More of Morovich's March Musical Musings

Hello music fans! James Morovich your resident music genius and self proclaimed Christian rock history guru! I have some more new recommended tunage for you to tune in to below!

JJ Heller- “Loved.” This so far was the first one of my most anticipated releases of 2013 to actually deliver on being as good as I thought it would be. In fact, it was actually even better! This album is kind of an album woven around the concept of God’s love for us being unwavering and never changing, despite our circumstances. This theme is dispersed to our eardrums and hearts through songs like “Who You Are,” “Stay,” “If You Fall” and “Create In Me.” Heller has always shown she can craft fine sparse folk tunes, and on this album her songs get a fuller accompaniment, while still allowing you to focus on the most intriguing and important part of her talent, which is the songwriting. Thus if you haven’t figured it out yet, I consider “Loved” her strongest achievement to this point in her career, and I therefore highly anticipate this album ranking in my top 10 albums of 2013, even though we are only three months into the year!

The Gray Havens- “Where Eyes Don’t Go” This is another husband/wife duo that seem to be appearing everywhere of late, and that is not a bad thing! Hailing from Chicago, these two had their band name picked by friends, who chose Gray Havens based on an obscure “Lord Of The Rings” reference, as the duo are huge fans of J.R.R. Tolkien. Their sound leans more towards a jazzy piano based sound, especially on “Silver” and the albums finest track, the allegorical story song simply titled “Gray Flowers.” “Train Station” calls to mind a little bit of The Avett Brothers, while “Let’s Get Married” sounds like a dead ringer for Jenny & Tyler, both lyrically and musically! This album is only six songs long, and more like a glorified EP than a full album, but it is an impressive debut, and moreover FREE on Noisetrade!

Citizens- “Citizens” First there was King’s Kaleidoscope, and then there was The Modern Post. Now fresh of the heals of signing a huge distribution deal with Tooth & Nail Records, Mars Hill Music (the indie label that is run by Mars Hill Church in Seattle, where Mark Driscoll is senior pastor) has brought us the first all out rock and roll worship band. Rock is what these guys do best, as the album kicks off with the roaring “Sweetness Of Freedom” which is then followed by “In Tenderness” which slows things down only slightly, and features lyrics that speak of our human desire to worship, and how eternity will not be long enough for us to sing praises to God. Great guitar work peppers this track as well. Two of the albums other standout tracks are “I Am Living In A Land Of Death” which sums up Christ’s act on the cross as making us clean before a holy God, and “Psalm 18” which as you would expect sets that Psalm to music that rides a plain catchy electric guitar riff, reminiscent of the Foo Fighters in the late nineties.

Elevation- “Elevation.” This Atlanta, Georgia rock band have here produced some excellent late 80’s college rock musical time travel journey. Imagine if U2 had joined The Cure and Echo & The Bunnymen to play songs written by The Swoon, and you kind of have a sound to imagine in your eardrums, and they do this very, very well! “What Do You Say?” opens with a driving drum, guitar and super quiet but still there synthesizer beat that lasts for a good thirty seconds before lyrics even enter the picture. The guitar work is so catchy you will be drawn in immediately! “Endless Flame” and “Can You Feel It” feature more synthesizer but never forget the guitar in the process while both “Kinetic” and “Gloria” feature a full out horn section reminiscent of 70’s bands like Blood Sweet & Tears and Chicago, though still more rock than jazz. Some critics have compared these guys to fellow 80’s throwbacks The Killers, and while I hear some of that, I feel these guys feature more unique instruments, and musical breaks than The Killers ever have. Needless to say I think you will be drawn into these guys sound immediately, and guess what? This album is also FREE on Noisetrade, so you have nothing to lose if you want to check them out, which I highly recommend you do, especially if you like 80’s music!