It’s amazing what you find when you start digging through your old emails. I received an email years ago from Jeff Capps letting me know about his new EP “Shine”. He sent me the title track to listen to which I just did. I can’t say this is a new release or anything, it’s been out for quite awhile, but like TV reruns, if you haven’t seen it, it’s new to you right?

It’s a good sounding song, you can take a listen to it yourself below.

If you’re looking for another artist to add to your collection, Jeff may be your guy. Let me know what you think.

This Saturday night, October 30th, Jeremy Camp will bring The Conversations from the Red Chair and Worship Tour to the Eagle Center (Home of Eagle Church) in Whitestown, IN (just north of Indianapolis off of I-65). Jeremy won’t be coming alone though, also performing will be Carlos Whittaker, John Mark McMillan and Three Union.

I’m excited because Jeremy Camp is one of my favorite singers and songwriters and I’ve never seen him in concert. I’m also really excited to see Carlos Whittaker (or as I know him more accurately as @loswhit on Twitter). I’m not familiar with John Mark MicMillan and Three Union, so getting some exposure to some new music is always a good thing too.

I’m hoping I’ll be able to meet all the acts and get some good photos to share with everyone after the concert.

1:23 Conversations From the Red Chair w/Jeremy Camp, John Mark McMillan & Carlos Whittaker from Integrity Live on Vimeo.

I’m also excited that this will be the first of hopefully quite a few concerts and promotions I’ll be helping with in the future with Chris Linhart and The Upper Room. Chris has an amazing heart for ministry to use Christian music to reach kids and anyone else that may never step foot in a church or attend some other Christian event.

For more information and to purchase tickets visit Edan Concerts and iTickets.com

It is by Fernando Ortega called “This Time Next Year” on his album “Storm”  Check out the lyrics below and feel free to listen to a sample of the song/album on itunes with the links afterward.

Turn up the light so we can see
The redhead grandson on your knee
You’d better hold him while you can
He’ll be walking soon
This time next year
You’ll want to take him
Down the old road
Behind your house

To show him the sun
On the autumn fields,
Smell the wind-blown alfalfa,
To look out where the geese
Are rising for their southern flight
Circling arrows in the sky
Above the ditches
And the cottonwoods

This time next year
There’ll be stories to tell
And he will listen to you
Quiet in your arms
And there’ll be songs to sing him
While he goes to sleep
When we gather in your home
This time next year

The boy is laughing on your knee
Hold him up so we can see
Hold him high because
We’re lifted in his laughter
And in the gladness
He has brought you
As you walk these heavy miles

Buy on  Song “This Time Next Year” by Fernando Ortega
Buy on  Album “Storm” by Fernando Ortega

(note: for full disclosure, these are affiliate links but it’s a great way to share great music too)

As I was looking for a new video of Brandon Heath’s new song “Give Me Your Eyes” I came across this other great song by Brandon, but American Idol’s Jason Castro is performing it in the video below.

Jason still has the sound that I like, I’m sure his album will be one I purchase when it comes out. My question is whether or not it will be released on a Christian label or not.

Today in our service our special song was a new one by Brandon Heath called “Give Me Your Eyes”. My wife had told me about it earlier this week and told me I should find the video on YouTube and blog about it.

I found the two videos below, I like the first one much better.

This one is taken from the actual recording it sounds like and is put together with still images in Microsoft Photo Story or something.

The next video is from a live performance with a guy performing live beat-box percussion with Brandon Heath playing. It seems like Brandon got a little tired of the “extras” that the guy was adding into the performance.

The last video is Brandon sharing the meaning behind the video.

This last video is Brandon Heath explaining the meaning behind the song as well. Very good video.

“Who Am I” by Casting Crowns, one of my favorite songs, performed by a blacklight drama group at a church. I’ve seen this similar performance done to this song live and it’s quite moving.

Who’d have though! Blacklights in church!

What do you think? I love it. Do you have a video like this you’d like to share? Just let me know.

I guess it’s a pretty good problem to have in that I’m getting introduced to so much great music I can’t keep up. The latest album for me to review comes from Sarah MacIntosh and the album “The Waiters, The Watchers, The Listeners, The Keepers & Me”.

Perhaps the longest album title I’ve ever seen, but perhaps it’s a reflection of the depth of good music on this album.

After doing some quick background searching about Sarah I’ve found that she used to be the lead singer for a group called “Chasing Furies”, which you may be familiar. If so, then you’re aware of the great voice that Sarah has to share with us on her own album. I don’t remember ever listening to Chasing Furies, so my experience in hearing Sarah on this album is as a completely new listener.

