This week, we review the future of dc Talk. Coming this summer and
fall are a trio of albums: Empty by Tait, Stereotype Be by Kmax, and
Momentum by Toby Mac. Here we check out the preview that you can
pick up right now in stores, SOLO.

SOLO EP - DC TALK (2001)
by Josh Shepherd
Fans pore over even their most obscure performances, commonplace
remarks, and trivial nuances. Critics believe that the three guys
have piggybacked on studio musicians and producers to get where they
are as Christian music's first superstars (and wearing that label
comfortably). Whichever side of the debate one's on, the choice of
each dc talk member to go Solo holds much promise. With three
upcoming albums instead of the usual one, the dct message boards gush
with excitement--while the calculating commentators await the chance
to pick apart which member can't write, sing, etc. Solo, a 27-minute
EP, previews Michael's jam sessions, Kevin's crafty rock operas, and
Toby's sharp hip-hop, beginning with the mutual effort "Forty,"
recorded live. This U2 cover elucidates what their legions of
zealots revere: an ability to praise, muse, and parade all in the
same song. Under the rock influence of Pete Stewart, the band Tait
exercises in two routines: a blaring concentration of guitar, and
inhibited, radio gloss-over. The former is "Alibi," the latter "All
You Got," both heavy on lead singer and namesake Michael
Tait. "MahHmmm-myha...." Kmax swaggers in with a round of vocal
warm-ups, throwing off popular, same-sounding forms...almost.
Bass/drums/guitar still dominate, and the stereotypical "Be"
squanders a good opportunity. Yet "Return of the Singer" outstrips
Kevin's past sonic expeditions, barraging one's mental lobe with
images of lunar touch-down, microphone thrust, and nitty-gritty
truth. tobyMac breaks up Solo's fragmented feel, presenting the R&B-
flavored "Somebody's Watching Me" as the first of two solid raps.
Phat bass notes, an all-female backup, and a persistent beat mask
verses that take jabs at the dc talk breakup rumors: "People want to
know is there life after 'talk'...that junk's creeping into my solo
joint." And, the finale, "Extreme Days." Industrial rap-core,
attitude-heavy rock, white rap you can mosh to: call it whatever,
this chaotic nucleus revolves around God and His raging reality.
Only seven songs, Solo tantalizes listeners with an appetizer sampler
of styles sure to spawn vast innovations in CCM.

Find out more about dc Talk at cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/alternative/dctalk


AVAILABLE TODAY (on cMusicWeb.com or at your local store)

BIG BLUE SKY - BEBO NORMAN
Bebo still uses his acoustic guitar, but adds more pop music on top
of his signature folk sound. Nevertheless, some honest, personal
reflections on our life in Christ from Bebo Norman. This is the PICK
OF THE WEEK.

TRUE VIBE (self-titled)
What can we say? It's a boy band!


AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER (on cMusicWeb.com)

ROCK: http://cMusicWeb.com/rock
The Big Surprise - The Elms [5/22]
Facing Changes - Hangnail [5/22]
Festival Con Dios - Various [5/22]
Untitled - The Benjamin Gate [5/22]
Live - Big Tent Revival [6/05]

ALTERNATIVE: http://cMusicWeb.com/alternative
Leave Here A Stranger - Starflyer 59 [6/05]

POP: http://cMusicWeb.com/pop
Oxygen - Avalon [5/22]
Imagerical - Matt Brouwer [5/29]
Rhythms of Rememberance - apt.core [6/19]

Click on the album titles on the genre page to order them and recieve
them on the release date.


THIS WEEK'S CHRISTIAN HIT RADIO CHARTS
> wOw!! Ten Shekel Shirt gains #1 as we get more new worship from
> delirious?, plus a song from the Poets and the boy band war.
1. Ocean - Ten Shekel Shirt
2. Shaken - Rachael Lampa
3. One Like You - Audio Adrenaline
4. Make It Last Forever - Avalon
5. Reborn - Rebecca St. James
6. Now and Forever - True Vibe
7. My Life - PlusOne
8. Water - Matt Brouwer
9. God You Are My God - delirious?
10. Any Other Love - Smalltown Poets

SOURCE: CCM Update (http://www.ccmupdate.com/)


cMUSICWEB UPDATES
• New Page and Review - CREED
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/creed
• New Pics of our cool editors
http://cMusicWeb.com/editors
• Updated Look - Tree63
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/tree63
• Updated Look - The Elms
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/theelms
• Updated Look - Audio Adrenaline
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/audioadrenaline


Well, it looks like a lot of updates, but it's mostly small stuff.
After this week, development on Version 3.0 of cMusicWeb.com will
commence, so get ready! Thanks for reading cMusicMail, and we look
forward to sharing the latest info with you. If you have any
comments or questions, please reply to this e-mail or send them to
webmaster@... We'd love to hear from you!

Dan Ficker
http://cMusicWeb.com/
a different approach to music
ICQ - 43224317 AOL IM - dMusicWeb