Skillet - Alien Youth

I was digging through my CD collection looking for something a little "different" to write about this time. It didn't take long for my eyes to catch the mosaic cover of Skillet's Alien Youth and I knew this was what I had in mind.

I have to start out by saying this CD did not impress me the first time I listened to it. In fact, I listened to it a few times, and then just put it on the shelf and wrote it off as something I just wasn't in to. I've never been a big fan of the industrial sound. But some time later I gave it another try. And it was different this time. It just sort of hit me and I was into it. I think the difference was I started listening to the sounds and not just the songs. I was really impressed with the production of each instrument. And the guitar is simply killer. It's a different type of sound for me. But once I realized that this CD was going to offer something different from what I normally listen to, I was able to catch the groove of it. And then something cool happened. After focusing on the production and digging the sounds, I started to find myself enjoying the songs. And the next thing I know, I was a big fan of the CD.

Strange how that happened. But there was an important lesson in there for me. And now, when I find that I initially don't get excited about a CD, I'll shelf it for a while and then give it another spin down the road. It doesn't always work. Sometimes the CD just doesn't do it for me. But as described above, sometimes a CD is worth a second chance.

If you like an industrial sound. And you are looking for a Christian option to artists like Trent Reznor, give Skillet a try!

Lyrics to "Alien Youth"

Audio Adrenaline - Bloom

I'm a big fan of Audio Adrenaline. They are another great Christian band. The guitarist is one of my favorite in the Christian music genre. I love his style and his guitar has a great tone. And I also dig the singer. He's got a great voice. But unfortunately he is losing his voice and the band will be calling it quits. They see no reason to try and replace him and continue on. And for that I am thankful. It just would not be the same.

- Never Gonna be as Big as Jesus

I could climb the corporate ladder
Buy, sell, and liquidate
Maybe be just like the Beatles
Melodic, rocking heavyweights

Bloom is my favorite CD from the band. It contains so many great songs. "Never gonna be as big as Jesus" has great lyrics. I love the reference to Jim Morrison from the Doors (Lizard King) in the song "I am not the King." But "Walk on Water" is probably the high point of the CD. The lyrics ring so true.

Lyrics to Bloom

DC Talk - Free At Last

Well, I'm going old school here and take us back to the beginning of DC Talk. "Free at Last" was there first CD. And since then they have gone on to achieve great success. I have enjoyed most of their CD's. And they have polished their sound over the years. But I still find myself going back to this gem every once in a while. It has a bit more of a "cheese" factor to it than their later music does. But this disc is still filled with some great songs.

Some of my fav's from this disc: I don't want it, Word 2 the father, Jesus is just alright, Luv is a verb.

- Word 2 The Father

Once again we're here to drop some science
Standin' up tall in the land of giants
Steadily keepin' our message intact
And the truth is, it's a matter of fact
That this goes out to the One we look to
Hopin' that the message in our jam would hook you
Up in a hurry so that you could be locked in
This is a bond that you oughtta take stock in

Third Day

Third Day's first self titled album is one of my all time favorites. It was one of the first Christian music CD's that I ever purchased. And what a great introduction to Christian music it was. It was released 13 years ago and it still sounds fresh today!

One of the things I was concerned with when I began listening to Christian music was how it would compare to secular music. And over time I have found that a lot of Christian music does fall short. But a lot does not. And Third Day is one of those bands that has helped to build a better reputation for Christian music. They write, sound, and play better than a lot of secular bands in their genre do.

The CD opens up "Nothing at All" which is one of my favorites. "Love Song" is one of their best songs ever. It's just a great acoustic song. "Thief" gets right to the heart of the matter speaking about the person on the cross next to Christ. "Blackbird" is rumored to be about the Black Crows. And "Praise Song" is just awesome.

The entire CD is great. I remember putting my headphones on and jamming this CD as I road my bike along the beach in the Summer. It was great riding music!