This week we have a look at this brand new band, Daily Planet, and their new
contemporary/rock(?) disc. But, on the flip side, we have great new releases
from Sara Groves, the Rock 'n' Roll Worship Circus, Denison Marrs, and a DVD
Michael W. Smith. Plus, news on British rock coming to the U.S., and much
more!

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HERO - DAILY PLANET (2002)
by Rick Foux

Daily Planet wants to be your hero, baby. Oh yeah. But the problem is that
four guys who don't know the definition of "rock music" can hardly save the
Christian music industry from collapsing. If anything, their music could be
defined as "funk contemporary." That's right, contemporary. Daily Planet
comes so close to sounding like your parents in a band that it's not even
funny. Ok, well maybe it is, as we can't resist snickering at the guys for
shouting random stuff like "Rock!" and "Uh-huh" throughout the course of
their album. Speaking of the album, Hero received a lot of hype from DP's
label, Reunion Records, but does it all pay off? The answer is an emphatic
"no."

Before I go any further, let me say that my opinion of Daily Planet is not
entirely negative. As people, they're great guys. They have a sound
ministry, specifically to the hurting, and their album deals with themes
such as divorce, questioning God, and the responsibilities of being
role-models. As songwriters, they manage to squeeze a couple of decent
tracks onto the record. One is "Six-String Rocketeer," Jesse Butterworth's
story of how he escaped tension at home when his parents would fight. Sadly,
they ended up in divorce, but Jesse remembers how he'd pull out his
songbooks, pick up his "beat-up guitar," and blast off to wherever his soul
could find peace. The tender guitar chords during this song make it all the
more touching. Another one you may want to sample is "3000 Miles Away," an
acoustic, Chicago-flavored ballad with a slight groove to keep things from
moving too slowly. It's also one of the few songs where Butterworth's vocals
are tolerable as he takes even the highest notes gracefully. From the lyrics
it's obvious that this track was penned for a significant other ("Your
absence changes me and everything seems so wrong, but with no sense of irony
I write you this sweet love song"), and it's perfect for couples in long
distance relationships, i.e. myself when I'm at college. The electric organ
tops off the ensemble perfectly.

As a rock band, Daily Planet falls short, plain and simple. Other than the
aforementioned two songs, the rest of their lyrics are elementary and their
rhyme schemes childish. Check out the verse in "More to Life" that says
"This chimpanzee won't let me be, camped on my back," or the one during
"Hero" that reads "I read the bio to see what you're all about...let's put
it this way folks, this guy is no boy scout." Even worse, "Five" conjures up
images of Seth Davis in Superman underoos, which we neither want to see nor
hear about. Kind of makes you wonder which audience the band is trying to
appeal to. Their musical spectrum falls somewhere just beyond adult
contemporary realm, and the tracks that they actually try to rock out on end
up sounding overdone. For instance, the disc's fourth cut, "Tangled Web,"
mixes some synthesizers and dark, unnatural electric guitar distortion in an
attempt to sound edgy, but instead evolves into a semi-southern jam even
Third Day would reject. "Five" is all about living life to the fullest, but
its sound doesn't vary much from "Hero," and you'll find yourself wondering
if you're accidentally listening to the same song over again. The conclusion
of "More to Life" gets drawn out for what seems like an eternity, spanning
about two minutes of impromptu string wailing and Jesse Butterworth
occasionally kicking in a scream or two. "I Live" is nothing more than
another mediocre modern worship song. It builds some momentum during the
chorus, but it's still paced much too slow to expect anything grand from. In
fact, Hero is devoid of nearly any articulate or beautiful artistry; most
songs simply repeat the same message over and over until it's beat into the
ground. And the single most annoying presence on DP's debut is the voice of
Jesse Butterworth, hands-down. Credit is due him on rare instances like
"3000 Miles Away," but elsewhere he emits about as much appeal as a diseased
moose. Other times he tries too hard, struggling to reach talent he lacks
and ends up sounding even worse off than before.

