New: Secular Music from a Christian Perspective

Here at Griffin's Music Reviews I decided that we needed to branch out and review secular music and reveal what's great or not-so-great about secular releases. Due to the not-so-great part, Griffin's Music Reviews has come up with a rating system, which I will describe below:



NP - No Problems: There's nothing wrong with the disc or track at all. No profanity, drug references, or sexual lyrics.



MP - Minor Problems: There may be some minor language or sensual themes on the disc or track, but nothing too bad.



SEC - Some Explicit Content: If a disc has only a couple of scattered references to drug use, instances of intense or profane language, or sexual content, it will be rated SEC. If a track has more than one reference to drug use, instance of intense or profane language, or sexual content it will be labled EC, otherwise it will be labled SEC.



EC - Explicit Content: The disc or track contains repeated intense or profane language, drug references, or sexual lyrics.



O - Ouch!: 'Nuff said.



Still with me? Good. Now we can discuss the new "Due to" section. If a disc is rated MP or higher, the "Due to" section will tell you why it has been rated this way. Another new feature will be the "Secular" section. This is the easiest feature to understand. If a disc is a Christian disc, I will be sure to state it in this section. If the disc is a secular disc, then I will make note of that.

Okay, that just about sums it up, so keep a lookout for the new reviews. I hope you enjoy them.

Thanks!

Griff

Scars Remain

Band: Disciple

Album: Scars Remain

Genre: Hard Rock

Rating: 9/10

Scars Remain is definitely one of Disciple's best albums ever. Almost every single track is as good as the single, "Regime Change," so you won't be disappointed when you listen to the rest of the album. Scars Remain stands true to Disciple's Pillar/P.O.D. style, with its blazing guitar riffs and searing hot vocals.

I loved Scars Remain and I would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone, not just people who like P.O.D., Blindside, Pillar, or bands like those. If you have enough money to buy one album, make this the album that you purchase.

Dance or Die EP

Band: Family Force 5

Album: Dance or Die EP

Genre: Rap-Metal

Rating: 9/10

Family Force 5's latest record was definitely my favorite (even though it only had three songs)! They stayed true to their unique style and yet managed to produce some totally new tracks. As a whole the EP featured more synthesizer than actual instruments as opposed to Business Up Front/ Party in the Back, but it still sounds great.

This album was a smash success in my opinion. The tracks weren't overdone, they had a perfect blend of techno dance music and heavy rock. I recommend this EP to anyone who was wondering, "Hey! When's Family Force 5 finally gonna put out some new songs?!" I recommend you buy this EP. Also look out for the new FF5 album with the same title as the EP.

Cuckoo! (single)

Band: Neon Horse

Song: "Cuckoo!"

Album: Neon Horse

Genre: Indie Rock

Rating: 8/10

I enjoyed the song "Cuckoo!" by Neon Horse. It has a very electronic, rough sound that is unique. The opening to "Cuckoo!" actually reminded me of the opening to the song "Black Mirror" by Arcade Fire. I also liked how the mood of the song changes from the introduction to the actual body of the song itself.

I recommend that you download "Cuckoo!" if you like music that takes a break from your average pop/punk or alt/rock song. I also reccommend "Cuckoo!" if you enjoy the music of Arcade Fire.

Conquering the Fear of Flight

Band: Wavorly

Album: Conquering the Fear of Flight

Genre: Rock

Rating: 7/10

I enjoyed Conquering the Fear of Flight by Wavorly. The album has some pretty good tracks on it. One of my favorite tracks in particular was "Madmen." It has a pretty hard, driving tempo, which matches the fast guitar chords. I also liked the track "Praise and Adore (Some Live Without It)" because it was a standout from the rest of the rockish (excluding "Summer Song") album. It actually reminded me, somewhat, of Leeland.

I liked Wavorly's album and thought that it matches up some good guitar riffs with vocals that are almost like those of mewithoutyou, except a bit on the softer side. I recommend this album to you if you want to hear somthing a little different from the generic pop/rock genre offerings. Another feature of the album I liked was the soft introduction and outro because I thought it was a departure from the norm.

