Heather Clark - Overcome [Music Review]

Artist: Heather Clark

Album: Overcome

Album Length:  11 Tracks: 1Hour 2 Minutes 41 Seconds

Street Date: June 19, 2012

Label: Kingsway Music

iPod Pick: Come in 

Heather Clark is a professional dancer who lives in British Columbia and also a part of the worship singing team Jesus Culture (based in Redding California). For me there are two types of worship music. There are ‘hand-me down’ songs, songs that sound so familiar to you,  like you are reading a bible text or hearing again another song you’ve heard before and they often contain a lot of worship lingua which we are familiar with. Clichéd some might say, and honestly I don’t mean this in any derogatory form cause this is good and they could be a form of liturgy we turn to in moments to set our hearts on course but there’s also worship music that is passionate and deep. On this you would hear lyrics you haven’t really considered with a big God. The singer would sing of God as an everyday friend and lover not because he or she is trying to be unnecessarily familiar but because maybe cause the music was born out of an experience or a deep encounter or even a life lesson when God showed up. For Heather Clark’s Overcome, it falls into the second category.

I want to read Heather’s blog (if she’s got one) and I want to hear her story cause she’s got something deep going on with God, and really for music that’s set to focus your attention on God that’s enough. Musically, Heather would bring to mind the sweet, vibrant but mellow sounds of Cher, Jennifer Knapp, Plumb, Sarah McLachlan, Debbie Harry (of Blondie), even Mellissa How and Kim Walker Smith of Jesus Culture would come to mind when you hear her voice but most of all a particular timbre she reminded me of was the peculiar voice of Dido, that voice undulation with so much control of hers. 

‘Come In’ the opening track sounds so much like an 80’s rock concert song. It’s beautiful in its entirety. though I would love to compare it to Plumb’s Free ( the beautiful lumps of coal  project) or any loud song by the group Blondie (or maybe ‘The Cardigans’) I won’t cause though it sounds like these tunes it’s also unique on its own. This album is a must get, it’s soulful, deep, and reflective and guess what, no clichés at all. If you aren’t a fan of Jesus culture or even worship music, get this one cause you would sure be surprised and it’s a five star all the way.

Various Artists - The Yada Music Project Vol. 2 [Music Review]

Artist: Various Artists

Album: The Yada Music Project Vol. 2

iPod Pick: Eromplaini Feat. Cobhams

I was blown away by Evin Amiri’s (of the 21:03 band) ‘Yeah 3x’ off the Yada Music Project Vol.2. It was my first listen once I uploaded the 2 part album unto my player and can I be honest, I smiled BIG and sort of screamed, It’s was that good and I can assure you bad music wouldn’t make you do that, wail maybe. Let’s leave ‘Eromplaini Feat. Cobhams’ for now which is a total makeover for the band Rooftop MCs (which I wasn’t a big fan of before but now looking forward to their next album).

The core idea behind the Yada Music Project is to create a platform for international and local artist in the Nigeria to bring their music to, getting off the glossy covers of recording labels and promoters. And guess what,  some artists you might never have heard of shine really BIG on this one. 

‘Pop Sound’ by Jungle Fever would get any party rocking and grooving, yes at the same time. ‘In Control’ by Onos is bold, breaking new grounds with traditional sound highly influenced by techno dance hall, you would love it. Anani’s spoken word pieces (‘Just Wondering’ and ‘As Fine as Fine Can Be’) are a no miss. I think one of the most innovative tunes on the album is delivered by Modele on ‘Elevation ft. IBK’ though I would have loved to hear an accentuating sound somewhere in the middle after the second chorus, but it’s still a very cool tune and the rap sort of compensates. XL’s ‘Like a Drug’ is a personal favorite too though some might term it ‘rookie’ in sound but it’s so reflective, beaty and soulful all at the same time,  and I kinda love that. Mamasika drops a power-up, anthemic, march forward sound on ‘What it is’, the tune might bright to mind a bit Keri Hilson  here, some 50 Cent there and a little hint of the power sound rap of happy girl Beyonce to mind but beyond the ‘cheesy’ tune, this lady’s got a bold message.

‘You’ by Japhy Davis is a must listen. And Je’Kob’s ‘Seventy Five Deep’ also makes the list. Now back to ‘Eromplaini Feat. Cobhams’ by Rooftop MCs, this one deserves a place on your iPod, it’s so innovative, bold, honestly nothing like you’ve heard from the duo.

I love it that the whole aim this album was set to achieve isn’t defeated. On listening to the The Yada Music Project Vol. 2 (compiled by the YADA Mag team) you would come to know new artists, you would recover your love for old ones and you will be able to see through the BIG names and get a glimpse of the real thing which is the music. You would love it! It’s worth it! It’s worth it! Go download it and It’s FREE.

Hillsong Chapel - Yahweh [Music Review]

Artist: Hillsong Chapel

Album: Yahweh

Album Lenght: 13 Tracks: 64 Minutes 59 Seconds

Street Date: October 26, 2010

Label: Hillsong Music/ Sparrow Records

iPod Pick: Came To My Rescue

When I first heard about Hillsong Chapel ( a new venture by the Hillsong Church towards making or ‘remaking’ music with a reflective and acoustic feel) some years back I discarded the idea quickly. Why on earth would I want to buy Hillsong songs I already own because of a different recording? Buton listen to their Yahweh Album, it’s a different story as this new recording of old songs brings not just a new feel to this songs but also a very meditative side to them. Even the very rocky ‘Salvation is Here’ isn’t slowed down but is recorded in such a way that its powerful lyrics shine through.

Other highlights are ‘This is Our God’ and ‘Mighty to Save’, they are sung in such a way that it’s really worth having them again. Most songs on the Hillsong Chapel were rendered by Rueben Morgan, Jill McCloughtry and Joel Houston. When asked why they went into this venture, the Hillsong team replied wanting to give music that could be used in times of reflection and prayer and I must say this album even if you have most of the songs on it before is a great resource for your times of meditation and prayer. The songs take on a new communal side dropping its performance side. Honestly it’s worth getting. 

"The new series takes worship back to a simpler time when it wasn’t a movement or a genre but simply a way of praising our God...The new arrangements make for a more organic record, perfect as the background piece to someone’s personal devotions or for smaller congregations who didn’t find the originals a perfect fit." - Gmclife.com