December 2004 WUGGIE'S MUSIC, MEDIA AND MORE!
Ratings System:
++ Christian - made specifically by Christians for Christians
+ Secular - but contains nothing offensive to most Christians, probably made by Christians trying to exert influence in secular media.
M Mature content. Not necessarily offensive, but parents should be careful before allowing exposure to children and pre-teens.
X Mature content. For mature teens, firm in their convictions and morals, who have received much parental guidance.
XX Contains very mature, problematic content. Parents should seriously consider restricting exposure to teens.
XXX Completely offensive. Not only should teens be restricted, but adults may want to question their own exposure.
Remember, my reviews are strictly my opinion, and no substitute for your good judgment
CHRISTMAS STOCKING STUFFERS!!!
Christmas is a great time to change the balance in a music collection! There are lots of great new releases, it's the perfect time to grab the best CDs from the past year, plus it's a great time to go back and flush out some missing essentials from the past couple years.
Relient K / MMHMM / ++
(It's pronounced like the sound you make when something tastes good.)
These guys are the reigning prices of Christian punk, and for good reason. Their latest disc, just out last month, has satisfied every Relient K fan I know. It's good, It's fun, it's full of catchy sing able hooks, and it's squeaky clean! If you don't already own the entire Relient K collection, Christmas is the right time to fix that: Two Lefts Don't Make A Right - But Three Do (2003), The Anatomy Of The Tongue In Cheek (2001) and Relient K (2000).
Jeremy Camp / Restored / ++
Jeremy's new CD is full of great vocal performances on soft ballads and pop anthems. His first disc, Stay, has sold like crazy overt the past two years, and this new disc, just out, has been widely anticipated. It's full of well produced songs that are full of Jesus from first line to last.
Newsboys / Devotion / ++
If Relient K are the princes of Christian music, Newsboys are the kings. They sell out shows as fast as any secular band, and have a CD sales history that only the upper echelon of secular artists can match. Devotion is their tenth CD! It excites fans who want more worship music from the Newsboys, while satisfying fans who want a return romp through the rockin' fun anthems of the past. If your kids' music collection doesn't contain any Newsboys, the first ones to stuff their stocking with are the latest: 'Devotion', and 'Shine: The Hits' which is their greatest hits CD. If you need to flush it out, the essentials are: 1998's 'Step Up To The Microphone' and 2002's 'Thrive'. But you can't go wrong with any Newsboys disc.
Mercy Me / Undone / ++
I've reviewed this CD before, so I'll just make mention of it here. It's one of my personal favorites. You can read my review online at www.RedeemeerBirmingham.org. In fact, every review I've written in the past 3 years is posted there, and indexed by issue date and artist name!
Avril Lavigne / Under My Skin / +
Although Avril is marketed as a secular artist, I've included her here because this is the best darn CD of the year in my opinion, and Avril is a good role model for kids.
Switchfoot / The Beautiful Letdown / +
Switchfoot is also marketed as a secular artist, but these guys are serious Christians intent on impacting our culture in a positive way for the advancement of the kingdom.
THE LUMP OF COAL LIST!!!
I do this every year, and people tell me they really look forward to it! The year's worst. Comin' atcha.
Nelly / Suit / XXX
Trust me, you don't need this trash in your house.
Usher / Confessions / XX
He has a lot to confess. Unfortunately, he's doing it in public to make a buck.
Various / NOW 16 / XX
Avoid this temptation. Yes, it has a lot of great songs, and is a great value. And many of the songs are decently clean. I'm sure there are some safe places to step in a minefield too. Try the WOW series of Christian hit collections as a safe alternative.
Maroon5 / Songs About Jane / XX
These guys have perfected Sexual innuendo to the point where it's not really innuendo anymore. It's just very sexual, and pretty crude. I'll stop short of the triple X because there isn't really anything objectionable for an adult. Sex is a wonderful gift from God. Parents should be teaching their kids about sex, not leaving it to schools, friends and especially not Maroon5!
D12 / D12 World / XXX
This may be the sickest, most vile CD ever recorded. I wish I had a category for four X's. It includes a song, "Just Like You" that is so disgusting, the edited version of the CD doesn't even include the song. I think they should've gone a step further and released a blank CD as the edited version. There is no Christian alternative. That would be: "OFF".