We're Back!!!

Hey!
Due to my busy life lately, I haven't been able to post many reviews . . . but now that the summer is coming, I will be able to post much more fequently! Keep a look out for new artists and albums appearing on Griffin's Music Reviews!

Thanks!
Griff

Intermission to the Moon

Band: A Dream Too Late

Album: Intermission to the Moon

Genre: Experimental/Alternative

Rating: 8/10

I loved A Dream Too Late's debut album Intermission to the Moon. I thought that the amount of synthesizer usage was well balanced with the usage of real instruments, so the sound wasn't too artificial. My favorite track off of the album was "14th and Knott" because it was very catchy. As a whole I thought the album could have used more guitar, not that the guitar wasn't used enough, it just could have been more pronounced.

I think that Intermission to the Moon is definitely worth the download. I would compare the overal musical elements to Peter Bjorn. I thought that the vocals in the introduction to "14th and Knott" was similar to the voice of John Lennon, but throughout the rest of the album, he is not really mirrored.

For the Love of the Game

Band: Pillar
Song: "For the Love of the Game"
Album: For the Love of the Game
Genre: Rock
Rating: 7/10

I thought that For The Love Of The Game had a decent sound to it. The opening riff was pretty catchy, but the rest of the song was too plain , in my opinion. I liked the guitar on all the Pillar albums so that didn't let me down, fortunately. I don't know how the rest of the album is, but I think this track was pretty good.

I recommend "For the Love of the Game" to anyone who liked The Reckoning and, in particular, the opening track "Everything." I also recommend this song to you if you like a harder rock than other bands such as Reliant K.

The Ringing Bell

Artist: Derek Webb

Album: The Ringing Bell

Genre: Folk/Pop

Rating: 8/10

I liked Derek Webb's newest album, mostly because it mirrored the sound of The Beatles closely. My favorite track off of the album was "Capitol Hill," a song that Derek Webb wrote because of the upcoming 2008 presidential election. I also like Derek Webb's almost indie sound and his catchy songs.

I would recommend this album highly if you are a Beatles fan. However, I would not recommend his music to younger audiences, as it deals with cultural and worldly problems . . . basically it is out there and not at all "sugar coated" like some happy Christian worship music.

Your Love Is Strong

Artist: Jon Foreman

Album: Spring- EP

Genre: Acoustic Rock

Rating: 9/10

Part of a series of four EPs, Spring is definately one of my favorites. I love the music that Jon Foreman writes. My favorite track off of Spring is "Your Love Is Strong," which starts off with a sung, modern version of the Lord's Prayer.

I definitely recommend this newest Jon Foreman EP. The tracks have a nice acoustic, almost indie, sound to them. I also like the guitar tunes, as they are simple and mellow sounding. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys the music of acoustic artists such as Jack Johnson or Paul Wright.

Children 18:3

Band: Children 18:3
Album: Children 18:3
Genre: Punk
Rating: 9/10

Yeah, that's right not pop/punk, just plain punk. It's intense. Seriously. I was amazed at Children 18:3's debut album! The songs are amazing. "LCM" (track number 2) even has a guitar solo. Really it's good. My favorite track was "All My Balloons" because it has a pretty sweet rhythm and I liked the basic outline of it.

So if you asked me to compare Children 18:3 to another band, I probobly couldn't. They have a truly unique punk sound. The best I can describe them as is a mix of the vocal styles of The Clash, the guitar styles and partial scream vocals of Emery, and the rhythm of Reliant K or Superchic[k].

Dance All Night (single)

Band: Inhale Exhale
Song: "Dance All Night"
Album: The Lost the Sick the Sacred
Genre: Scream
Rating: 8/10

Inhale Exhale is another one of my all-time favorite bands. "Dance All Night" is a pretty sweet track off their debut album. Although the instruments can be repetitive sometimes, the lyrics are unique and the guitar and bass play actual music, as opposed to some other scream bands, who call slamming the strings as hard as they can "music."

