Calvary Road

Calvary Road, Colin Buchanan

Everyone here has appreciated the depth of Colin Buchanan’s new offering for adults, Calvary Road. There are songs about faith and family, many with his usual Australian and outback perspective. He has used a new producer, Matt Fell, on this album, and while my musical talents don’t extend to spotting these types of things in detail, even I can tell it’s very well produced with Colin’s usual musical skills evident, along with arresting lyrics and very importantly, it’s easy to hear each word.

Miss 12 loves The Hardest Thing, the life story of his father and the insight it gives into the life of one man who was loved and cherished. I really like Will I Be Missed, which questions how many of us will be remembered in the future – and whether what we do now matters. Mr 14 likes You’d like Jesus, pointing out that if you struggle with hypocrites and want people to be real and true, you’ll like Jesus.

A highlight of the album for me is It Was His Idea, attributed the glory of the world to God and his creative work:

It was his idea
He’s the reason that we’re here
Jesus got his fingerprints
On everything that’s good.

Upon continual listening, all of us have reflected that it seems there is a deeper side to this album that reflects grief and the loss that comes through in the telling in the music about his father. I know none of the story and it’s not my business to, but the same happened in listening to Nathan Tasker’s album Home and his hymn albums. Those also echo stories of personal grief and they show in the depth of the music.

Songwriters have a gift and a privilege to turn music and words into stories that connect, and enable people to give a voice to their own experience, especially when they don’t have the skills to do it themselves. We have always enjoyed Colin’s music – from his kids and family Christian albums, to his adult offerings, and more recently his TGIF songs from ABC Drive Radio. I’m thankful to God for Colin’s ability, he has encouraged a generation of Christian children, families and adults, and this album is an excellent addition to his canon.

Man on a Wire

This new CD by one of my favourite Christian artists has been on constant replay in the car.  I have reviewed Nathan’s CD Home previously and he has also had some great hymn CDs since.   

The Taskers have faced major grief in the last few years with the death of his father-in-law and then their unborn twin son & daughter all within a few months.

This album has raw emotion and honesty about those times, yet is also infused with hope.

I always get a bit choked up listening to ‘Nowhere to be Found’ – that raw feeling that God has left you alone. Other songs clearly talk about their sadness or grief, yet that God is in control and knows what He’s doing, such as ‘Sowing Tears’ and ‘Trust You in the Darkness’. This has always been a theme of Nathan’s music – that God is in control, He knows His plans and we can trust Him. In fact ‘Whole World’ (a new version of ‘He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands’) very catchily does exactly that.

In a recent concert, Nathan talked about songs that travel from grief to joy in 3.5 minutes; and how it may only take a short time to sing but the process of writing them and feeling their truth may take 18 months or more. It was a reflection that has enabled him to understand the Psalms better and one I have appreciated.

This is a great album to remind you of the promises of God, whether or not you are in times of struggle and grief.  Love it.

Home by Nathan Tasker

Having heard that Nathan Tasker's new album Home was recently released, I rushed out to get a copy. Having been a friend of Nathan and fan of his music since his humble beginnings with a demo tape around 1993, it's been exciting to see his music ministry grow over the years.

This latest CD has quickly shot to the top of our favourite music in the house - it's on almost repeatedly in the car (especially when I need a break from kids music!).

This album is centred around the idea of home, that we wait for heaven while we continue to live here now, in a broken world. The title track Home, is my favourite, a beautiful song about the end of our lives, and that we will indeed be going home. I also love Something Beautiful and Find my Way Home.

If you want some music to lift your gaze out of the present and help you think about things in light of our future hope, you will do well to try this.

A great night

I had one of the best nights of my life on Monday night.

That's a big call I know. However, I think it's true. (Of course our wedding was better and there have probably been some other key moments that would rate a mention!)

I went to the James Taylor and Carole King concert.



Now some of you are thinking:
- "wow, you must be really old to like them" (no, I'm not - my mum was a big fan of James Taylor and it was soaked into me as a kid)
- "who are they?" - then you are too young!

But, hopefully some of you are agree with me that they (& I have to say for me, it was mainly about James Taylor) are fantastic. Their music is great and his voice is amazing. It was so much fun.


They are getting on in years, both exceeding the age of my still wonderfully young parents. James Taylor is 62 and Carole King is 68. But they do a great concert, still jumping around the stage and belting out the songs.


It included lots of their classic songs:
For Taylor - Fire & Rain, Carolina in My Mind, Sweet Baby James, Shower the People, Steamroller
For King - I Feel the Earth Move, Locomotion, It's Too Late, Way over Yonder, You've Got a Friend (which I thought Taylor wrote, but apparently King did), Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?


Did I say it was fantastic?!

***

And just a little taste for those that wish they could have been there...

Jane Saunders CD

On the recommendations made in both Nicole's and Jean's reviews, I made an impromptu purchase at Koorong recently - the Jane Saunders In His Hands CD.  And like them, I love it.

The music is elegant, the words are clear and the message in them is both inspiring and encouraging. The kids really like it too, especially Little Lamb which talks about a little girl's conversion (hers?):

Little lamb she hears a song
She's seven and she sings along
The words just keep on spinning
through her mind
Later on that very day
In a precious deep and simple way
She calls to Jesus come into my life.

Chorus:
Throw the gates of heaven open
Sing you angels sing
Little lamb was lost, but now
she's coming in
She's coming in to Jesus...

My 6  & 4 year olds have already learnt all the words to this song and to most of the others too, and they have also asked questions about the words and what they mean - what a great opportunity!

Some of the songs (including Little Lamb) are written by Colin Buchanan, and you can almost imagine his voice singing them too, they are a very similar style (to his adult music!).

Another song I really like is "All my tears", which has sort of a calypso feel (I am shocking at categorising music, so this could be wrong!). I suspect it is a traditional song which she has redone, the lyrics  (by Julie Miller) I love, as well as the tune...

When I go don't cry for me
In my father's arms I'll be
The wounds this world left on my soul
Will all be healed and I'll be whole

Sun and moon will be replaced
With the light of Jesus' face
And I will not be afraid
For my Saviour knows my name

Chorus
It don't matter where you bury me
I'll be home and I'll be free
It don't matter where I lay
All my tears be washed away.

Have a look at her website and her myspace page and listen to the sample tracks - perhaps you also will be tempted to make an impromptu purchase!