Audrey Assad's The House You're Building - First Impressions!

Audrey Assad's debut album is an amazing and delightful effort that will undoubtedly please fans of indie pop/rock singers like Colbie Calliat and Corrine Bailey Rae.

Another notable comparison that's made is of her to Brooke Fraser (still trying to get that new album!).

But where Fraser's lyrics are usually more contemporary and only subtly religious, Assad's writing tends towards overt spirituality (You say I am blessed because of this / So I choose to believe / As I carry this cross / You'll carry me - from the song Carry Me) and in my opinion, that makes for better listening because I don't have to spend time trying to decipher what she's actually trying to say in the midst of all the metaphors and other obscure literary devices.

She wields her pen like a paintbrush, drawing pictures that inexorably materialize in your head as backdrops for a story or message that she's telling. See specimen A - Show Me - the beautifully emotional song that marks the end of the album:

You could plant me like a tree beside a river

You could tangle me in soil and let my roots run wild

And I would blossom like a flower in the desert

But for now just let me cry

You could raise me like a banner in a battle

Put victory like a fire behind my shining eyes

I would drift like falling snow over the embers

But for now just let me lie

Bind up these broken bones

Mercy, bend and breathe me back to life

But not before You show me how to die

Set me like a star before the morning

Like a song that steals the darkness from a world asleep

And I'll illuminate the path You've laid before me

But for now just let me be

Let me go like a leaf upon the water

let me brave the wild currents flowing to the sea

And I will disappear into a deeper beauty

But for now just stay with me

God for now just stay with me

Couple amazing lyrics like that with a myriad of brilliant arrangements - ranging from driving rock to quiet piano and strings - not forgetting her amazing range and rich vocal tones, and you have an album you're not going to tire of easily.

In sum, this album sounds like a debut album should - carefully crafted, meticulously recorded and presented as a labour of love. While I work on my final thoughts about this album, check out another of the standout tracks from the album, Restless.

Jeremy Camp's We Cry Out - First Impressions!

I remember listening to Jeremy Camp's first ever radio single I Still Believe on an Internet Christian radio station sometime back in what, 2000, when I was 18? Which kinda tells you how old I am. But it's alright, I'm not the vain sort. Except that I still insist on kids calling me 'kor kor' and not 'uncle'.

But I digress.

With honest, moving lyrics that related to how I felt in my walk with God back then, I remember being so taken with that song that I made myself learn to play it on the guitar (in fact it was the first 6/8 song I ever practiced and learnt to play).

So, listening to this album (I'll be honest and say I haven't listened to another Jeremy Camp record since then) there was a sense of anticipation and expectation that I felt while plugging in my earphones.

After my first listen through, I found myself feeling oddly satisfied and disappointed at the same time.

Disappointed because some of the covers he does on the album (like Hillsong's Mighty to Save, Desperation Band's Overcome and Brenton Brown's Everlasting God) just don't feel to me as good as their original performances, or even their other covers (case in point: Lincoln Brewster's version of Everlasting God sets the standard waaaaaay too high).

I pointed this out to a friend after listening to it and he argued that they're not necessarily worse, they just sound different. And I thought, is that a polite euphemism for not great?

I mean, if you're going to cover a song that has already been recorded before, once or even twice or umpteen times (as in our case study Everlasting God), you've got to be able to put a fresh twist on it, make it sound new.

And sometimes, you just don't mess with a classic. Desperation Band's Overcome is one of my favourite songs of all time, and the way it was recorded on their album Everyone Overcome was simply phenomenal and mind-blowing. Jeremy Camp has great intentions (he was so moved by the song he decided to cover it) but as one of my pastors likes to say, good intentions are not enough - and his cover of this fantastic song sounded to me a little... lame.

So much for the disappointing part.

Where I felt truly satisfied and convinced that this is the same Jeremy Camp whose I Still Believe made me weep ten years ago, was when he performed originals like We Cry Out (a Camp and Brenton Brown collaboration) and You Are The Lord (Camp + the almost omnipresent Matt Maher).

