Recently in Christian music reviews Category

Some time ago, I told you about Billy Wilkins' biblically-based sleep program, and I used the opportunity to sound off about the whole industry of bible-based products.

At the time, I was in a snarky mood, which isn't unusual, but as regular readers of this blog know, I'm also very fair, so I gave him the chance to respond and say anything he wanted in a guest blog post. He was also kind enough to send me a sample of the sleep program so I could try it myself, and as he said, make his dreams come true by retracting my snarky comments. Billy was a really good sport about the whole thing,

Well, once the snarky post is up, it's up, but Billy and I have had some wonderful chats since. He joked once that he's an educator and so he knows how to put people to sleep, and after checking out his product, I can tell you he's right. But in a good way.

And for my second Pick of The Week ...

The Wrecking's national debut album, A New Abolition, releases today, and it's one you definitely don't want to miss.

The album runs the gamut from modern hook-driven rock ("The Deep") to powerful ballads ("You Remain") to some funky urban grooves ("March On"), all of it fresh and all of it good. That's why MTV networks licensed music from the album for use on MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, and Spike TV.

The band is also dedicated to social issues. The single "Sights and Sounds" has been selected for use by ChildVoice International, and the video for their cover of the Peter Gabriel hit "In Your Eyes" was created in conjunction with Love 146, a non-profit organization dedicated to the abolition of child exploitation and sex trafficking.

At the heart of the band is the desire to share the love of Christ, whether it's at a church event or a club. The Wrecking spent the summer on the One Shot Tour with hip hop artist Bobby Bishop. The multimedia event featured a docudrama directed by Jeffrey Kubach, whose credits include CBS's hit reality show "Survivor," that has been described as "MTV with Jesus at the center." During the tour, more than 450 people made decisions to follow Christ.

The band is currently on tour and will join Ten Shekel Shirt this fall on the Art & Action tour. To learn more about The Wrecking, visit www.thewrecking.net.

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Since we didn't do a Pick of the Week last week, I have two picks this week. To be honest, I would have had to pick two anyway, because two great albums release today and I couldn't choose between the two!

The first Pick of the Week is Jimmy Needham's Not Without Love.

Whether he's singing about the futility of zeal without love ("Come Around") , crooning a love song to his wife ("Unfailing Love "), or rejoicing in the glory of God ("The Author") any fan of Christian (or mainstream) music could give the album a spin and find something to ... well, love! ... in this collection of bluesy piano ballads and rocking guitar tunes.

I love that he's able to sing completely transparent, spiritual lyrics but make them sound completely brand new. It's an age old message but refreshingly different from the typical Christian fare.

Needham explains that the album was inspired by the realization that he "had shared the gospel with so many people in the flesh but all they knew was the Bible beater ... There is something so appealing when we love like Jesus did. I missed out on that for so long. No more."

Needman is currently on tour in promotion of the album. To learn more, visit his website www.jimmyneedham.com.

I know, I know. Article One's latest album Colors and Sounds released in May, before the Gospel SoundCheck blog started. But when I popped the album into the CD player this week I was once again captivated with the music and I had no choice but to make it my Pick of the Week.

Their sophomore project is pop rock but with a really unique twist. I think the keyboards, strings and electricity of the music remind me of some of my favorite bands from college or something.

Either way, it's not your typical Christian music but at the same time it's pleasingly familiar. Musically, it creatively stretches the band beyond their freshman debut. Lyrically, the songs are searching and honest, transparent and probing.

Or, as their press bio states, the band doesn't "succumb to the myth that intellectual honesty must be dumbed down to appeal to the mass audience."

Amen to that.

The band takes its name from Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which basically states that all humans are created equally and should therefore be treated equally. That idea was right in line with the guys' beliefs about God's love and the call to love our neighbors.

(Trivia note: In 2005, the band won the Kingdom Bound Talent Festival, which gave their career a boost. Their name back then? Appertain Display.)

The first single, "Without You (I'm Not Alright," is getting airplay now. The band is playing some shows and festivals over the summer, and then they hit the road this fall for a tour with Superchick for the "Rock What You Got" tour.

If you're tired of the same old, same old Christian music, check out Article One's Colors and Sounds. For more about the band, visit Article One's website www.articleonemusic.com.

You have to check out Drive It Home, the sophomore solo release from singer songwriter Paul Alan. There's nothing better than an album filled with perceptive, intelligent lyrics combined with well-constructed modern rock songs that go beyond repetitive, pop worship choruses, and this album hits every mark.

The first single, and one of the best songs on the album, "To Bring You Back," is already climbing the charts. This is one of those songs that have the potential to rock the Christian music charts. But the album is filled with great songs.

Paul Alan may not be a household name but he's spent much of his career on the Christian music charts. As the lead vocalist for the 90s pop rock band Nouveaux, he penned #1 hits like "If Only" and "Maybe Tomorrow;" his solo career spawned the hits "She's The Reason" and "Leaving Lonely." Paul's music has been featured on "Regis & Kelly," he had a feature song in the motion picture, Left Behind, and has been Gibson Guitar's "Artist of the Month."

Visit Paul Alan online at www.PaulAlan.com.