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The first two songs on the EP are remixes of songs off his self-titled debut that came out last March. I cannot decide which is my favorite remix though. "Death, Dreams, and Days In Between" has some really awesome instrumentals and his voice sounds even better on this version than on the original. The song talks about life's decisions and living life to the fullest. The second remix is of "Kites and Kings," which I think turned out pretty awesome. He put in some awesome accordion parts and added a piano to a few parts on the song. From the moment I heard the piano on the song, I fell in love with the remix. I think I mentioned in my review of the original version of this song that I really loved the line "There's a world out there and it's yours for the taking." I cannot remember if I did, but either way I still really love that line!

The album then goes into the first completely new song, and the title track of the album. I think this song might possibly be my least favorite song right now of Corey's. I love the lyrics, and I like the instrumentals. To tell you the truth, I cannot really put my finger on what I do not like about the song. There are times when his voice goes really high, and it may be those parts that make me like it less, because it sounds a little less natural for him. I really do not know. The song though is basically him writing a letter to someone he really misses and wishes he could be with at that very moment. It is a very sweet song, but I do not think it measures up with some of his other stuff.

Corey finishes up very strong though with another new song, "I Swear." I get the chorus to this one stuck in my head a lot. The song is another relational song, that is pretty sweet just like "Letters and Promises." This is one of those songs that makes you feel all good inside and like everything is right in the world. The song was done to perfection and is probably one of the most well rounded songs he has ever done.

I am always amazed by everything Corey puts forth; his music is always personable and enjoyable to listen to. Letters and Promises has a bunch of awesome material on it and I would definitely recommend listening to it and paying the $4 for it. If you have listening to some of his past material you will definitely love the remixes. I love it every time Corey comes out with new stuff, and I cannot wait for another full-length from him. Maybe we will see some more new stuff from him in 2012!

Favorite Song: I Swear

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I have to cut straight to the best song on the album, "Cadence." This song makes me want to hug a bunch people. I always get the biggest grin when I hear it. The lyrics are absolutely genius and the instrumentals were written perfectly for this track. The definition of cadence according to dictionary.com is a "rhythmic flow of a sequence of sounds or words." This song is all about how God orchestrates our lives and how life is like one big song. Corey says in this song, "Three fourths of the time I confuse all my lines at the wrong measure in the wrong key. Even in my dissonance you hear a symphony. Orchestrate my life how you please." This song is truly gorgeous, and it accurately portrays our life with Christ. If you think about it, our life really is like a song, and God is the conductor of our life. God creates a cadence with our life; he makes it into a rhythmic flow.

The imagery in the song "We, Like the Weather" is absolutely astounding. He says, "The stars dance like a thousand lovers. They twirl and gaze into each others eyes. The trees they turn a million colors, the bright red leaves warn of the winter nights." I love the innocents of this song. Because of its innocents it could almost be an Owl City song, but acoustically. The lyrics take you to a whole different dimension. Corey has a way of making you feel as if you are exactly where he is talking about. You can feel the trees turning to different colors. You can feel the stars dancing about.

"Kites and Kings" definitely sounds different than any of the other songs on the rest of the album. It is a lot more upbeat, and has a completely different sound than anything else. I was really surprised when I heard it for the first time. I was not expecting anything like this on the album. I like it though. The lyrics are great and I think the album really benefited from having a little bit of a style change. I love it when he says, "Like kites flying high in the sea, crown-less we call ourselves kings. There's no wind underwater, but lately I've been dying for a breeze." A lot of the things Corey says on this album really make you think; they make you contemplate.

The song "Honestly, I'm Lying" is a pretty solemn song about self-discovery. He seems to be second guessing himself, and trying to figure out who he really is. He says, "Am I even like the person, you said you saw when you looked into my eyes. I wish I was half the guy I've been told I could be, for my entire life." This song makes you feel like you really know Corey. He really opens up in this song and gives you a peak inside his world. This track is all around great, and at the end you almost feel a sense of accomplishment. You feel as if he has found out who he is; and, you feel as if you have found who you are.

Corey Kilgannon is talented: lyrically, instrumentally, and musically. Corey has the talent to create a hit with every song he sings. His lyrics are meaningful. His instrumentals are written and recorded very well. He knows how to make music. This album is one of the few that I would recommend anyone to rush out and buy right now. In fact, if I were you, I would stop reading this review and go to iTunes right away spend the eight bucks to buy it. It will be the best eight bucks you have ever spent in your entire life. Even if you do not like acoustic music, I am pretty sure you will fall in love with Corey's voice. I know I did.

Favorite Song: Cadence

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The album begins with "Half a Brick," which also happens to be one of the best songs on the record. I love the line in the chorus in which Copas cries out to God, "Bring your truth from my head to my heart." This line summarizes the song perfectly which is about growing in our walk with Christ and knowing Him better. "Significance" follows that up with another stellar song, this one dealing with the fact that we matter to God and He created us for a purpose. "Control" is about giving God control of our lives and giving him the reigns. "The Cure" talks about God's love and the greatness of God to forgive us.