The last two tracks were, I felt, the best songs on the album where the atmosphere of worship just permeated every word and every note.

So take this selfish heart of mine

I want to give it all

I've wasted too much time

And melt away everything that's not of You

I want to know You more

So much deeper than I do

Completely unrestrained

-Unrestrained

None can separate the very hope and grace that He displayed

Neither height nor depth or ayone can steal the love He gave

- King Jesus

So, for now, I'm going to be conservative and give the album the following rating:

I'll give it a few more listens and maybe I'll hear something I missed during my first time through.

In the meantime, you can take a listen to the album (I think almost all of it is on youtube). Here's the penultimate song, Unrestrained for your listening pleasure.

MWS Music Video - Save Me From Myself

Hi everyone, sorry for the lack of updates recently. It's been a really busy week!

I'm currently listening to a bunch of albums, and should have first impressions on the way:

1. Audrey Assad - The House You're Building
2. Jars of Clay - The Shelter
3. Jeremy Camp - We Cry Out (The Worship Project)
4. Klaus - Prepare The Way
5. Third Day - Move

Also trying to get my hands on Brooke Fraser's new album, will let you know how that turns out soon!


In the meantime, I simply have to share this link:

http://www.michaelwsmith.com/news.html?n_id=1414

You can watch Michael W. Smith's music video for his single Save Me For Myself there.

Be warned - video quality does not commensurate with song quality. In other words, song = 5 iPods.

Video = MINUS 5 iPods.

Unless you're into really kitschy, 80s-style, over-the-top music videos, then you may think otherwise.

On the flipside, maybe MWS was aiming for something that's so bad it's good, in a campy way.

Either way, the video had been slapping my forehead and yelling "MICHAEL W. SMITH WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU'RE RUINING ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SONGS ON THE ALBUM!!!"

Watch at your own risk.


What did you think of the video? Should we send MWS an online petition to never do something like that again? Leave a comment or email us and let us know!

Album Review - Glenn Packiam's Rumors And Revelations!

Album reviewing is inherently subjective. Everyone has a different view and a different opinion about the music they listen to. At the end of the day, it boils down to the experience that you have with the music - does it connect with you, does it trigger a memory, does it make you feel better on a bad day - and everyone's experience with  music varies according to time and place.

Glenn Packiam's Rumors And Revelations was one of those albums that simply didn't connect with me, even after repeated listens at different times and different places (my initial impressions gave it 3 iPods).

It's hard to pin down why exactly I didn't feel much for it.

Perhaps it was his voice - unique, definitely, but not carrying quite the same amount of weight his fellow Desperation Band-ers have (that's Jon Egan and Jared Anderson).

Or perhaps it was the arrangements - somewhat bland and unremarkable (with the exception of the opening track This Is Our God, which might be the guilty party here for raising my hopes for the rest of the album).

Or maybe it was just that the whole album just lacked any sort of punch. Nothing outstanding that made me stop and listen and go wow.

It does bother me that I don't particularly love this album (or any other album, for that matter). I guess I feel bad because it's as if I'm not appreciating all the hard work the artist and band and producers have put in.

But I just can't help coming away from this record just feeling a little bit...


Underwhelmed.


I'm guessing this is probably because of the high hopes I had for this one (I talked about that a bit in my initial impressions). I've heard opinions on both sides of the fence so far - some agree with me, while others argue that the whole laid-back quality of the album fits in snugly with GP's style.

That argument kinda fails for me here because I've listened to artists who make a living out of being laid back and I've liked them. So I'm not sure it's a matter of style here.

Nonetheless, the songs are great congregational worship tunes and it's very likely that a number of them will be sung (if not already) at your local church.

Here's hoping that Glenn Packiam's next album will be better than this one!

Because I'm still quite the fan.

