My apologies for missing last week, I have been a bit busy recently.
(Unfortunately, not busy with cMusicWeb.com, though.) But, our writers have
been busy, so you can check their work out online within the next week. For
now, we have our honest review of the latest from Third Day. And, don't
forget to check out Third Day and Bebo Norman on the Come Together tour all
this spring!

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COME TOGETHER - THIRD DAY
by Rick Foux

The members of Third Day are no strangers to the Christian Rock scene. Their
high album sales and consistently sold out concerts are more than enough
proof of that. Now the band is setting out to see if they can set the mark
even further with their fourth studio release, Come Together. With producer
Monroe Jones on their side, Third Day manages to barely pull off another
chart-topping record, although Come Together isn't exactly up to the
standard set by past recordings such as Time and Conspiracy No. 5.

The disc's first four tracks are best described as "real" Third Day, Thanks
to their strong southern rock influences. The title track has a simplistic
message ("we've got to come together, we've got to learn to love"), but its
style holds true to the band's Georgia roots. "40 Days" and "Get On" lie at
two opposite ends of the spectrum. The latter challenges the lies of failure
that Satan often whispers to believers, while "40 Days" is the melodic
recreation of Jesus's trials in the wilderness. Still, both have a
reputation for being fast-paced, guitar driven rockers. Track #3, "Show Me
Your Glory," is the latest lyrical child of Mark Lee and a fantastic worship
song to boot, garnering all the strengths of their Offerings album.

It all goes downhill from there. What remains is what should have been
another solid piece of artistry, full of passionate Third Day hits, but in
attempt to keep their huge number of Offerings fans, the band sold out this
time around and took the new album in more of a pop direction. "My Heart," a
kicky pop-like song, is the first track that displays this innovation, and
although the trademark twangy guitar is its apparent strength, it almost
seems weak in comparison to the first four tracks. "I Got You" (complete
with turntable) and "When the Rain Comes" (another Mark Lee worship song)
follow in the same suit. "It's Alright" and "I Don't Know" are the more
laid-back, "country-fied" ballads. "It's Alright" takes its message from
Matthew 6:25-34 and urges the listener not to worry about tomorrow, "for it
brings me one more day / closer than I was to you." "I Don't Know" sounds
instead very much like a copy "Can't Take the Pain" from Third Day's Time
with the only exception being different lyrics, and even those are similar
in context.

The final three songs left on the CD simply fail to impress. Flop-rocker
"Still Listening" wins the award for "Third Day Song Most Likely To Kill
Your Dog," and "Sing Praises" sounds more like something small children
would enjoy singing in a Sunday school class. A mediocre worship tune at
best, "Nothing Compares" closes the album without a hint of excitement
whatsoever, but is spun around the striking reminder that nothing in this
vast universe compares with the greatness of knowing Jesus Christ, our Lord
and Savior. Such are the lyrical strongpoints of Come Together, shallow as
they may be.

While branching out is commendable, the truth is that Third Day just can't
cover the pop scene, and should stick to what they do best: gritty,Southern
rock. However, because of their ever-growing fan base and increasing
popularity, it's highly doubtful that we'll ever see another truly artistic
gem like their third album, Time. In spite of all of this, Come Together
isn't THAT disappointing, and if you're an avid Third Day fan, you'll want
to pick this one up.

Check out more about Third Day on cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/thirdday


REBECCA ST. JAMES IS BACK TO worshipGOD!
Coming next week... worshipGOD by Rebecca St. James!

We definitely recommend you check out this album, it is definitely one of
the best collections of popular modern worship of the year. Although most
of the tracks are very well-known songs, the disc is so well done that you
should not miss it. To find out more, listen to samples, and get a FREE
bonus CD when you pre-order the CD, check out this link:
http://www.forefrontrecords.com/ecard/rebeccastjames/worshipgod/main.html

Also, if you'd like to hear the full CD before you buy, definitely check out
HearItFirst.com.

And BE SURE to stay subscribed to cMusicMail, because, right here, random
subscribers will WIN FREE CDs and T-Shirts from Rebecca St. James, including
a grand prize winner winning a FULL REBECCA ST. JAMES CD LIBRARY! Don't
miss out!


AVAILABLE TUESDAY, FEB. 12 (at cMusicWeb.com or at your local store)

STOP THE MUSIC - NEW BREED
This husband-wife duo of hip-hop know how to heat up the mic, and they are
finally doing it in the Christian market.


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

CITY ON A HILL: SING ALLELUIA - VARIOUS
Now there is definitely a City on a Hill series, but this seems to be a good
thing! Most of the non-worship members of the original disc (like the
Newsboys) have been eliminated and some great new members are in: Jennifer
Knapp, Bebo Norman, Phil Keaggy, and more!

THE REBIRTH OF KIRK FRANKLIN - KIRK FRANKLIN
After a good while... Kirk Franklin is back! The pioneer of modern Gospel
music brings the message to the masses, including his current single, "911".
The album also includes appearances from Yolanda Adams, Jaci Velasquez, T.D.
Jakes, and even a secret track with tobyMac.


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


Thanks for reading this week's cMusicMail, and we'll be back next week with
even more great content. 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