"Have Mercy" is the first song with a collaboration; Copas partnered up with Dishon, a fellow Full Grind Productions artist. The song is one of the better on the album from a production standpoint; and, is also very strong from a lyrical perspective. "Abide" follows that up with maybe my favorite song lyrically on the album. Copas talks about how we need to abide in Christ because we cannot do anything on our own. On "Metamorphosis" the beat steals the show with easily the best beat on the album. I could listen to this song all day just based on the fantastic beat.

Copas has become known for his collaborations with Benjah; and, so far those have been the strongest songs on each of his albums. This album is no different. "Lay it Down" is easily the best overall song on the album. Benjah is one of those guys who can add so much to a song; and, anytime I see he is on a song I automatically have very high expectations for it.

The album begins to come to a close with "How to Pray," which really slows the pace down. This song sees Copas struggling with prayer and what to pray for - something I think every Christian struggles with at some point in their walk. "Reservoir" has more of an acoustic feel to it - something you do not see very often on a rap album. This song has quickly become another one of my favorites on the album. I also really respect him for singing his own hook on this song. Most rappers will not even try to sing their own hooks; so, I definitely give him props for that. "Copas on Focus (G.5)" finishes off the album on a high note - much more upbeat than the two previous songs.

I have really enjoyed seeing Jordan Copas grow over the past year; and, I have definitely enjoyed hearing his music mature as well. On Focus is by far Copas' best release to date; and, even though it may not be up to Lecrae's level, I can definitely see his music getting closer and closer to that achievement. This album shows definite improvement in all areas of music - from the beats, to the lyrics, to the production, even to the rapping. On Focus is definitely worth your time. Make sure you check out this release from Copas and definitely be on the lookout for more stuff from him in the future!

Favorite Song: Lay it Down

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Most diehard Anberlin fans will say that Cities is the greatest Anberlin record, and from what I have heard of it, it is fantastic. However, I think Vital may be better. This album sees Anberlin delve into the more electronic and technical aspects of music, something that actually seems very appropriate for Stephen Christian's vocals. His side project, Anchor & Braille, actually leans more to the techno side of music, so that may be why it seems so appropriate for them to add this style to their music.

Vital begins with the first single, "Self-Starter," which is easily one of my favorite songs on the album. The song is very upbeat and has a very raw feeling to it; however, it immediately shows the album's more technical side - especially in the bridge. The lyrics also seem to be a bit more urgent - for a lack of better words - than previous songs from the band. "Little Tyrants" has a little more of an old school feel to it, which may come from the fact that it is just a straight up rock song, with minimal programing. "Other Side" shows off the bands more emotional side with lines like, "Love me! Love me! Why don't you know me? Know me? Hold me! Hold me! I am just me, trust me!"

"Someone Anyone" was instant favorite of mine as soon as it was released as a single. The track is one of the more fast paced on Vital, and has probably one of the coolest background stories. The song was written kind of in response to the riots in Egypt, and from what I can tell is written from the perspective of one of the rioters. "Intentions" has more of a dance vibe to it, something I do not think I have heard from Anberlin. The song sees vocalist Stephen Christian longing for something better, saying, "I want a love that I don't deserve." The song "Innocent" brings the album to a sort of crossroads with the slowest song on the record. I love the lyrics to the track which talk about how we are all born innocent and made to be carefree; the song reminds me a lot of Anchor & Braille.

After slowing the album down, Anberlin picks right back up with one of the more fast-paced songs, "Desires." The song also happens to be my favorite on Vital; which comes from my love of the chorus. I had no clue that I could fall in love with a song as much as I have with "Desires;" I may have literally listened to this song 100 times in the first week after I got the album. It never fails to get me singing along (and possibly even dancing), and it always, always gets stuck in my head. 

"Type Three" follows that up with another phenomenal song which also gets stuck in my head on a frequent basis. The track is easily the most vulnerable song on the album, and maybe one of the most vulnerable I have heard this year. The very first lines of the song automatically give you a hint into how personal the song is - "I have my reasons, for the vices I embrace. A world of treasons, I'm their only escape. No one lives here, as conversations are drowning. Sixteen is nothing, I never will be 'til I'm dead." With "Type Three" begins a streak of more emotional songs, which is seen in the final three songs, "Orpheum," "Modern Age," and "God, Drugs & Sex." It is interesting, to me, that for a such fast-paced record they end with four straight slow songs; but, I kind of like it. It is different. I might also add that "God, Drugs & Sex" is one of my favorite final songs on album in awhile.

Anberlin has become one of my favorite bands, and they really blew me out of the water with this album. I have come to love every song on this album; it is one of those where you do not want to skip a single track - they are all that good. Vital is easily worth the 10 bucks or so it costs to buy, and one of those I would highly recommend checking out if you are a fan of alternative rock music. Take it from someone who never really gave Anberlin a chance until this year - give this album a chance. Anberlin is back and better than ever, folks.

