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 QUICK CD Reviews Not full-length reviews that are found in the artist pages, these are quick CD reviews that provide basic information, a short review, and my ratings. Meant to be informative and helpful. |
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Scarecrow and Tinmen: Superhero (2000) Overall Rating: C Smalltown Poets: Third Verse (2000) Overall Rating: B- Smash-Ups (2003) Overall Rating: B+ |
SHORT CD REVIEWS
 Musical Talent: 8 of 10 Musical Variety: 9 of 10 Lyrical Value: 6 of 10 Worth Buying: 7 of 10 Overall Rating: C (75%)
2000 |
Scarecrow & Tinmen: Superhero While there's not many impressive musical stunts, it generally sounds good. There's a fair balance of rock, slow, and a groovy pop sound almost like All Star United, or a "lesser" version of Newsboys (and yet that's not an adequate comparison). And I do like the singer's voice. It's hard to describe, but the word "twangy" comes to mind. The music is par, but the lyrics fall short. There are a couple clever ones. "Get Off My Back" is talking to your dead sinful nature, and "Big Mouth" expresses James' thoughts on the tongue (The first choruses say how the tongue is used for evil, but the last chorus shows how the tongue can be used to praise God). Some may think that this line sounds cool: "Take a look at all that Jesus did. I think that it's so groovy." And I think that that's so cheesy. I don't really embrace their referring to Jesus as "God's Bionic Son." And while it's true that God is in us, we're still sinning mortals, so it may be going a little far to call ourselves "Superheroes." There's some good stuff in here, but not enough to make it extraordinary or give it a top rating. -- Josh 7/8/2003 |
1.Jesus Is God :)
(Jesus is God, so don't you take him lightly now) 2.The Reason Y 3.God Is God (God is good all the time) 4.This Much (I love you this much, my child) 5.Groovy 6.Superhero :( 7.Get Off My Back (I thought I died) 8.Big Mouth (The Big M, it's full of fire from hell) 9.Bionic Son 10.Crossroads |
 Musical Talent: 9 of 10 Musical Variety: 4 of 10 Lyrical Value: 10 of 10 Worth Buying: 9 of 10 Overall Rating: B- (80%)
2000 |
Smalltown Poets: Third Verse The lead singer's voice sometimes sounds like Jars of Clay's Dan Haseltine and sometimes like Steve Wiggins (formerly of Big Tent Revival). Coincidentally, the music sounds like a cross between those two bands, too. There's not really much variety to the CD, and all ten tracks have that soft soothing sound, with lots of guitar picking and stuff, and plenty of strings, organ, and accordion sprinkled throughout the CD. Lyrically, it's very...well...poetic at points. There are many clever metaphors that draw spiritual parallels to light bulbs, waterfalls, and fireflies, to name a few. "Beautiful Scandalous Night" almost sounds like a hymn: "At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree / On that beautiful scandalous night you and me / Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white / On that beautiful scandalous night." That's just a sample of the lyrics on this CD that have a simple theme of looking to God. While it's true that the songs almost all sound the same, making it potentially boring, this CD is perfect for background music or just something calming to listen to. If you're looking for a quiet alternative to the loud rock and pop acts all over the market today, this CD is for you. -- Josh 7/18/2003 |
1.Every Reason
(She has every reason to cup her hands beneath it) 2.Any Other Love :) (Turn from any other love to the only face of Your love) 3.Firefly (I'll fly with the light inside of me) 4.Clean 5.The Lust, the Flesh, the Eyes, and the Pride of Life 6.Waterfall (Living water walls can't hold) 7.Beautiful Scandalous Night 8.No Kinder Savior (For the one who's ready to give up / No kinder Savior will be found) 9.That line 10. 100 billion Watts (Everyone...knows the power of the third creation verse) |
 Musical Variety: 10 of 10 Mixing Quality: 8 of 10 Song Selection: 8 of 10 Worth Buying: 9 of 10 Overall Rating: B+ (88%) 2003 Sparrow Records |
Smash-Ups It's a good idea, mixing the lyrics from one song with the music from another song. The first track is superb, and except for Chapman's vocal mess-up, it's perfect, with all three artists singing a lot in a great mix. But all the other tracks are just music from one song and lyrics from another. Not that this is bad, but I wished that the other mixes had had more time spent on them, and most of them are just "average" mixes. The worst example of song selection is Jesus Freak vs. Dismissed. It doesn't work to dismiss a boyfriend to the tune of Jesus Freak. The tobyMac rapping on the first verse of track 5 isn't even lined up with the Relient K music, but on the second verse it fits and sounds pretty cool. The Grits rapping on track 3 fits OK with Switchfoot music, but I still find myself longing to hear Jon Foreman singing a line. On the other hand, I really enjoyed Earthsuit music with Rebecca St. James singing (the intro is awesome). Newsboys "Entertaining Angels" singing to dc Talk's "Colored People" sounds cool for the most part, and my favorite track is PAX217 music with Newsboys "Shine." That's probably the best one of the "regular" mixes (which is all of them except track 1). Throughout the whole CD, it's basically a mix of "That sounds terrible," or "That sounds really cool." This CD is only for the Christian music enthusiast, as you'll more easily enjoy the mixes if you already know the songs. It could have been better, but for a first time thing, they did a good job. -- Josh 7/8/2003 |
1.Chapman "Dive" vs Audio A "Get Down" vs Grits "All Fall Down" :) 2.dc Talk "Colored People" vs Newsboys "Entertaining Angels" 3.Grits "TN Boys" vs Switchfoot "You Already Take Me There" 4.Earthsuit "One Time" vs St. James "God" 5.tobyMac "Yours" vs Relient K "Pressing On" 6.Benjamin Gate "All Over Me" vs Reuben "Do Not" 7.dc Talk "Jesus Freak" vs ZOEgirl "Dismissed" :( 8.Newsboys "Shine" vs PAX217 "Tonight" :) 9.Chapman "Live Out Loud" vs Out of Eden "River" 10.Carman "Who's In the House" vs ZOEgirl "Even If" |
Page Created 7/8/2003
Page Last Updated 4/9/2004
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