Category Archives: Video

Articles, Features, Video

Top Tens (Easter Sunday)

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I know it’s technically Easter Monday, but I figured that if I wrote a post about some of my favourite songs that spoke about Good Friday, then an appropriate post about Easter Sunday was a given. Because, in essence; Easter Sunday is in fact much more important than Good Friday by far. Because if Jesus never rose from the dead, even if He did in fact die, then the whole basis of Christianity just comes down to a feel good social club than anything else. If there was no resurrection, then Christianity isn’t worth believing in.

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Top Tens (Good Friday)

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Happy Easter everyone. Wow, did I just say that? Has four months of 2017 gone by so quickly that I hadn’t really noticed until now? Until I actually have a day off to reflect, I’ve realised that yes, the year does go by very quick, and more often than not, we can fall into the trap, of going through the motions. Of celebrating all the holidays and significant days of the year just like how we’ve done in years previously, because, ‘that’s how I’ve always done it’, or ‘that’s what should be done’. Easter, is no exception, sad to say. What has once become a time of reflection and re-evaluation is now one of frenzied busyness and unhealthy stress.

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Message Mondays – Fear and Trust, and How We Need to Trade One For the Other

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Maybe it’s time to confess- often I tend to worry and obsess more about situations more than I should. As my parents have often said to me, there’s 365 times that the Lord says in the bible for us not to fear and worry- therefore, one for us to reflect upon each day. That that is entirely true. Because when we look at it from an objective standpoint, we are indeed a fearful bunch. Afraid of politics, afraid of religion, afraid of people of other races, creeds, different kinds of faith, different sexual orientations…the list goes on. And then there’s things that people are afraid of that are on a personal level- heights, spiders, snakes, bombs, volcanoes, flashing lights, noises, crowds, war movies, metal music, tomatoes, eating healthy, the gym…you get the picture. Why are we so afraid? Sometimes I wish that Adam and Eve never took that apple- but that doesn’t change that the fact that it indeed happened, and because of sin, there are things in our lives that we want to change. One of the biggest things I’m sure people want to eradicate in their lives is fear, but sometimes I think- maybe we all are afraid because we’re not fully confident in what has been promised to us and given freely by the One who created us in the first place.

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Message Mondays and Worship Wednesdays – Slowing Down To Realise that God Has Been With Us All Along!

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What we fail to realise is that we were not made to do everything. I know that sounds like I’ve said the deadliest thing ever, but really, we weren’t made to do everything. Think about that. Really. When have we as a human race tried to fit whatever we can, within a 24 hour day? Because honestly, just because we see superhero shows like Batman, Spiderman, Fantastic Four, X-Men or Ironman on TV, that doesn’t mean we can emulate them in every aspect of our lives. Because if you end up doing everything that you’d like, you won’t do anything well. That is our crime as a human race. We are rushing around and undertaking whatever we can, in fear that our days are numbered, therefore, what we do with them ought to matter. But then in not slowing down, we often miss out on what the Lord is trying to speak to us through the circumstances and scenarios we find ourselves in. I know in my life there’s been moments when I’ve had to catch myself, consciously slowing down because I’ll know that if I don’t, I’ll run myself to the ground. What about you?

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NEW SINGLES OF 2017 (Part 2)

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So…not so long as two years (between the first ‘new singles’ post and the second), so I guess that is a plus. But really, on a serious note, 2017 so far has had a flurry of great new songs. Therefore, another ‘New Singles of 2017’ post is fitting right? Here in the posts before, I have highlighted 5 songs that I reckon will peak in radio, as well as impact listeners far and wide. In the previous post, I decided to focus on “Even If”, the poignant radio single from the ever-reliable MercyMe, “Tears”, the piano prominent acoustic melody from former Sanctus Real frontman Matt Hammitt, “This We Know”, from Kristian Stanfill and the Passion Worship team (originally famous on Vertical Church Band’s Frontiers way back in July 2016), “Run The Race”, from Holly Starr, quite possibly one of the most underrated young female artists of tomorrow’s generation, as well as “All That Matters”, the chart-topping track from Colton Dixon (also one of my favourite songs of 2017 as well!). So, here I am, a little over 1 month later, posting another ‘new singles of 2017’ post…what are these next 5 songs, that I reckon will become hits in weeks and even months to come? (aside from “Even If”, which I reckon is my favourite song of 2017 thus far, and a song by MercyMe that ought to have as much emotion and impact as songs like “God With Us” and “I Can Only Imagine”!) Well, read on to find out! Which songs will you pick up when they become available on iTunes?

