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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS


The Hymns – CeCe Winans
****

Eighteen-time Grammy winning gospel artist CeCe Winans has released a new album The Hymns, featuring sixteen loved hymns of the faith. Produced by Grammy winning producers Thomas Hardin, Jr. and Tyrone Jackson, the album focuses on Winans’ powerful voice, accompanied primarily by piano, as well as acoustic guitar, bass, organ and at times soft backing vocals.
Winans states:
“These hymns serve as an anchor for believers, keeping us grounded in what matters most. In a world that is constantly changing, they connect us to the ‘old landmarks’ of faith, reminding us of God’s unchanging nature and the core truths that must remain central to our worship.”
I really enjoyed listening to this new project, although the inclusion of “The First Noel” was a surprising choice.

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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ “All Must Be Well” by Indelible Grace

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

The Long Surrender – NEEDTOBREATHE
****

The Long Surrender is NEEDTOBREATHE’s tenth studio album, and the follow-up to 2023’s Caves. The album has a mostly stripped-down acoustic sound – with the exception of the more upbeat “Take Me Dancing” and “Growing Slow” – and features excellent vocal harmonies. All of the songs were written or co-written by Bear Rinehart. The album was produced by six-time Grammy Award winner Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton) and recorded at his Savannah studio.
The album’s lyrical content stands out, featuring references to Christian themes such as the Bible, Galilee, Heaven turning the weight of our sorrows into a crown, feet being planted on the rock of ages, being carried by God, being born again, wanting to be with God, and feeling the power of God. Other themes include home, worry and life out of control.
Here are a few comments about each of the twelve songs on this excellent new album, one of my favorites of 2026:

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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ “Pilgrim Way (Zayin)” by Stillcreek

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New and Upcoming Music

I like music in a variety of genres, and perhaps you do as well. Here are nine new and upcoming releases that you might enjoy.

Still Waters: a LoFi Collection – Chris Tomlin and The LoFi Christian

The Lofi Christian is a music project and collective of producers that creates low-fidelity (lofi) instrumental beats, worship covers, and peaceful soundtracks designed for prayer, Bible study, work, and relaxation. They worked with Chris Tomlin to put together this collection of 15 familiar worship songs into a quieter setting. I’ve enjoyed listening to these songs through headphones while praying on my afternoon walks. The intent is to create an atmosphere of worship wherever you are. The songs are from different points in Tomlin’s catalog, from “How Great Is Our God” to “Holy Forever” and “How Good It Is” and “Doesn’t He (Deserve it All)” from his latest album The King is Still the King. This is a different way to listen to some much-loved Tomlin songs and it works well.

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS


Heaven on My Mind: Guest List Edition – TobyMac
*** ½

TobyMac’s Heaven on My Mind was one of my favorite albums of 2025. He recently released Heaven On My Mind – Guest List Edition, a seven-song expanded version of the album, comprised of six collaborations and a remix of the title song.

The seven songs on the Guest List Edition are:
“Heaven On My Mind” (with Forrest Frank)
“Lord It Feels Good” (with gio.) – the only previously released song.
“God Did It” (with Jamie MacDonald)
“Nothin’ Sweeter (Extra Sweet Version)” (with Jon Reddick)
“Oh My Soul (Psalm 103)” (with CeCe Winans)
“Campfire (That Very Love)” (with Third Day)
“Heaven On My Mind (Petey Martin Remix)”

Favorite songs:
“Heaven On My Mind” (with Forrest Frank)
“God Did It” (with Jamie MacDonald)
“Oh My Soul (Psalm 103)” (with CeCe Winans)
“Campfire (That Very Love)” (with Third Day)

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  • More of this review and a review of The Resurrection of a King by Tommee Profitt
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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ “Praise the Lord Forever” by Phil Wickham and Pat Barrett

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Sing! From Generation to Generation (Live at the Getty Music Worship Conference) – Keith & Kristyn Getty and Friends
****

Keith & Kristyn Getty have been hosting Sing! The Getty Music Worship Conference in Nashville since 2017. After each conference, an album of songs that were performed at the conference is released. The artists on this album from the 2025 conference include Keith & Kristyn Getty, CityAlight, Fernando Ortega, Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, Cochren & Co, Sandra McCracken, Dwan Hill and the Choir Room and the late Jubilant Sykes.