Album Review - Michael W. Smith's Wonder!

It's official - one week on, and Michael W. Smith's Wonder has lost none of its lustre from my initial listen.

If anything at all, it has gotten even better with every listen - every melody, every lyric, every arrangement coming together in what feels like to me a glorious conspiracy to keep this album playing in an endless loop on my iPod.

The uptempo songs have a very old-school U2 vibe to them - the bass riff in the second verse of the excellent Run To You is especially reminiscent of the U2 classic I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. The driving beat and syncopated guitars, as well as the soaring gospel choir on I'll Wait For You makes it another track that wouldn't be out of place in one of the older U2 albums.

That's not to say that the arrangements are not original - the style similarities are easily explained by the fact that Smitty is good friends with Bono and the rest of U2 (how cool is that?!).

Beyond these few songs, the tenor of the overall album is undeniably Smitty.

Forever Yours and You Belong To Me are songs written for and dedicated to Michael's wife Debbie - whom, as far as I can remember, he credits on every album as being the 'love of his life'. The latter, in particular, is a beautifully tender love song where Smitty recalls that moment he first saw Debbie and knew she was the one (they dated for 3 weeks and got married in 4 months!).

Amongst the more moving tracks on the album are Welcome Home - written in memory and celebration of Debbie's grandmother, gone on to be with Jesus - and Leave - a heartbreaking song written from the perspective of a young teenager living with an abusive father and struggling with bullies, crying out: I just need to know that You're really out there / Tell me, are You really out there / 'Cause I believe.

The title track Wonder (Not Far Away), co-written with Stu G (formerly of Delirious?) and Mia Fieldes is a declarative rock anthem that has an insanely catchy chorus - I can't recall the number of times I found myself singing it without even realizing it - chances are it'll do the same to you.

Rise is an inspiring, guitar-driven track that challenges the listener to take a step forward into faith - Beyond the obvious / And what you can attain / Past the here and now / Where faith remains.

The album closer Take Me Over is a simple worship song - the chorus echoing the innermost cry of the created yielding totally to the Creator:

Jesus, Jesus

Take me over now

I surrender

Everything I have

I lay it down

All of me



This simplicity is made incredibly magnificent by the soaring strings arrangement that serves as the musical interlude - and when you close your eyes and immerse yourself in it, it's almost as if the music of heaven is playing and God Himself is pouring out his pleasure on the pure-hearted believer looking to surrender his life fully.

I still remember listening to the last track for the first time, late one night with my eyes closed, and just feeling such an inexplicable sense of God's presence in that moment. I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it.

With 3 Grammies, 40 Dove Awards, 29 number one songs and 13 million albums sold, Smitty continues to amaze and inspire with his very own brand of Christian music - which could best be described as 'in the world but not of it'. Despite his mainstream success, Smitty has always remained focused on the reason for his music - God - and that's why, 22 albums later, we are still listening, and we are still inspired.


What do you think of the album? Share your thoughts and leave a comment!

Steven Curtis Chapman Unveils Custom Taylor Guitar in Honor of his Daughter, Maria!

"With designs and colors taken from drawings by his late daughter, Maria, Steven Curtis Chapman and Taylor Guitars present the Steven Curtis Chapman Signature Model (SCCSM). Based on the 714 Taylor that is Steven's personal favorite, the guitar honors not only the instrument that has brought his messages of hope to millions... but is also a touching tribute to Maria." - CCM Magazine


This piece of news reminded me that I'll have to do a feature on Steven Curtis Chapman someday. He's one of my Christian music heroes, and his story of loss and grief leading to faith will challenge you. But first, it will make you cry like a little girl who just found out her dad gave her whole Barbie set away.


In the meantime, here's a video of Steven playing the SCCSM at a guitar festival. He performs the beautiful song Cinderella, which I like but I know one of the fans of this website absolutely adores.

And he's a guy.

Album Review - Lincoln Brewster's Real Life!

