Various Artists

By Matt Conner • Sep 1st, 2010 • Category: Album Reviews

Last year’s Bethlehem Skyline album and tour was apparently received fairly well. The reason? Volume Two is slated for release in late September, giving fans of the Centricity label something to look forward to this holiday season. With Andrew Peterson, Downhere, Jason Gray, Lanae Hale, Sixteen Cities, Me In Motion, Matt Papa and High Valley [...]


Andrew Greer

By Matt Conner • Feb 4th, 2010 • Category: Album Reviews

Nashville songwriter Andrew Greer avoids all the common songwriter clichés on his new release, Open Book. Instead of resorting to the common cries of love lost and gained or falling for overly polished worship mixes, Greer instead charts an intimate middle ground that’s playful and pensive at all the right times. It makes marketing an [...]


Athlete

By Matt Conner • Jan 6th, 2010 • Category: Album Reviews

Few musical moments compare to the ones where Athlete gets it right. And if you’re even somewhat familiar to the British pop/rock act then you know what I’m referring to.
It’s the first time I heard “Wires” via a friend’s recommendation. It’s the live acoustic set where the real beauty of “Twenty Four Hours” came to [...]


Sara Groves

By Matt Conner • Jan 4th, 2010 • Category: Features

Singer-songwriters shares the challenge baring her all on her latest stellar release.


Matt Wertz

By Matt Conner • Jan 4th, 2010 • Category: Album Reviews

Recorded live at the Triple Door in Seattle over a year and a half ago, Matt Wertz’ latest “release” reveals he’s still doing what he’s been at for the last decade. The seemingly on-the-spot banter, the witty repartee, the opening up for requests and pop cultural references are all here and accounted for. Yet this [...]


Hands

By Matt Conner • Dec 14th, 2009 • Category: Features

Rising rockers share about their latest tour and the Fargo music scene, or lack thereof.


Jaymes Reunion

By Matt Conner • Dec 3rd, 2009 • Category: Album Reviews

I have to be careful here. There’s a comparison I’m dying to make when discussing the latest Jaymes Reunion EP, but I don’t want to lose (or mislead) you, dear reader, from the beginning. So give me a ‘graph to explain something quickly.
Hanson. Remember them? Take a moment to hum “MMMBop” and get it out [...]


Chynna & Vaughan

By Matt Conner • Nov 27th, 2009 • Category: Album Reviews

I could see this one going two ways. And I’m sure I’m not the only one.
The news to which the above is referring to is the debut of Chynna & Vaughan – a new Christian pop duo comprised of two songwriters named, well, Chynna & Vaughan. Chynna Phillips formed half the namesake of ‘90s super-selling [...]


NewSong

By Matt Conner • Nov 24th, 2009 • Category: Album Reviews

The variables might seem to indicate “a change is gonna come.” After all, Give Yourself Away is the first studio project from NewSong since 2003, giving the band plenty of time to expand, mature, grow. In addition, the producer involved is none other than Charlie Peacock, whose other clients include Switchfoot among others. So let [...]


Delirious?

By Matt Conner • Nov 18th, 2009 • Category: Album Reviews

It’s all here. Every last bit of it. Thirty songs spanning two discs running 180 minutes in total listening time. Those are the stats of the latest and last (yeah, right) release entitled History Makers: Greatest Hits from Delirious?, the seminal worship rock band that changed the face of the current Christian scene and music [...]