Here are the songs included on the album:
Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven (Keith and Kristyn Getty)
Christ Our Hope in Life and Death (Keith and Kristyn Getty, CityAlight)
Trisagion (Fernando Ortega)

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  • More of this review and a review of The Long Surrender (Live at RCA Studios) by NEEDTOBREATHE
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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ “Last Drink” by NEEDTOBREATHE

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Song of the Saints (Deluxe Edition) – Phil Wickham
****

Song of the Saints by Phil Wickham was one of my favorite albums of 2025. Wickham is back with a massive 18 song Deluxe edition, bringing the entire Song of the Saints project to 34 songs. The Deluxe edition includes live recordings, collaborations, remixes, as well as songs that were not on the original album, such as “It Really Is Amazing Grace” (with Crowder), “Fear Has No Power” (Live), “It’s Always Been You (HGHTS Remix)”, “Psalm 8 (Hallé)”, “Everyday Hallelujah”, and “God is Good” with Cain.
In addition to the Crowder collaboration, the new project features collaborations with Lauren Daigle, Brandon Lake, Elevation Worship, Jamie MacDonald, Chris Tomlin, and Michael W. Smith.
This new edition is an excellent companion to the original album release.

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  • More of this review and a review of Jamie MacDonald
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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Finished Work by Matt Maher

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

The Boys of Dungeon Lane – Paul McCartney
****

This is the twentieth solo album by Paul McCartney, and his first since 2020’s McCartney III. The album is named after a road in the Liverpool suburb of Speke. As a boy, McCartney used to wander down Dungeon Lane to look at birds.
The album was produced by Andrew Watt (Rolling Stones) and McCartney. McCartney handled most of the lead and backing vocals along with playing most of the instruments. The album also featured Ringo Star on lead vocals, drums, and tambourine, Andrew Watt on acoustic and electric guitar, synths, and tape loops, Chrissie Hynde and Sharleen Spiteri on background vocals and Mike Davis on trumpet. Orchestration and arrangements were by Ben Foster and Giles Martin.
The album offers varied musical styles from love song ballads to rockers. About half of the songs has McCartney nostalgically looking back on his life.
Overall, the album is a wonderful collection of songs about hope, love, living for now and remembering the past. It’s a sonic treat that sounds better with each repeated listening, and my favorite album of 2026 thus far.

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  • More of this review and a review of In Christ Alone – Sing! Hymnal at the Piano
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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Running to a Runaway – Phil Wickham

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS


Sing! From Generation to Generation (Live at the Getty Music Worship Conference) – Keith & Kristyn Getty and Friends
****

A live album is released after each of the Sing! Getty Music Worship Conferences held in Nashville. The album from the 2025 conference, which had a theme of From Generation to Generation. Artists included on the album are Keith and Kristyn Getty, CityAlight, Fernando Ortega, Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, Cochren & Co, Sandra McCracken, Dwan Hill and the late Jubilant Sykes.
Sing! From Generation to Generation holds many of the finest musical moments from the 2025 Sing! Conference.  Thousands of voices, young and old, were gathered from 27 countries celebrating God’s faithfulness across 20 centuries and teaching the coming generations through song.

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  • More of this review and a review of Long, Long Road by Ringo Starr
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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Absolution by Switchfoot

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

For Your Glory – Trip Lee and BRAG Worship
*** ½

The latest from Trip Lee (pastor, author, rapper) is For Your Glory, comes from his  new collective BRAG Worship.  I’ve long enjoyed Lee’s music, teaching and books. This worship project is different from anything you’ve heard from him, and it’s very good.
The eight song EP is comprised of easy-going R&B sounds, with memorable choruses and samples a few classic hymns. Lee co-wrote and co-produced each song.

Here are a few brief comments about each song:

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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Jesus Paid It All – Tommee Profitt and CeCe Winans

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS


The Commons Chapel – CXMMXNS
*** ½

Worship collective CXMMXNS (Commons) was formed by Grammy Award and Dove Award-winning songwriters Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan, two of the most influential writers in modern worship music. From their pens have come some of the most widely sung anthems including “Goodness of God,” “Who You Say I Am,” “What a Beautiful Name,” “Cornerstone,” and “Mighty to Save” – songs sung by tens of millions of believers every week across the world. Birthed in Sydney, Australia, CXMMXNS is passionately committed to gathering worshippers worldwide and serving local churches with songs that everyone can sing.

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  • Song of the Week Lyrics

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