Craig & Christian Music

The third album of an artist's career is probably one of their most important.  It decides whether the artists will go on to have a long and healthy career or fade into oblivion.  This is mainly due to the fact that most artists sign three album record deals and if album #3 does not perform well, they are handed a pink slip.  With the success Tenth Avenue North has had up to this point, there is no reason to think that their label, Reunion Records, would ever consider getting rid of these guys, but from an artistic perspective, The Struggle  is an important statement.  Somewhere between Over and Underneath  and The Light Meets the Dark , TAN morphed from a radio band into an art-pop critical darling and expectations are high for The Struggle.   So how to the boys from West Palm Beach do?  That depends on who you ask.  This is not the magnum opus some critics were hoping for but there is obvious growth musically, lyrically, and vocally by the band that will please most listeners

As we leave summer behind us and move into the fall, the time has come for most artists to release new radio singles.  Fall radio singles differ from summer singles in many ways as summer usually is the time for fun loud singles with earworm melodies that people can blast on the radio while driving to the beach with their friends.    Conversely, fall is typically a time for inspiration, reflection, and break ups.  Much like in the movie business, the fall and winter are the time when many award winning selections are released (read: ballads) and many artists save up their best songs for these next few months.  Below are my top 10 new single releases so far for the fall.  As we enter September, I'm sure I'll have to add to this list but we'll worry about that then.  For now happy listening to the top 10 new fall singles of 2012: 1. Mercy Me- You Are I AM Easily the best song on Mercy Me's latest album The Hurt & The Healer , "You Are I AM" recently was

Today is the day!  My most anticipated album of the season, Tenth Avenue North's The Struggle,  releases to all music stores and digital outlets today! Jump on over to iTunes, Amazon, or your local Christian Bookstore and pick up a copy!  The reviews coming in are pretty solid so I am stoked to hear it (I gotta run over to Lifeway to get my preordered CD).  Oh yeah, Chris August's new album The Upside of Down  also released today but as you can see, I am much more excited about Tenth Avenue North.  My review of the album is forthcoming.  But for now, go get it yourself and sound off your thoughts in the comments section!

Artists who want to be successful understand one thing: in order to keep their fan base, they have to both record songs that are similar to what they've done in the past and add new sounds and styles to their wheelhouse. Britt Nicole wants to be a successful artist. Since she burst on the scene in 2007, Britt Nicole has filled a gaping hole in CCM for relevant female pop singers.   Gold  continues to emphasize that point by showcasing musical styles that fully encompass the current mainstream pop market.  While her last album, 2009's  The Lost Get Found  featured many radio ready mid-tempo songs in the vein of Jordin Sparks, Leona Lewis, and Natasha Bedingfield, Gold  builds on that sound and adds a strong dance presence to the mix.  This album is truly a pop radio fan's delight.  The title track leads of the album and is a perfectly balanced musical mixture of all of Katy Perry's singles from her Teenage Dream  album. She even included the requisite rap bridge

Every couple weeks I'll try to keep you all up to date with what's new at radio.  Below are my top 10 songs that have been on radio this summer. Happy downloading! 1. Casting Crowns- Jesus, Friend of Sinners  (Best song to come from CC in YEARS!  Compare to "Slow Fade" and "Praise You in This Storm") 2. David Crowder Band- After All (Holy)  (I find it funny the moment DBC breaks is when I begin to really like them.  This song is an EPIC worship track that deserves much more radio play than it is getting) 3. Tenth Avenue North- Losing  (I thought this video of the song was cool.  I can totally picture myself textingsome of these words to someone. This song reminds me that I need to be more like Jesus.) 4. Mandisa- Good Morning featuring TobyMac  (Pure summer fun! Azaliah has a great cover of this!) 5. NEEDTOBREATHE- Keep Your Eyes Open  (I wanna see these guys in concert again just so I can sing this song at th

It's the time of year when everyone and their mom releases new music!  Hopefully this will help you cut through the junk to find the good stuff out there.  Below are my Fall 2012 Music Recommendations: 1. Tenth Avenue North-  The Struggle  Releases 8/21/12 The Buzz: I simply love Tenth Avenue North!  Beyond the fact that they are from South Florida (represent!) and that they used to lead worship at my Grandma's church, these guys consistently release relevant and biblically sound music that is catchy enough to be played on the radio but deep enough to use in daily devotions and Bible Studies. While their last release The Light Meets The Dark  was solid lyrically, I felt it was a little lacking in the originality and hook departments musically when compared to their debut Over and Underneath . The first single from The Struggle , "Losing" rectifies that concern as it is both very unique and insanely catchy.  At first I was worried that radio would avoid it becau

You can always count on Mercy Me to deliver a solid power ballad and The Hurt & The Healer  is no exception but Bart Millard & Co. have stretched themselves a bit on this one.  Alongside inspirational ballads like "You Are I Am", "The First Time", and the title cut (which in my opinion sounds like a "Hold Fast" clone... which is a good thing!) are a plethora of Beatles-esque pop-rockers, heavy hitting pop songs and even a foray into southern rock balladry courtesy of their duet with NEEDTOBREATHE frontman Bear Rinehart on "Take the Time". For the most part, Bart Millard's lyrics are on point doctrinally, however, rocker "You Don't Care At All", while a highlight musically, (It's probably one of the rockiest songs MM has recorded) lyrically causes a bit of concern as it seems to present the idea that God does not care about our sin.  While I understand the sentiment of the song, which is clarified in the second ver

This album was released nearly a year ago but I am just now beginning to fully appreciate it!  With A Way to See in the Dark, Jason Gray has created an album that is both radio friendly and artistically significant.  With a heavy emphasis on percussion and acoustic guitar, the songs Gray has crafted feel both intimate and explosive at the same time.  The overarching theme of the album is the idea of overcoming fear.  Songs like "No Thief Life Fear" and "Fear is Easy, Love is Hard" obviously address the theme in a straightforward yet powerful manner where "Remind Me Who I Am", "Nothing is Wasted", "I Will Find a Way" and "Without Running Away" take a more subtle approach.  Musically, this is straight up singer-songwriter pop with catchy melodies and big choruses.  What sets Way to See  apart is the variety of drum sounds throughout the record.  From the driving beat of "Remind Me Who I Am", to the foot-stomping co

The purpose and intent of this Blog is to provide information and opinions regarding new music releases in Christian Music.  Hopefully this blog will introduce you to new talent, help you in purchasing music, and give you insight into what is out there to listen to.  The goal is to include album and single reviews as well as discussions about various events or news related to CCM.  I hope you enjoy and I hope I can keep up with this!