Combining these elements caused me to overlook the minor positives of Daily
Planet and Hero. Bad lyrics...bad vocals...bad musicianship...the foursome
simply lacks the experience and talent required to be a rock band,
especially in the Christian circuit. Their music could be found appealing to
younger audiences (5-10) or some adults, but the truth is these guys have
put excessive effort into this debut, almost like they're trying to be
someone else. Heroes they are not. I hate to rail on any artist and/or group
of artists unless it's necessary, but if Daily Planet is where Clark Kent
works, he should pack his suitcase and submit his resume' elsewhere.
Lessons in life? Never trust Reunion with labeling someone a "rock" band.

Read more about Daily Planet at cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/dailyplanet


WIN CREATION STUFF
More winners will be chosen for the Creation Festival giveaway this week, so
check your e-mail often to find an e-mail from us! You can win Creation
Videos or the Creation Worships disc.


AVAILABLE TUESDAY, AUGUST 20 (at cMusicWeb.com or your local music store)

ALL RIGHT HERE - SARA GROVES
We have yet to check out the latest release from Sara Groves in depth, and
other reviews have been mixed. So, will the popularity of last year's debut
carry over? The word on the street is that her style has changed slightly
since going to a full-time musician, but we are confident that this PICK OF
THE WEEK should not be missed.

THE FAULT IS HISTORY - SOULJAHZ
More proof that Christian music is taking on mainstream trends, this trio is
one of the first new high-profile R&B groups in a while. They throw a little
bit of rap in there too for good measure.

GIRLS OF GRACE - POINT OF GRACE
Now that they have conquered the Adult Contemporary style, Point of Grace is
trying to minister to the younger ladies. Girls of Grace is aimed towards
the girls, but will it get the kids' attention?

HERO - DAILY PLANET
See the review above for info on this highly hyped band.

SEE THE LIGHT - TRUE VIBE
True Vibe give more spiritual-focused pop music for those whose parents do
not let them listen to N*Sync. Isn't that nice...

SONGS 4 WORSHIP: WE EXALT YOU - VARIOUS
If you have one, you have them all... they just have different songs. Here's
another worship sampler "As Seen On TV".

THEN IS THE NEW NOW - DENISON MARRS
Although Denison Marrs is still in the realm of Christian rock obscurity,
this new release is definitely a release for all fans of hard/punk rock to
check out.

WELCOME TO THE ROCK 'N' ROLL WORSHIP CIRCUS
The hype has been big on this band too, and their independent work of the
past two years shows that they may deliver. Their fusion of rock with
worshipful lyrics brings similarities with delirious? and Tree63, and their
deal with Epic Records means that they could bring worship to the
mainstream.

WORSHIP DVD/VHS - MICHAEL W SMITH
An in-depth review will be coming soon, but until then know this: The
production of the DVD is much improved over the producer's last effort, the
Third Day DVD. And, the concert is full of worship, but the DVD still leaves
more to be desired. Enjoy a widescreen look at MWS and his repackaging of
popular worship tunes with this video.


THE LATEST NEWS HEADLINES
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- GRITS Rock Nashville Coliseum
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- Chris Tomlin to Worship With RSJ
- Newsboys to Promote Biblical Literacy
- JoC Releases 11 Live, Plans Fall Tour
- Nashville Loves Their Grits
- Caedmon's Extends Tour
- Worship Goes Platinum
- Michelle Shocked "Spiritual," Hates Christian Music
- And more!

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


OTHER NEW STUFF ON cMUSICWEB.COM
Review: The Night We Called It A Day - Deepspace 5
http://cMusicWeb.com/hiphop/deepspace5/thenightwecalleditaday.shtml

Armor: Hurry Up and Wait
http://cMusicWeb.com/armor


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Dan Ficker
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a different approach to music
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