Finally! Finals are here for me, and some are even out of school already.
Things are getting exciting here at cMusicWeb.com, for we are debuting our
mega-"Name This Site and Win"-contest. This is just the beginning of our
overhaul of cMusicWeb.com in the coming months, so keep watching! This week
we have a review about worship/rock band The Violet Burning and their latest
CD, plus an interview with Stereo Motion on cMusicWeb.com.

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WIN YOUR CHOICE OF GREAT PRIZES!
We've been rummaging through our closets here at cMusicWeb.com and finding
lots of rare, exciting stuff. Instead of selling it on eBay, we decided to
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THIS IS THE MOMENT - THE VIOLET BURNING (2003)
by Hollie Stewart

"I'm lost without you near me / I'm helpless and I can't speak / When I
can't be with you / My heart has no home / This is the moment / I've waited
for / This is the moment / Here in your arms, today." -"Lost Without You
Near Me"

In moments of intimacy with Christ, we become the most aware of our need for
Him. The Psalms are full of prayers by David and Asaph that plead to
experience the presence of God. Worship allows us to be the most open and
entirely real. The Violet Burning exemplifies this desire to be near God all
throughout their newest studio recording, This is the Moment. The band
marries the original sounds of Demonstrates Plastic and Elastic with the
worship transparency of Faith and Devotions of a Satellite Heart,
establishing a delicious recording that incorporates both worlds, topped
with a radio-hit style that invites listeners from a larger audience. Yet
This is the Moment is not about the crafting of a hit album. It's about the
embrace of a loving Savior for one more day.

The freshness of their sound welcomes people who desire new ways in which to
express their love to God, something beyond the traditional church feel.
"Lovesick" opens the album with an edgy taste of electronics, guitars, and
vocals. Michael Pritzl sings, "I know I'm / in forgiving seas tonight /
Healing me in slow / glowing light / ...Lovesick, I am amazed / Got it,
lovesick." One wouldn't expect a desire for God to be lovesickness, but
that's the charm of The Violet Burning. They take the unexpected, the
every-day, and twist it into lyrics that bring a new level of understanding.
"Radio Jesus Superstar" establishes the same effect. The lyrics read, "I
can't wait, gonna go full on / The radio Jesus superstar / The very first
time I met you / You were hanging on my heart / I can't wait, gonna go full
on / The radio is playing / My favorite song / The very first time I met you
/ You were singing in my heart." Only this band could equate meeting Christ
as hearing Him sing in the heart like a radio superstar.

If that borders blasphemy in your mind, never fear. The Violet Burning has
plenty of songs that echo traditional images of Christianity. "The Only One"
sings, "You are the only one I need / The love that carries me / You are the
only one I hope for / My Lord, my God, my King." The pop-rock feel of this
song would fair well as a radio single. "Lord, Rescue Me" showcases Pritzl's
soft vocals in an abundance of reverb. As he petitions, "May I sing this
holy song?" the listener can sense the reverence of the moment. "Let it
Begin" places baptismal images into a soft musical arrangement: "Get me to
that river / Take me, on, down deep / I've got to get this dirt off / Let it
begin inside me." "Manta Rae" incorporates drums in a soundtrack one would
find appropriate for Glory (Columbia/Tristar Studios, 1989) or any other
Civil War movie, and the lyrics embrace themes of "People Get Ready" (Curtis
Mayfield). It's a new calling-away/rapture song, describing when we will
"leave these burdens behind" and "sail right into that holy place."

Simply because this band focuses on heavenly-minded songs doesn't mean they
aren't any earthly good. One of my favorites off the album is "I See Stars,"
a love song between man and woman that remains romantically sweet and
artistically classy without delving into the ultra personal. Pritzl sings,
"And I never, never / I never wanted more than this." It's a fitting tribute
to the miracle of love.

The only negativity I could see placed against this album might be from fans
longing for the experimentation found in Demonstrates Plastic. But as a new
recruit to the world of The Violets, I loved the accessibility found in this
CD. I was not left out in the cold by an over-dominance of electronics. I
found the album to be a perfect blend of musical genius and lyrical honesty.
This is the Moment is a moment than needs to be embraced.

Read more about The Violet Burning at cMusicWeb.com:
http://cMusicWeb.com/worship/violetburning


OTHER NEW STUFF ON cMUSICWEB.COM

Interview: Stereo Motion
http://cMusicWeb.com/features/stereomotion

Review: Who We Are Instead - Jars of Clay
http://cMusicWeb.com/modernrock/jarsofclay/whoweareinstead.shtml


THE LATEST NEWS HEADLINES
- Bachelor Bob Inks Record Deal
- New Christian Jazz Label Hopes To Find Success
- 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
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Dan Ficker
http://cMusicWeb.com/
a different approach to music
AOL IM - dMusicWeb