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TOP 10 ___ (And Worship Wednesdays): Worship Songs That Will Impact A New Generation in 2017

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Don’t you feel tired of singing the same songs every Sunday morning at church services? Not that there’s anything wrong with singing “How Great is Our God” for the billionth time, except when you realise that you are indeed singing it for the billionth time. Songs are great, but sometimes, all you want is to just sing a new song. And don’t fret, because God wants you to sing a new song as well. Not that I’m great with quoting from the bible, but I do remember this- that we were supposed to sing a new song to the Lord, according to the start of Psalm 96:1. We were restless for a reason, and while I know there’s nothing wrong with singing songs to death, sometimes to sing a new song (with obviously a new easy-to-learn melody) means to bring forth a spirit of re-awakening and renewal, as we revisit some truths that may have been lost over the years in favour of monotony and the mundane.

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MESSAGE MONDAYS & THROWBACK TUESDAYS – The Light Meets The Dark

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Yes, as you can see from the title, I am a very much avid fan of CCM band Tenth Avenue North. Or rather, a fan of Mike Donehey’s devotional youtube messages about his songs that he has released on the internet throughout the years. In fact, Tenth Avenue North has to be one of the best bands that CCM offers to us at the moment- starting their career way back in 2008 when they signed to Reunion Records, the band delivered chart topping albums like Over and Underneath, The Light Meets the Dark, The Struggle, Cathedrals and more recently Followers. To say that Mike the lead singer has a way with words in how he imparts heartfelt and poignant truths to listeners is very much an understatement. And while I know that their latest album Followers can arguably be the quintet’s most emotive and encouraging yet, I can’t ignore where it all started. It was in 2009/10 when I started listening to the band and their music on a regular basis- safe to say that The Light Meets the Dark is a momentous album for me- with songs like “Healing Begins”, “You Are More”, “Strong Enough to Save”…it was then when I realised that Tenth Avenue North and their music was something special.

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First Impression Review – Colton Dixon’s “Identity”

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Eliminated from American Idol Season 11 in 7th place, pop/CCM artist Colton Dixon has been making waves within the CCM industry ever since his highly-publicised crossover hit of a first album A Messenger, that debuted in 2013 to critical acclaim. Using the same platform as many artists, like Carrie Underwood, Danny Gokey, Mandisa, Jason Castro, Daughtry, Kelly Clarkson and Kris Allen; to start a career in music; Colton’s unexpected exit from the show was more of a blessing in disguise. Signing a record deal with Sparrow Records, and 2 albums later, Colton, alongside Mandisa, has been one of the most successful and greatest finds, out of anyone who has moved from American Idol to Christian music, ever. With much success, both critically and commercially, Colton, though only in his mid-twenties, writes and sings way beyond his years, so much so that his two successful albums A Messenger and Anchor were released within 1 and a half years of each other. Now he has journeyed into the unknown with his new album Identity, releasing March 24th- sure he still has his trademark pop-rock-radio sound, but this album is different from the rest- less rock than Anchor and much more dance and 1980s style music that is incorporated throughout his power-pop anthems in this 11 track album (17 in the deluxe edition).

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New Singles of 2017

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I know I know, I said this back in 2015, and I quote- ‘welcome to our new post of the week.’ Well here I am a year and a half or so later to say- we’ve only done one such post. And I know, we as a site should’ve probably been more active in posting these ‘mini-reviews’ of sorts, highlighting songs that came throughout the year that we’d think would’ve made an impact in the hearts of many around the world. So without further ado, here’s the second post of this series. And the series is this- while we’ve previously reviewed albums to this point, I want to branch out and review songs. Songs that have either just released or will release pretty soon, songs that in my opinion, will become big in the upcoming months ahead. The previous 5 tracks I highlighted in the last post were pretty much spot on- “Be One” from Natalie Grant is still in circulation today, and Sanctus Real’s “Longer Than a Lifetime” is still getting airplay even now, more than a year after Matt Hammitt departed the band. So what are these next 5 songs, that I reckon will become hits in weeks and even months to come? Read on to find out! Which songs will you pick up when they become available on iTunes?

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First Impression Review – Hollyn’s “One-Way Conversations”

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Hollyn has been, if you could argue, one of the greatest finds in CCM within the last few years. If you would just pick one, I’d say it’d be her. Only 19, Hollyn has found her way into the hearts and living rooms of many listeners around the world, myself included. Signed to the small yet equally diverse Gottee Records (home to artists such as Finding Favour, Capital Kings and Ryan Stevenson to name a few), Hollyn’s maturity lyrically and stylistically, even vocally beyond her 19 years is as remarkable as it is awe-inspiring, which makes her new album One Way Conversations dropping February 10th digitally (and March 3rd physically) a must have for anyone who loves hip hop, pop, worship, rap, or even just plain something different compared to whatever is out there on the radio right now. Hollyn’s music is a sight to behold, full of hope, encouragement, emotion and raw honesty, something I reckon isn’t as expressed as it should within the confines of Christian radio.

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