 704b, was packed for Mortal's third concert appearance here this year. Rising band The Blamed opened for them. The Blamed's set was well received, especially in the mosh pit. The band contains The Crucified's ex-drummer and Mortal's ex-bassist (who plays guitar in this band and also joined Mortal for one song), and their music is sort of a Prayer Chain-meets-King's X affair, with many tempo changes and a chanting singing style. The Blamed's most energetic member was the bassist, who is completely bald except for his lengthy sideburns. Mortal opened with a blasting song from their upcoming album "Wake." "Godspeed" and "Alive and Awake" kept the crowd moving- so much, in fact, that Mortal vocalist Jyro several times had to urge the moshers to tone it down, as the body surfing was threatening damage to the regrettably low ceiling and lights. Though Mortal's reputation centers on their industrial/ thrash sound, in this concert they highlighted many of their slower songs. "Rescinding" made an appearance, as did two numbers from their upcoming release. Jyro described these songs as "kinda poppy," though not necessarily representative of the whole album. One new song, "June 1," refers to the date of Mortal's last concert here, where Jyro met his girlfriend. Mortal then performed a new love song dedicated to her. Mortal has always been set apart from the rest of the hard-core crowd by its extensive use of sampling and drum programs, and this concert had its share of songs such as "Rift" and their crowd pleasing sing-along of "Enfleshed," which also ended with a lengthy jam. But some songs which were quite techno on the album, such as "Mytho-X," were actually improved by ditching the tracks and just cranking the guitar. It was even easier to make out the lyrics on some songs without the industrial-style distortion which makes the words difficult to decipher on the album versions. In between songs, Jyro told stories about his experiences, spiritual and otherwise, and near the end of the concert, he talked at length about his life and his friends. It was clear that he feels a burden for drug abusers and those in sexual sin, and he gave testimony about how he recently realized that he had been sexually abused as a child by one of his baby- sitters. The concert ended with an altar call and a prayer, and then the band members went aside to talk with those who had come forward; there was no encore. It was exciting to see such credible modern music linked to such an unashamed presentation of the Gospel. Mortal pledged to return again to Memphis in November, and I know their blend of gospel truth and contemporary music will find another large audience then. --Robert Berman ---------------------------------------------------------------------------