March 2011 Monthly Music Guide #12

Wow, I’ve kept at this thing for a whole year now! Not too bad. Looking for something new? Here’s what I’ve been listening to lately…

Artist: Hawk Nelson
Album: Crazy Love (February 8, 2011)
Style: Energetic pop punk

Hawk Nelson is one of those kinda cheesy bands I feel like I outgrew a long time ago, so when I decided to give their new album a chance I was surprised by how much I liked it. Right from the get-go with “Tally-Ho” it’s full of energy, speed and classic Hawk bass lines. The title track tries to follow the Newsboys into modern synth-pop-rock, but it’s mostly good ol’ MxPx-FMStatic-channeled pop punk. “My Next Breath” is a classic Hawk ballad harking back to the days of “From Underneath” or “Everything You Ever Wanted.” Strong, catchy melodies overshadow the occasionally trite lyrics, which are pretty upfront and spiritual (“Your Love Is A Mystery”) when they’re not charmingly pining for love (“Joanna”) or expressing a distaste for airports (“LAX”). There’s a few surprises scattered throughout, and if you stick around for the extra acoustic tracks, you’ll hear a Glee-like a cappella rendition of the old hit “California.”

Standout Lyric: They say it sounds insane
We say that we’ve been changed by the power of crazy love…
We’re the ones gonna put it all in reverse
Gonna die to ourselves, gonna live to serve
In Case It Interests You: The members of Hawk Nelson are known as Christians.
STREAM THE WHOLE ALBUM: myspace.com/hawknelson

Artist: Hillsong United
Album: Aftermath (February 15, 2011)
Style: Post-rock worship

Everyone knows that Hillsong United churns out boring cliché worship power ballads year after year, right? Wrong! Aftermath is the New Zealand group’s second non-live release, and the well-built tracks are less power-chord Jesus chants and more patiently developed grooves following the road of Explosions In The Sky or The Ember Days – but still with that electric United youth-group-ready oomph. It starts off full of delayed guitar picking, rat-a-tat snares, deep toms, and layers of vocals, strings, and experimental atmospheres – relaxing and/or driving worship at its finest, although the whole album isn’t quite that delicate. The multiple talents of the likes of Joel Houston, Marty Sampson, and Brooke Fraser continue to find fresh lyrics to express hearts crying out in surrender and devotion, and this may be the act’s best release since 2006′s All of the Above.

Standout Lyric: And I find myself here on my knees again
Caught up in grace like an avalanche
Nothing compares to this love, love, love
In Case It Interests You: The musicians that make up Hillsong United are known as Christians.
STREAM THE WHOLE ALBUM: myspace.com/hillsongunited Read more of this post