This week, we're going RETRO! Here's a couple reviews from the far
reaches of cMusicWeb.com of CDs that have been around for a while,
but are still some really quality stuff (and some of my favorites).
This includes Skillet, who are coming out with a new album, entitled
Alien Youth, on August 28th, and delirious?, the founders of modern
worship, who are currently bringing the message to the masses while
touring with Bon Jovi and releasing a single in England (and
releasing an album before the year gets out)!

HEY YOU, I LOVE YOUR SOUL - SKILLET (1998)
by Josh M. Shepherd
With a stronger, better-built sonic framework, the tight band of
John, Ken and Trey explore more of life's complexities...and give it
up to God all over again. The title track and opener swims in the
depth of God's love and clear response of love to the world's hate.
Not nearly a rip-off of delirious?, "Deeper" exposes the battle of
burying our own desires; it closes, and the album's best cut begins.
With concentrated groove, "Locked In A Cage" speaks of being trapped
in Jesus, as the raging melody and gnawing riffs rock like nothing
else. "Your Love (Keeps Me Alive)" worships with great excitement,
and provide only a tiny taste of the forthcoming progressive worship
project that Skillet has planned for the first couple years of the
new millienium. The awareness of the keyboard and piano on Hey You
can be seen on "More Faithful," which glorifies the Son with an
urgent, poetic tone. The musical action speeds up with "Pour," where
my life is "unexplained and unpronounced," pouring all my loss and
gain into Christ. Skillet reflects further on the result of giving
all to God in "Suspended in You," whose quirky melody relates the
creative freedom - not legalistic pressure - that God releases us to.
With a loose grasp on melody, the electronically-influenced
cut "Take" drives with a cry to "rip independency apart." An awesome
30-second, minor key piano interlude opens the revival anthem "Coming
Down," whose strength lies in insight ("Racism's coming down ~ Not
from a law but a change in perception"), and it's different and
dynamic view of God ("I will drink from the well of the One who gives
life"). The "Whirlwind" of judgement is seen in the soaring melody of
track 10, a radio hit that proclaims "Worlds spin around, kings
crumble down ~ There's no escaping what You've planned." Such deep
concepts. Voiceless, dramatic wonder is the response to God's mercy,
as the next song encourages to "Dive Over In" instead of standing on
the edge. Perhaps inspired The Wizard of Oz, "Scarecrow" asks "Give
me a brain that I might know You better"--referring to the turning
point of finding God and rejecting intellectual arguments. More
connected in both focus and sound, Skillet reveals more of themselves
and the Truth God has showed them.

Find out more about Skillet at cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/skillet


LIVE AND IN THE CAN - DELIRIOU5? (1998)
by Josh M. Shepherd
After the intimate worship of Cutting Edge, and the British rock of
King of Fools, what to expect on a live deliriou5? album? Anyone
who's seen them live knows what to expect: The Unexpected. Live and
In The Can is something totally, totally different than what we call
a live album. This is not hearing a concert--this is being there.
Unique in every aspect, L&INC reprises worship from Cutting Edge and
King of Fools with more intensity and excellence than ever, notably
including "Obsession," "I'm Not Ashamed," and "What A Friend I've
Found." However, the songs are only a launching pad for this album's
real experience: "taking it wherever it goes." With a strong backup
of percussion, electric and acoustic guitar and atmospheric hammond b-
3, Martin Smith and Stu G flow in the Holy Spirit, from prophecy to
revelation, from vision to worship. L&INC has some of the best
musicianship I've heard from deliriou5? And it's really amazing. It's
almost like an unseen Producer is guiding the band together into the
presence of the Most High. My favorite part is the jungle rhythmn
of "Come Like You Promise," which fades into Tracks 10-11, an
instrumental of sacrifice, humility and brokenness of heart, with the
one line "His name is Jesus" speaking volumes. Unbridled energy and
passion for Jesus are the focus of this hour of truly spontaneous
worship. You won't get much out of this unless you listen to it loud--
only then does the snare drum have the extra hit, and Stu G have that
extra insight and the crowd's police whistles have that extra-loud
shrill! This is not Steven Curtis Chapman telling stories about his
kids--it's a CD to crank up and dance all night in your living room.
Can't you hear the hundreds in attendance sing along? Do you feel the
stage shake as we dance before the Lord? Don't you see the tears of
joy in Martin's eyes? And was that mountains I felt trembling? Or was
it just the darkness?

Find out more about delirious? worship at cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/worship/delirious


AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER (on cMusicWeb.com)

ROCK: http://cMusicWeb.com/rock
Live - P.O.D. [6/26]
Empty - Tait [7/03]
Disappear - PFR [7/17]

ALTERNATIVE: http://cMusicWeb.com/alternative
Paige (self-titled) [6/19]

POP: http://cMusicWeb.com/pop
Rhythms of Rememberance - apt.core [6/19]
Invitation to Eavesdrop - Shaun Groves [7/17]
Let's Fly - Cheri Keaggy [7/17]

WORSHIP: http://cMusicWeb.com/worship
Open The Eyes of My Heart - Vertical Music (Various) [6/19]

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


THE LATEST NEWS HEADLINES
• Leaders tour with Songs 4 Worship
• Artits Hide in Smitty's Worship
• And much more!

View all the latest stories on cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/


Sorry that there's not much new going on this week, but we're getting
to all the exciting action once your fun summer ends and school
starts back up. Plus, we're going to be covering a couple festivals,
including Creation East and SonShine 2001! So, get set for an
exciting summer and an even more exctiting fall! 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