In every group of friends that we have, there's always that one crazy, slightly kooky, boisterous person who adds to the atmosphere just by being there. You know, the one who has a comeback from every mock insult (usually side-splitting), the one whose voice/laugh you can hear from a mile away, the one who always seems to take a bad situation and turn it around.

Now imagine one day, this one friend turns up at a gathering looking somewhat forlorn, and lacking the usual exuberance and energy that he or she always exhibits.

Naturally, everyone else takes it as a sign that's something's wrong. Now imagine that person's answer: "No, nothing's wrong. It's just that I've been thinking about life and what it means lately, and I'm giving a lot of thought to what I really want to do with my life."

How do you respond?


You're probably intelligent enough to know that I'm about to draw some sort of parallel between this somewhat cheesy anecdote and the album review.

Lincoln Brewster's past albums have always been like that one boisterous friend - insanely energetic, (sometimes) over-the-top, unreserved in his expressions of praise and worship through music and lyrics.

And then one day, he comes along with Real Life - quieter and simpler, and with no small degree of introspection and self-review.

How do you respond?


Like me, you'd probably not be very used to it for a while. In fact, you'd probably find it kinda strange and out of the ordinary.

But then, like me, you'd probably realise that there's really nothing wrong with a little quite introspection. In fact, it's quite necessary (more for some than for others I say). And you'd learn to appreciate that friend so much more, for being willing to show a more personal and vulnerable side of themselves to you.


Songs like More Than Amazing, Loved By You and Whom Shall I Fear (on which he dueted with the increasingly popular Kari Jobe) all reflect the songwriter's awe and amazement at the wonder of God and His goodness.

The more uptempo songs like Best Days, Reaching For You, So Good and I Belong To You are vintage LB, though even here it's easy to tell that there is a measure of control being exercised - there's no crazy exuberance like in Today Is The Day, but the rhythms and melodies are still infectious and will get you feet tapping, and the guitar solos are, as always, incredible (and also incredibly hard to replicate, for all you guitarists out there).

And then 2 songs stand out from the crowd.

The song Real Life is a portrait of LB's, well, real life, beginning with his childhood with an alcoholic and sometimes violent father, and how his mother protected him and introduced him to music. It then gives us a snapshot of his life as it stands right now (a loving wife and boys to raise). It ends with a vision of heaven and how he hopes his life has meant something - "I hope I leave a legacy / I hope that God is proud of me".

Made For More is, by far, the most honest song on the record. Here, LB (and a stripped down guitar track) lays bare his thoughts about fame and status ("Never thoughy my gifts would steal my worth / I never wanted fans just wanted church"), and his realization that he was truly created for more than the temporary distractions of this world.

The album ends on a triumphant note with Shout For Joy, a soaring declaration of how Jesus is the saving one.


My final take on this album?

It's LB showing us a deeply personal side of himself we've never seen before, but the great thing is that he never makes it about himself - but always about God.

The slightly laid back feel of the album fits in perfectly with the message being conveyed, while the guitar solos somehow just seem so organic, and never egregious. It's almost as if the guitar was an extension of his voice, and his masterful control of it makes every solo sound like an opus of praise and worship, richly emotive but never jarring.

My only negative takeaway from listening to the album is that it just feels too short. It's over before you know it.


But given the quality of this album, chances are you'll be putting it on repeat for quite some time to come.


Final score:

Album Recommendation #2 - Jimmy Needham's Nightlights!

This will probably be one of the easiest album recommendations I'll ever make. Jimmy Needham's Nightlights is one of those records where you get hooked on the first listen, and then you don't listen to anything else for a month.

At least, that's what happened to me (I played in on my office computer so often that my colleague could sing along after a while).

Needham's a relative unknown in the CCM world - up until now.

His first album with a major Christian music label, Speak, was pretty obscure. But it was his sophomore effort, Not Without Love, that started getting the attention of critics and listeners alike. The combination of his soulful melodies and perfectly crafted lyrics got everyone buzzing.