I enjoy listening to Inhale Exhale and I hope that they come out with a new album soon, because I like them so much. Who could I possibly compare them to? . . . Their sound reminds me a bit of Spoken or The Devil Wears Prada (the band, not the movie, obviously), but then again I haven't listened to The Devil Wears Prada in a long time, and I don't own their album so don't quote me on that.

Hawk Nelson Is My Friend

Band: Hawk Nelson
Album: Hawk Nelson Is My Friend
Genre: Pop/Punk
Rating: 7/10

This was another pretty good Hawk Nelson album, but still not my favorite. I liked it better than their last album, Smile, It's the End of the World because Hawk Nelson Is My Friend has more of a punk element than a pop element . . . besides I thought Smile, It's the End of the World was kind of a snore.

Altogether the album was (in my eyes) a success. The songs are pretty good and I liked the single song "Friend Like That." I recommend this album if you like Hawk Nelson's first album, Letters to the President, or if you like the band in general.

A Moment Encased in Ash (single)

Band: The Showdown
Song: "A Moment Encased in Ash"
Album: A Chorus of Obliteration
Genre: Scream/Classic Metal

Rating:10/10

Let me say it now: I LOVE THE SHOWDOWN!!! Seriously, they're one of my favorite bands. The first time I saw them was at Purple Door Music Festival and I was hooked. "A Moment Encased in Ash" is probably the best song off the album. It starts off with a drum beat and then goes into this insane speed metal twin guitar riff. Needless to say, the song is amazing.

Eventually I'll probably need to buy A Chorus of Obliteration as well as the Showdown's newest album, Temptation Come My Way because this song really rocks my world. I highly recommend downloading at least this song if not the whole album. I can't really think of any other band to compare The Showdown with other than Dragonforce, because of their guitar lines, but even then they aren't that much alike. You should really check out The Showdown to see what I mean.

The Reckoning

Band: Pillar
Album: The Reckoning
Genre: Rock
Rating: 8/10

Once again Pillar comes through with a sweet, somewhat hard-rockish album. All of the tracks were, in my opinion, insane on guitar riffs. I loved all of the songs on The Reckoning, but my absolute favorite song was "Everything," cause it had a pretty sweet, almost southern-sounding opening guitar line.

The Reckoning is probably my favorite Pillar album! Then again ... I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't bought all of their new album, For the Love of the Game, yet, so I still am not sure. Anyhow, I would highly recommend buying this explosive Pillar album as it will not be a disappointment!

Riot

Band: Paramore
Album: Riot
Genre: Alternative/ Punk
Rating:9/10

Okay, so this one's a bit old, but it's one of my all-time favorites. This was the first Paramore album that I had ever bought. I bought it 'cause I had read about it in a magazine review that put a positive spin on it. So I logged on to the handy iTunes store (one of my favorite inventions) and downloaded it to my iPod (another one of my favorite inventions) and let me say this, this album is a must-have!

The band's sound is compared to Evanesence's a lot, but I don't really get the hopeless and depressed vibe that they give off. Riot's sound is a lively punk blend that makes all of the tracks wonderful and unique. Riot definitely deserves the 9 rating.

Great White Whale

Band: Secret and Whisper
Album: Great White Whale
Genre: Alternative/ Rock
Rating: 7/10

I'd actually never heard of Secret and Whisper before I bought Great While Whale from the iTunes Store and put it on my iPod. It was a pleasant surprise to find that these guys don't focus on just vocals or synth effects. The guitar lines on Great White Whale are amazing! It was kind of like mixing alternative rock with shred guitar music.

As far as the album itself . . . don't let the first, almost completely instrumental, track let you down; the other tracks are as lively as could be. I would recommend Secret and Whisper to anyone who likes songs like "No One Really Wins," by Copeland, "Surprise Funeral (For the Charmed)," by Far-Less, or "Days End," by Ivoryline.