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BALANCE
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ARTIST
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ALBUM
TITLE
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Balance
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RELEASE
DATE
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GENRE
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LDSMN
RATING
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SHOPPING
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2005
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Inspirational
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| LDSMN
REVIEW |
  This
CD is on par with some of the best Contemporary Christian pop I've
heard out of Nashville. It's got flawless arrangements, clear vocals,
and the strongest writing I've heard in a long time. And even though
it's keyboard driven pop, it even appeals to this hardened rocker.
The writing and the arrangements (even in the more LDS-ish ballads)
are so strong and unique that they're breathing new life into old
themes. The sounds and the vocals are captivating. "Searching
For a Sign" is one of my favorites. "Only My Soul"
and "Promise of Spring" are also amazing.
In the first half of the CD, the ballads are mixed in with some smokin'
hot dance tracks, too. "Surrounded" can match grooves with
the most stellar of CCM, and "Balance" is great as well.
There's some excellent mid-tempo pop, like "Leave Me in the Rain".
"The True Messiah" is smooth and easy, but not a slow ballad
(I love how the chorus leaves you suspended in the air). Some electronic
percussion gives the song more motion.
See, there's a lot of stuff on this CD that people have been doing
in mainstream pop and CCM for a long time. So why am I raging about
how unique and fresh it is? Because I haven't heard anyone doing these
things in LDS music. We get too trapped into our own little niche
and we forget that we're in a bigger ball park. It's exciting to hear
someone step up to the plate and take a serious swing at a big-league
sound.
My only real problem is this CD is a bit too long for my taste. With
the "Bonus Tracks" it's 22 full-length songs. And it's not
like there's filler, here. It's all THAT good. But it would've been
much stronger to pick the 12 or 13 BEST, and go with those. The pacing
starts out strong, with a great variety between up tempo and slower
ballads, but then, along about song ten or so, we get a longer string
of slower ballads that tends to bog the CD down for me. So, trim a
few and mix it up more would be my two cents worth of unsolicited
advice. Take it for what it cost ya.
The songs (with the exception of the bonus tracks, available only
on the pre-release version), are all in some way about the Savior,
and I think Steven's handled those themes very sensitively, even in
the up-tempo tunes. That's not always easy to do.
It's kinda funny, in a sad sorta way, but I wouldn't be surprised
if this CD doesn't do well in the LDS market. I wish it would, but
I'm a little nervous that our (mostly) conservative LDS ears won't
take so readily to sounds that are primarily found in the CCM market.
Especially since there is almost nothing to distinguish it as a "mormon"
CD. It shouldn't be that way. This CD should be getting played at
stake dances all over mormondom. But I wonder if the same people that
proclaim just how bored they are with LDS music will be willing to
risk the exploration of something like "Balance". I hope
they do! Because I think it's incredible, and I don't think they'll
be disappointed.
4 stars
------------------------
Mark Hansen |
| SONGS
/ TRACKS |
1.
Leave Me in the Rain (Stewart/Wagner)
2. Nails & Thorns (Stewart/Wagner)
3. The True Messiah (Stewart/Wagner)
4. Angels on Earth-With Anette Kienzle (Stewart/Wagner)
5. Fill His Shoes (Stewart/Wagner)
6. Searching For a Sign (Stewart/Wagner)
7. Surrounded (Stewart/Day/Gately, Produced by James Day and Jim Gately)
8. Arms not Wings-With Marion La Marche (Stewart/Wagner)
9. Light in the Wilderness (Stewart/Wagner)
10. Reach You-With Lenny Hamilton (Stewart, Produced by Bari Taylor)
11. Only My Soul-With Annette Kienzle (Stewart/Wagner)
12. Believe-With Jenee Write Prince (Weeks/Stewart, Engineered by
Michael Coleman)
13. Promise of Spring (Stewart/Wagner)
14. Balance-With Marion La Marche (Stewart/Wagner)
15. I testify of Him-With Jenee Write Prince (Stewart/Weeks, Engineered
by Michael Coleman)
16. All that I am (Simon Peter) (Stewart)
17. Luke 15 (Arms of Love) (Stewart)
Bonus Tracks on Pre-release version of CD
18. Why-Geir Ronning (Produced by Mika Toivanen)
19. Dear Diary-with Victoria A (Produced by Mika Toivanen)
20. Staring at the Ocean-With Matthew Jordan
21. You're a Star-with Gary Revel Jr. (Produced by Mika Toivanen)
22. Time to Start Over-with Laura V. (Produced by Mika Toivanen) |
| CREDITS |
| All
songs (except as noted above) produced by Markus Wagner for Tidbit
Music |
| ALBUM
INFO |
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