One of the first thing that hits me as I listen to this album is the crystal clear vocals from Sarah who sings with such an ethereal and angelic voice, it’s really captivating. It’s one of my favorite qualities in a female artist and Sarah delivers with force and emotion on this album.

If you’ve been reading this blog long, you also know that one of my other favorite qualities is the lyrics of songs and how they speak to me. I love listening to songs where the lyrics start feeling like an extension of my own consciousness.

Listening to this album by Sarah, which I’ve been listening to now for quite awhile, her lyrics have morphed themselves into my prayers and praise that I lift up during my daily commutes in the car or while I’m working on my computer.

Amazingly, each song on Sarah’s album connects with me in some way. The 12 songs on this album include:

1. Where You’ll Find Him
2. My Jesus
3. Did You Know
4. More Than Hands
5. Pick Up Your Cross
6. Sunshine
7. Be Glorified
8. Too Much
9. Keep Watch Over Me
10. Stop! Stop!
11. Just Tell Me
12. Father

If you’re curious about her sound, perhaps Sarah’s own words can help you with as these were on her MySpace page:

If you could hear my mother sing you would know how I came to sound like I do. My voice is most definitely hers. The music on the other hand might be described as Radiohead meets Sixpence None The Richer after listening to a bunch of Peter Gabriel.

Other artists that come to mind for me are Tiffany Arbuckle of Plumb, Sarah McLachlan, Jonatha Brooke, Christine Dente of Out of the Grey, Amy Grant, and Susan Ashton.

Here’s a video of her performing

It’s not the best video and audio quality but it gives you an idea. You can also listen to a few of her songs on her MySpace page.

Here’s an artist I’m not familiar with at all but she’s making some news with a new website and upcoming performance in the Big Apple, New York City.

After visiting her website she’s got a really strong voice and the song “Beautiful, Beautiful” sounds really good as well as “Behind the Scenes”. You can listen to samples of both of these songs, as well as others, from her website as well.

(Nashville, TN) June 30, 2008 — Fervent Records’ new singer/songwriter Francesca Battistelli is slated to make her debut performance in New York, NY at For Your Imagination on July 8 as part of “Live at FYI”’s concert series, in conjunction with the launch of her new community-based website, www.francescamusic.com.

Battistelli will perform songs from her upcoming Fervent Records / Warner Bros. Records release My Paper Heart including the most-added song at AC radio from a new artist this year, “I’m Letting Go,” and the breakout song that challenges others to take action on issues that matter to them, “It’s Your Life.” “We’re excited to be working with our friends at Fervent Records and Warner Music Group to help break this incredible new artist, Francesca Battistelli,” said John Henkel, For Your Imagination’s VP of Artist and Industry Relations and the producer of LIVE@FYI.  “We look forward to being a part of Francesca’s development into the star we all believe she is.” To catch a live video webcast of the performance, visit www.francescamusic.com at 5:00 p.m. EST on July 8, 2008.

Also streaming on the website from July 8 to street date is Battistelli’s full-length album My Paper Heart, set to release July 22 to critical acclaim. The “I’m Letting Go” EP recently went No. 1 on iTunes’ Christian & Gospel page and is currently a Top 10 hit at AC radio. For more information, visit www.francescamusic.com.

The Jeff Johnson Band has a full summer ahead with youth camps, conferences, church services and other events.  Keep up with the band through their video blog on GodTube.

An artist I’ve been familiar with but haven’t really immersed myself in their music is Cindy Morgan. I’ve had the opportunity over the past week to get a sneak peek of her latest album “Beautiful Bird“. The album releases tomorrow, May 20th, and I’ve got to tell you, I wish I’d “immersed” myself long before now.

Her singing is almost angelic yet it’s got an earthly connection to it that I just can’t help but feeling moved, encouraged and challenged when I’m listening the this album.

I’ve been following Cindy on twitter so have been hearing about some of the work that’s been done on the album, so seeing this come to completion has been a fun journey.

The album consists of 11 beautifully written and sung songs from Cindy Morgan. This has got to be a must purchase on my list of great albums. I also think I need to go back and familiarize myself with Cindy’s earlier work as well.

Track List for “Beautiful Bird” Album by Cindy Morgan

1. Lay Me Down
2. When It’s Love
3. I Wish
4. Fine
5. The Sun Shines Through
6. Beautiful Bird
7. Two Roads
8. As A Child
9. Lion And The Lamb
10. Most of All
11. In These Rooms

Here are a couple of videos talking about the album:

Here Cindy talks about the inspiration for the song “Beautiful Bird”.