Night Lights is his third and most successful album yet, garnering critical acclaim and earning him legions of new fans (yours truly included).

His music can probably be best described thusly: the lyrical and musical genius of Jason Mraz mixed in with the unapologetic, straight-up Gospel of Billy Graham.

Here's one example of his poetry (I don't know, but lyrics just doesn't seem to do justice to his writing):

This is grace at its best

This is taking a rest-

less messed up heart

And having You clear it

(from Yours To Take)

 And another one of my favourites, from the song Part The Clouds:

 We might as well just fold our hands

If we can't call a spade a spade

'Cos we will miss the heart each time

If we won't ever shoot them straight

Pleasantries

Shading me

(ed note: Pleasant Trees. Shade. Geddit?)

And you too long

Let's part the clouds

And show the world the Son

Brilliant writing matched with a bluesy, folksy style makes for utterly great listening - rainy day outside and cup of hot chocolate optional.











That's right, 5 iPods for this absolute work of art. That means you need to make space in your CD collection right now.


Here's a track off the album for if you really need to preview - his first radio single Yours To Take. (Sorry, youtube doesn't allow embedding for this video - probably due to copyright issues.)


And as a bonus, here's Hurricane, a deeply personal worship song from his previous album Not Without Love.

Watch out for the full review of Lincoln Brewster's Real Life, coming in hot within the next 24 hours!

Album Recommendation #1 - Deluge's Unshakable

Whilst I'm still listening to and working on my thoughts for the first few CD reviews, I thought I'd recommend some of my favourite albums in the meantime which are worth a listen. Or two. Or ten.

Here's recommendation #1!

Unshakable (that's American spelling for you) is Deluge's first studio-recorded album - their previous album was also their first; the self-titled project was a live worship album recorded at their home church's youth conference.

What sets this album apart from the many other praise and worship offerings out there is its heart.

Most worship albums (especially 'live' ones) get by by stirring up, to a certain extent - hype and emotion. As a result, much of the original meaning of the song (and sometimes, the purpose of worship itself) gets lost in translation.

Lead singer/songwriter Jonathan Stockstill and Deluge have done so much more with this record.

Despite the 'studio-recorded' trappings, they have managed to crystallize and convey the very raw yet immense power of a heart rooted in desperate seeking for God - and the indescribable joy of knowing, for sure, that God is real, and He is looking out for us.

Have you ever sung a song in a worship service that expressed exactly what you were feeling in your heart towards God, almost as if someone had written or chosen this song just for you to sing? It makes your heart soar, it makes you cry, but most of all, it makes you want to worship so much harder.

And that's what this album does. From the rocking title track to the moving Refuge, from the exuberant I Wanna Dance to the plaintive, desperate cry of I Want To Be Used By You, every song captures the essence of a heart of worship and a desire to draw nearer to God.

Jonathan Stocktill's gravelly voice belies the strong conviction with which he sings:

Cleanse my heart and my hands

To become the image of the Lamb

Cleanse my heart and my hands

Once every while, an album comes along that does more than introduce us to a bunch of songs about God.

They literally invite the presence of God down into the listener's atmosphere, and the listener is compelled to respond simply in worship.


This is that album.

Check out this video of Jon Stockstill and the members of Deluge talking about the album and the stories behind the songs:

Welcome to illuminated!

Hi there!

Since this is our first post, we're assuming this is your first visit. And we're guessing the first question in your mind is: what on earth are we? A secondary school student's science project on the wave-like (yet strangely quantum) properties of light? An online shopping portal for the purchase of lighting fixtures? Some secret religious cult from a Dan Brown novel? (The answer is (d) - none of the above.)

Illuminated is a Christian lifestyle blog - we've got reviews of the latest Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) and Praise and Worship (P&W) albums, artist news and interviews, inspiring articles and recommended readings to help you get closer to God, and we're dedicated to convering the biggest Christian events in town (that's Singapore, by the way. And if someone pays our airfare, we'll gladly cover overseas events too).

