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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Walk This Road – Doobie Brothers
*** ½

Rock and Roll Hall of Famers the Doobie Brothers celebrate their 54th anniversary as a band with the release of Walk This Road, their sixteenth album, and their first of new material with Michael McDonald since 1980’s One Step Closer.  The album, which was produced by John Shanks, features ten new songs, including “Lahaina” featuring Mick Fleetwood and Jake Shimabukuru, which was released in 2023.
McDonald, who rejoined the band for their 50th anniversary tour, which we saw in Peoria June 24, 2023, makes his presence known from the beginning notes of the title song, which features Mavis Staples. He also sings lead on “Learn to Let Go”, “The Kind That Lasts”, and “Speed of Pain”. McDonald joins cofounders Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons and guitarist John McFee, an on-and-off member since 1980.

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  • More of this review
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Oh, What High and Holy Privilege by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell and Matt Papa

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS


Heaven on My Mind – TobyMac
****

Heaven on My Mind is TobyMac’s ninth studio album, following 2022’s Life After Death, my favorite album of that year. It is another strong effort featuring twelve new songs, five of which were released in advance of the full albums. Toby co-wrote all of the songs and worked with a number of writers and producers. He was joined by guest artists Juan Winans and Terrian, and a choir providing backing vocals.
Heaven on My Mind features Toby’s hook-driven songs with themes of loss and trusting God, and will certainly find its way onto my best albums of 2025. Here are a few comments about each song:

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 More of this review
 Music News
 Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Homesick for Heaven by Phil Wickham Continue reading →


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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Film Review:
Bono: Stories of Surrender, rated TV-MA
*** ½

In October, 2022, U2 front man Bono published his memoir Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story (now titled Stories of Surrender). The following month, he began a twenty-six show Stories of Surrender tour. This film features footage from one of his one man show Beacon Theatre performances in New York City. The film was directed by Andrew Dominik. The black and white film, which is rated TV-MA for adult language, is available on Apple TV+, and is dedicated to Bono’s parents, Bob and Iris Hewson.
Where U2 often has an elaborate stage in concert, Bono has a very simple stage, with two tables and a few chairs here. The chairs at different times represent his father Bob, who he talks directly to, his mother Iris, and his U2 bandmates The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr.

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  • More of this review and a review of Curioso by Wilder Woods
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics:  Come, Christians, Join to Sing – Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell and Matt Papa

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Meanwhile – Eric Clapton
***

Meanwhile is the latest album from Eric Clapton, whose career spans more than six decades, during which he has achieved success both as a solo artist and as a member of legendary bands like The Yardbirds, Cream and Derek and the Dominos. The new album includes six newly released songs and eight previously released singles, including collaborations with Jeff Beck, Van Morrison and others.

Here are a few brief comments about each song:

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  • More of this review and a review of I Love Jesus by Mac Powell
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ “All My Boast is in Jesus” by Matt Papa, Bryan Fowler and Keith Getty

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

House of David: Music Inspired from the Prime Video Original Series (Season One) – Various Artists
***

This project features songs inspired by the new House of David series on Prime Video, which tells the story of the ascent of the biblical figure, David, who becomes the most celebrated king of Israel.
The album features some excellent artists. My favorite songs are “40”, the 1983 U2 song covered by for KING + COUNTRY, “I’ve Got a Story” by NEEDTOBREATHE and Tori Kelly, “Take Courage My Heart” by Drew Holcomb and Ellie Holcomb, and “After Your Heart” by Chris Tomlin.
Among the other artists on the album are Lecrae, Anne Wilson, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and Blessing Offor.

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 More of this review and a review of NEEDTOBREATHE
 Music News
 Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Heaven on My Mind by TobyMac and Forrest Frank Continue reading →


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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Music Review:
Every Kind of Uh-Oh by Charlie Peacock
***

I’ve long been a fan of multi-talented (singer/songwriter, producer, author) six-time Grammy award winner Charlie Peacock’s music, back to his West Coast Diaries cassettes in the late 1980’s. Every Kind of Uh-Oh is his latest vocal album of ten new songs all written in a two-week period, which he co-produced with his son Sam Ashworth.

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  • More of this review and a review of The Still Point by Sandra McCracken and Ben Shive
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ “The First Hymn” by Chris Tomlin and Ben Fielding

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Sing! The Songs of the Bible (Live from the Getty Music Worship Conference) – Keith & Kristyn Getty
****

A live album is released after each of the Sing! Getty Music Worship Conferences held in Nashville. The album from the 2024 conference, which had a theme of “The Songs of the Bible”, was produced by Nathan Nockels. It features performances from Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell, The Choir Room, Cochren & Co, Bryan Fowler, Jordan Kauflin, Sandra McCracken, Matt Papa, Skye Peterson, Shane and Shane, Ben Shive, Michael W. Smith, Sovereign Grace Music, and Laura Story. Nine songs were released in advance of the full album.

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  • More of this review and In Bloom by Jon Foremen
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics – “Heaven on My Mind” by TobyMac

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Hear the Hallelujahs Roar (EP) – CityAlight
****

The latest project from Australia’s CityAlight is wonderful five-song EP Hear the Hallelujahs Roar. The songs are a nice balance of upbeat and more slower songs for congregational singing.
Here are a few comments about each song:

Hear the Hallelujahs Roar – This upbeat song about worshipping the Lord in Heaven, was written by Niki Shepherd & Natasha Percy. The song features guitar, drums, bass, backing vocals, and keys.
Key lyric:
A song of praise is rising
From every tribe and tongue
O hear the hallelujahs roar
To Christ the worthy one

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  • More of this review and a review of Psalm 119 Volume One (EP) – Stillcreek
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ “Psalm 27 (The Lord Is My Light)”

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Music Review:
Cover Story – Russ Taff
****

I have long been a fan of Russ Taff. The six-time Grammy-winner’s latest album is Cover Story. The album chronicles Taff’s life journey of recovery and redemption via strong performances of songs by Bob Dylan, U2, Simon and Garfunkel, Prince, and many more.
The album was produced by John Mark Painter, with Steve Taylor serving as executive producer. Matt Wallace mixed the album. Taff is supported by an all-star band of session superstars including Painter, guitarist Kenny Vaughan, keyboardists Blair Masters and Phil Madeira. I especially liked the use of horns and a gospel choir on the album. The album is sure to find it’s way on my best albums of 2025 list.
Incredibly, Taff has been inducted into the Gospel Music Association’s Hall of Fame three times – for his work as a solo artist, and as a member of both The Imperials and The Gaither Vocal Band.
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~ More of this review
~ Music News
~ Song of the Week Lyrics – “Here Is Love Vast As The Ocean (Everlasting Praise)” by Keith & Kristyn Getty and Sandra McCracken Continue reading →


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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS


How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb – U2
*** ½

How to Assemble an Atomic Bomb was U2’s eleventh studio album. It sold nearly ten million copies and won eight Grammy Awards. The twentieth anniversary package includes a remastered version of the original album, including bonus track “Fast Cars”, plus How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb, a “shadow album” of ten previously unreleased tracks from their 2004 album sessions recorded with Atomic Bomb’s original producer Chris Thomas. The songs, discovered by The Edge while digging through the archives, offer a fresh perspective on that era.

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  • More of this review and a review of New Arrangements and Duets by Van Morrison
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ “He is Making All Things Right” by Bryan Fowler, Skye Peterson and Ben Shive

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