This week we have a great review of one of the most artistic bands in
Christian music, The Waiting. These guys have been making their alternative
rock music for years, and will go on with or without record label support.
Luckily, the folks at inpop are nice enough to make it easy for us to get
our hands on it! Plus, this week brought lots of news, so read the
headlines below.

GOT COMMENTS?? - We want your input on cMusicWeb.com! Send it to
webmaster@... or find me on ICQ or AOL IM.

UNSUBSCRIBE?? - Logon to http://groups.yahoo.com to do so, or drop us
an e-mail telling us why you're annoyed by hearing from us.


WONDERFULLY MADE - THE WAITING (2001)
by Jason Ewert

Joy. We all search for it; we all long for it; we all despair when we
discover that we can't produce it on our own. And then, when we thought all
hope was gone, joy finds us and takes us on a journey like no other. It is
easy to mistake the journey for the answer, however, and in the valleys we
begin to think that joy is gone forever when it suddenly pulls us up and
takes us to a higher hill. It is based on these experiences that The Waiting
have given us Wonderfully Made. Employing infectious guitar pop, masterfully
arranged and produced by Todd Olsen and Bryan Lenox, Wonderfully Made is a
joyful reminder of the good things we find in life.

Poppy rhythms with catchy choruses abound on this CD, yet one never gets the
feeling of musical or lyrical shallowness. Each track has been carefully
written, revealing profound but simple truths that we often overlook.
Complex production that requires multiple listens is also found on this
album. "Wonderfully Made", the opening and title track, is a perfect example
of this. Driving guitar effects and irresistible harmonies collide with an
exposition of Psalm 139 to produce an uplifting track that reminds us of our
origins. Though the formula is similar throughout Wonderfully Made, the
messages and sounds vary, providing the listener with a new thought and a
new experience every track.

A desire for sanctification and a realization of God's presence is clearly
seen in the songs on this CD. "Diamonds to Dust" contemplates on the
timelessness of material possessions with a fast-paced, spit-those-words-out
chorus. A devotional song, "Take Me As I Am" rejoices that God does not
demand perfection, but instead works in us to make perfection. Responding
with a melody similar to the title track, "What Else Can I Say"
unsuccessfully grasps for words other than "I love You" to describe our
thankfulness to God. Another song that takes its message from the Psalms,
"Every Word", a laid back, restful piece, longs for all our words and
thoughts to "be ever pleasing" in God's sight. The Waiting return to a
reflection on God's love in "A Lot of Love", joined by Michael Johnston of
Smalltown Poets as they sing of their wonder at the abundance of God's love.

Perhaps the most moving song on the album is "Sleepless", a song that any
Christian can relate to. Exploring our sin and its effects on life, they cry
out, "Oh sin, Oh sin ~ It leaves us here without and hollowed out within ~
Oh sin, Oh sin ~ Like a fool to his folly ~ You keep coming back again."
Yet, "Sleepless" is not an admission of defeat. The album's closer, "A
Thousand Years (Is Not Enough)", prostrates itself at the feet of God,
longing for eternity where we will be perfectly made for worship. As the
last sonic beep emanates from the speakers and the CD slows to a stop, it is
clear that the CD has come full circle: we have been pulled from the mire of
the valley and brought to the glorious sunshine on a mountain. And joy still
lives.

Find out more about the Waiting on cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/alternative/waiting


REBECCA ST. JAMES CONTEST
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! This week, please keep
an eye out for an e-mail from us, for you may be one of our first winners!


OTHER NEW STUFF ON cMUSICWEB.COM
Review: Follow the Narrow - Clear
http://cMusicWeb.com/alternative/clear/followthenarrow.shtml

Feature: It's only $3.99
http://cMusicWeb.com/features/only3.99


AVAILABLE TUESDAY, APRIL 2 (at cMusicWeb.com or at your local store)

JOSHUA: THE MOVIE SOUNDTRACK - VARIOUS
Apparently, I was wrong about a couple things. First of all, this CD did
not release two weeks ago like I thought... it released this week. But,
more importantly, the movie features a musical score penned by Michael W.
Smith himself! Now, the only real problem is that the score is not on the
soundtrack CD...

SCRIBBLING IN THE SAND - MICHAEL CARD
Artist and layman scripture scholar, Michael Card always takes his listeners
on a historical journey lyrically. Musically, his acoustic guitar based
sound flows perfectly with his teaching.


THE LATEST NEWS HEADLINES
- Dove Award Performers Announced
- A Brave New World
- Crystal Lewis, Others Play Carnegie Hall
- St. James, tobyMac to Perform at Dove Awards
- A Decade of Hits
- Rebecca St. James to Pray For Nation
- MC Hammer Turns 40
- The Elms Return to Home Town
- Songwriter of the Year Nominees Announced
- God Worshippers Unite
- Ginny Owens Gets Rave Reviews
- Britney Spears on God
- "What's Next" for Chevelle
- 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