Our mission is simple. We want illuminated to be your one-stop site for your lifestyle needs. There's plenty of websites out there dedicated to the music and the culture of the world. We think illuminated can shine a little light into this corner of the World Wide Web, and with your help we hope we can spread that light even farther.

That's why we value your feedback and your opinions! We're just starting out, so we want to hear what you think about our site. Love it, hate it, got suggestions for more features? Drop us a mail at illuminated.ee@gmail.com, or leave a comment!

In the meantime, have a look around! We're still a work-in-progress so some content might be missing and the layout might be a little rough around the edges. We're working on it and we're committed to bringing you a great online experience.

Here's our promise: we'll update the site with new content every 2 days, if not every day! So make it a point to check back every day for more illuminated!

Happy surfing!

Elvin

(on behalf of the illuminated team. Which, for now, is just him.)

P.S. Don't forget to friend us on Facebook for latest updates! All you have to do is click 'like' on our Facebook page to become a fan!

Here's how album reviews work here.

Have you ever fallen in love with a song or an album at first listen and bought it, only to discover a week later that it wasn't that great? Or perhaps you started off not paying particular attention to a certain song, but find that it grows on you after repeated listens?

Yeah, it happens to us too. So here's the deal. For every album we review, we'll review it twice. Once when we first get it, and once more after we've heard it for a week. So you'll know which albums you should only get at discounted prices, and which ones truly stand the test of time and deserve the (limited) space on your CD rack and in your iPod.

We use a simple system to rate albums - 5 iPods means it's great, and 1 iPod means keep the money for something better.

Like so:

 = An outstanding album on every front!






= Some minor quibbles, but still a great album.






= Equal parts satisfaction and disappointment.






= Not the strongest contender for your hard-earned cash.






= Use the money for another higher-rated album!




Half iPods don't work in real-life. But here, they help us distinguish between good and great albums. So yes, we feature 0.5 iPods for our rating system. Just don't do the same to your own one.

Visit Our Friends!

http://www.theglow.com.sg/

theGLOW is illuminated.'s source for CDs and DVDs. It's an online shop dedicated to bringing you the latest and greatest CCM and P&W releases at truly affordable prices. Looking for an album? Just visit the site and order from the catalogue of hundreds of releases! Can't find what you want? Send an email to the webmaster and he'll do his best to get it for you. You can choose your mode of delivery from snail mail, registered mail or self pick-up if you live in the Bukit Batok area. And did we mention that it's truly affordable? Forget the hassle of making a trip down to your not-so-local Christian CD store and paying not-so-great prices for your favourite CDs! Visit the site today and experience the future of Christian music retail for yourself!

P.S. We're hoping this glowing recommendation (pun intended) gets us a sponsorship deal!

Glenn Packiam's Rumors and Revelations - First Listen!

I've always been a bit of a fan of Glenn Packiam, ever since I bought my copy of New Life Worship's My Savior Lives back in 2008 and I listened to this one amazing song he wrote called Everlasting God (nope, not the Brenton Brown one).

Rumors and Revelations is Glenn's first solo studio album, and is not exactly a new release (it actually came out last year). I didn't get it when it came out, but a friend of mine recently asked me to review the album, so I got a copy and listened to it.

Glenn does quite a number of songs that also appeared on other New Life Worship albums, like My Savior Lives, I Will Stand and Your Name. There also a couple of other originals in there that have not yet been featured on other recordings.

Now, here's the thing. Glenn is an excellent worship songwriter. His songs have been introduced and sung in churches around the world. I listened to and thoroughly enjoyed his songs on the New Life Worship albums.

Perhaps that tainted my expectations somewhat, and as a result I came away quite underwhelmed by the album.

