Welcome back to this week's cMusicMail! There's a lot of good stuff going
on this week, from a brand new review of Polarboy to the release of a new
disc from the Normals to our Rebecca St. James CD/t-shirt contest to our new
discussion board! So, read on, and be sure to check out cMusicWeb.com.

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4008 - POLARBOY
by Rick Foux

Sometimes it's easy to let the little things of life get in the way of
enjoying what our Heavenly Father has blessed us with. When we're drowning
in the stresses and worries of everyday life, the best relief comes when we
merely step back and take a breath of fresh air. This is the essence of what
Polarboy has captured on their second album, 4008. Although little known
about in the CHR market, listeners who have discovered this "southern
alternative" band know they've latched onto something special. The songs on
4008 are consistent reminders of God's provisions and blessings, and they
help to provide an escape from whatever stumbling blocks we may hit.

"Lower," the album's first track, is a classic example of totally relying on
God. The protagonist in this song has hit rock bottom, yet fully
acknowledges God's reassuring strength that enables him to go on. The
truthful lyrics are accompanied by the band's trademark forceful percussion
and steady acoustic, as well as electric, guitar riffs. Following in a
similar yet more grungy style is "Everytime," a song about God leading you
to the love of your life. During the slower, twangy "Night Drives," it's
easy to imagine yourself cruising down the highway, windows rolled down,
enjoying a peaceful song on the radio as the sun sets in the distance.
Ironically, the lyrics actually describe a person who has attempted to run
away from God's plan - a modern day Jonah - who in the end, must learn to
"simply accept the gift." In contrast the perky, poppy "At Least I Tried"
praises God outright for His gift of Salvation, and then weaves a tale about
a lost brother who comes home and a lost sister who remains a wild card.

Like "Lower," "Nothing Left" is another Better Than Ezra-ish tune about
running out of provision and discovering you have "nothing left to bet
nothing left to get / to pull me out of this ditch / nothing except my trust
in the Lord and my trust in His Word." A brilliant reminder of the fun times
in life, "Long Weekend" cuts loose as the closest that the band ever gets to
actual rock, even throwing in a funky 70s groove during the bridge, a choir
of accompanists on the closing chorus, and handclaps. Then, "Mountain
Man" sets the mood diversely to southern folk, adding a banjo to the mix and
rivaling even Third Day as it retells the story of Joseph. Track #8 puts the
choir back in full swing as Polarboy rips off "I'm Alright" a la Jars of
Clay during "In The Name of Christ," but perfectly combines a blend of the
gospel/guitar rock genres. The organ in the background makes it believable
that you could actually play this song at a Sunday morning church service
and get away with it.

Sadly, the last three songs on 4008 are also the most depressing. A string
of percussion imitating a locomotive makes the incredibly heart-wrenching
"Train Song" all the more believable, but provides a picturesque
illustration of what it must have been like for God to sacrifice his Son for
the good of the world. Simply put, this song will bring you to tears.
Kicking things back up for the last time on the album, Polarboy attempts to
make a rocker out of "Fall," a song about separation and coping with the
hole left in someone's heart that only God can fill. 4008 closes on a
low-key, serious note with "Bria." Strangely enough, the only instrument
used on this final track is a piano, accompanying vocals stained with
despair, anger, and regret. Ultimately though, all of that is let go, and
the pain is left behind for God to ease and replace with His love.

By reminding listeners of the sweet release that comes with accepting Jesus
as Savior, Polarboy has established themselves firmly with 4008. The
disappointing fact is that this is an album that will be overlooked by most.
Not only that, but finding a copy in your local Christian bookstore is a
rare delight. For the best deal, head to www.musicforce.com. The listening
experience is definitely worth it.


REBECCA ST. JAMES IS BACK TO worshipGOD!
Especially for you, we have a preview of Rebecca St. James' new CD,
worshipGOD:
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! And, go ahead and tell your friends too! Next week, we'll give
away a CD and a t-shirt to one of you people out there in e-mail land.


ARE WE OFF OUR ROCKER?
We'd love to talk with you about it! And, here's the cool and new way to do
it:

http://cMusicWeb.com/discussion

Yes, our discussion board is finally up, and it's up to you to get it going.
We need people to come in and talk with us about the music, the crazy views
we have over here, what you think about the Grammys, or just whatever.
Please, stop by and give us your 2 cents!

http://cMusicWeb.com/discussion


AVAILABLE TUESDAY, FEB. 26 (at cMusicWeb.com or at your local store)

ARMY OF LOVE - JAKE
More Jake. More pop. More good-lookin' Canadians singing and doing the
dance moves.

CAN YOU HEAR US? - DAVID CROWDER BAND
A longtime member of Passion worship services, David Crowder is finally here
with his band to provide the music. The music is largely distorted and
produced, but Crowder's heart for worship comes shining right through.

LOST IN WORSHIP - FUSEBOX
After backing Rebecca St. James up on the stage for years, Fusebox is ready
to go. Their African-American frontman brings true soul to the popular
modern worship tunes they are sporting, and the band provides the crunchy
guitars.

OBVIOUS - PLUSONE
It's obvious: they want to lure you in. Why else would they give you a free
DVD? And, if they are on a mainstream label, why aren't they doing half as
good as their labelmates, P.O.D.?

A PLACE WHERE YOU BELONG - THE NORMALS
Definitely our PICK OF THE WEEK, The Normals are back again! Recessing from
aggressive road time, the guys locked themselves in a house with Malcolm
Burn, their producer for their last album, Coming to Life. This time, they
come back with the same raw sound, but with some minor improvements and the
same honest, life-giving lyrics.

SECRETS OF THE VINE - VARIOUS
In the similar vein of The Prayer of Jabez EP, Bruce Wilkinson teams up with
ForeFront again to do some hyped-up "worship" to go along with his new work,
Secrets of the Vine.

THE WONDERFUL CROSS - VARIOUS
A one-disc collection from Worship Together is appropriately released in
this time leading up to Easter. This 12-track title features a collection
of powerful modern worship anthems from Matt Redman, delirious?, Passion,
Vineyard, and more.

WONDERFUL MERCY - VINEYARD MUSIC SOUTH AFRICA
The live worship style of Vineyard Music is brought to South Africa.
Although it sounds a lot like the American worship, there are definitely
some African influences in the background. 12 great new worship anthems.

worshipGOD - REBECCA ST. JAMES
Mixing five songs of her own pen with 6 of the most common modern worship
anthems, Rebecca St. James makes her debut into the worship sector of
Christian Music. And, this is definitely at the top of the worship
production ladder, and is musically a great listen.


THE LATEST NEWS HEADLINES
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. Shake-Up at Word Continues
. Katinas to Record Worship Album
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. Amy Grant Readies New Album
. Jars of Clay, SCC Inspired by Soldiers
. Out of Eden Topping the Charts
. Newsboys and Microsoft Join Forces
. And more!

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