On the whole, I found the arrangements of the songs somewhat formulaic (although he gets points for being adventurous with some of the tracks he co-wrote with others) and - dare I say it - dull.

Here and there, the album is puncutated by bright spots such as Burning In Me and Hold On, songs that have not been featured in live worship albums. This gives the whole album a bit of an uneven feel.

But don't get me wrong. The songs are well-written and are great for worship and congregational singing. Perhaps that's where the incongruity is - these songs soar when they are sung by a congregation of worshipping believers - in a studio, they only go as high as the ceiling.

So, for now, the album gets this rating:










Don't forget that these are still initial impressions, so I'll be listening to this album a lot more this week. Check back in in a week's time for a full review of the album (and perhaps a different rating)!

In the meantime, I would be utterly remiss if I did not share that amazing Glenn Packiam song I talked about in the beginning. Here it is, in all its youtube glory!

Michael W. Smith's Wonder - First Listen!

Leave it to CCM pioneer Michael W. Smith to give us an album that is all at once comfortingly familiar and yet surprisingly fresh.


All the hallmarks of a MWS album are there:

His trademark nasal twang, every note rich in emotion and every word seeming to tell a story in itself;

Powerful anthems of faith, unashamedly inspirational and uplifting;

Quiet reflections on love and life; profound thoughts and issues presented in a clear, heartbreaking manner.

In short, there were songs about life, death, and the only three things of value between those two milestones: Faith, Hope and Love.


I know this sounds absolutely trite. And yet MWS manages to make each song, each timeless message sound as if it were being sung about for the first time.

From start to finish, this album had me hooked. It's easy to get bored reviewing music, because after a while, songs become predictable - either in terms of lyrical content or the way the chords progress. And I'll be honest here, I usually skip through songs on my first listen, even good ones.

But not this time. This time, I found myself lost in the music, in the emotions and in the stories. I sat through the entire album without once skipping a track.

It took me a while to pen this review (I listened to the album last night) because, how do you put into words the profound and sublime experience of being drawn in to someone else's world, someone else's feelings?


When words fail, I give ratings.

That's right. Based on my first impressions, this gets a perfect score.

This will probably drop when I listen to it a few more times (look out for my full review next week).

But right now, I'm just going to bask in the afterglow of a brilliant, perfect album.

Lincoln Brewster's Real Life - First Listen!

I finally got my hands on Lincoln Brewster's latest album, Real Life today!

Some quick first impressions:

This is not Today Is The Day, Lincoln's last outing. If I could describe the album in one word, it'd probably be this: worshipful.

Sure, this is a LB album so there's no lack of insane guitar solos and crazy licks. But there isn't that exuberant declaration that marked TITD. In fact, the songs are mostly introspective and written from places of need and desperation. This seems to have carried over into the way songs have been arranged. Everything feels simpler, a little more stripped down.

And once I got over the initial disappointment (I loved TITD, it was easily one of my favourite albums of 2008), the mellowed down mood of the album wasn't a bad thing at all.

Probably the one song that, in my opinion, summed up the album best (at least at this early stage of listening and reviewing), is the song Loved By You, a collaboration between LB and Paul Baloche.

The simple lyrics of the song are achingly honest and powerful, expressing a strong desire and need for God:

Mercy rain fall on me

Hide me now beneath Your wings

Hold me close to Your side

For I am Yours and You are mine

I was made to be loved by You

To be loved by You to be loved by You

I was made to be loved by You

To be loved by You to be loved by You



 With that, here's my first rating of the album:

I'm tempted to say more and write a full review now, but that wouldn't be doing the album (and you, the reader) due justice.

So I'll be listening to it for another week, and I'll have a full review by then. In the meantime, you might want to sample some of LB's tracks on his website. Or, if you're a total LB nut like me, you can head straight to http://www.theglow.com.sg/ and get the album straightaway!

Keep a lookout for my next review, Michael W. Smith's Wonder! Hopefully I'll get it tomorrow!