Favorite Song: Desires

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It does not. Whenever I think back to when I saw them play about a month ago I kind of wonder if this is the same band that played then. They played two songs off No Direction, the title track and "In the End," and both songs were melt-your-face-off songs live, but listening to them recorded it is more soft rock than melt-your-face. I can tell, especially on "In the End," they tried to translate the energy over onto the album, but it is just not the same as seeing them live. You have to see these guys live in order to get the full effect; these songs are so much more intense live, and definitely a lot better in concert.

With that said, I still really like this album, even if does not exactly have the same amount of energy as they do live. I have listened to this record probably about 15 times since I received it, and it does not get old. I try not to let anything bias my opinion of an album, so when thinking about the quality of this album I try to eliminate how great they are live and how intense their shows are. After eliminating that thought from my head, it made it a lot easier to look at this album objectively and realize how good it actually is. No Direction is catchy. Every song on the album has gotten stuck in my head at some point or another. The Wedding did a fantastic job of creating a great rock album (even if it does not quite measure up to their potential intensity level).

The title track opens up the album with one of the catchiest songs on the album, but probably also one of the softer song songs on the record. The first time I heard the song recorded I was really surprised at the lack of energy on the song, especially after hearing how it sounds live. Nonetheless, the track is solid, and one of my favorites on the album thus far. "In the End" ups the intensity notch just a little bit with a song that talks about how we will get what we want in the end; what we sow we will reap. I think "The Lesser Worth" may be the climax of the intensity on the album, with some of the best instrumentals and in-your-face gang vocals highlighting the song. "The Raconteur" is another one of the more soft songs on the record, but it is very lyrically intense. The song is a message to all the boys out there to stand firm in their convictions and not waiver on their beliefs; as Shelton sings you can really hear the seriousness in his voice, which adds a little more intensity to the song.

"Hang on Love" somewhat reminds me of Falling Up, especially their album, Captiva (my personal favorite). As far as the softer songs go on this record, this may be Shelton's best vocally. "The Wildest Ocean" really slows it down and "Mors Tua Nos Vita" does not exactly pick up the pace either. "Kill Any Excuse," however, brings the intensity back to the album with one of the best guitar tracks on the album, but not one of the best vocally, in my opinion. "Heartbreak in Melody" is easily my favorite song in the later portion of the album; it embodies the best parts of the band, which are Shelton's great vocals as well as a mixture of intense and melodic rock. The album finishes up with "Don't Let Me Down," "Young and Dangerous," and "Distance and Resolution," with "Young and Dangerous" being the highlight of the three.

No Direction is not exactly one of the most deep in terms of lyrics and it is not exactly the most intense, or best, rock album of the year; but, it is a pretty good rock album nonetheless. I feel a little cheated with this record, because they are so intense live, but this album is nowhere near their intensity level on stage. The thing that made them so amazing to me is conspicuously missing from this record, and that automatically knocked it down a notch for me. The Wedding created a pretty good album, especially considering this is their first full-length album in five years, but I definitely can see some improvement that can be made for next time. The Wedding may be the most promising band in Christian rock right now, and I feel like they are still on their way up. Hopefully their next album will better represent how amazing they are live, but for now, No Direction is still a pretty solid album and one definitely worth your time and money.

Favorite Song: In the End

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TobyMac was basically the guy that got me into Christian music. Yes, my first CD was Steven Curtis Chapman's Speechless, but I did not really have a passion for Christian music - or any music, for that matter - until I bought TobyMac's album Renovating Diverse City. That album is basically what got me into music. With that said, Eye On It is quite a disappointment. Yeah I know it hit number one on the Billboard Top 200, but it just does not appeal to me. It is not TobyMac. The TobyMac that I loved to listen to back in the day was more of what I would describe as a mixture between hip hop and rock and a bunch of other awesome stuff. Eye On It is pop, just like everything else playing on the mainstream radio today.

I gave "Me Without You" a very optimistic review when it was released as a single like a month or two ago, hoping the majority of the album would not be like it. I still believe it is a pretty good song, but when it is mixed in with so many other songs that have that same pop sound it gets really old, really fast. I do not mind pop music at all (just take a look at my review of Britt Nicole's latest album, Gold), but pop is not what Toby does best. Crunk rock hip hop is what he does best. I would love to see him go back to the days of Portable Sounds; that is what I view as his best work to date. His last album, Tonight, had some really good songs, but that was when he started going down the road of soft pop songs made for the radio. Writing this I feel like the guy who is completely against any change in an artist's sound and writes huge reviews on iTunes and Amazon about how horrible the album is because it does not sound like the stuff the the band has done in the past. But with TobyMac he has built his sound from his days with DC Talk, so for like the past 25 years he has made his sound better and better with each release and now he has decided to change it up and do what everyone else is doing. There are too many pop artists out there; he had something no one else had before he started making pop music, and with this release he threw that out the window.

So, with that said, there are still some very good songs on this album that I find some enjoyment in, with one of them being the title track. The song does not quite fit the mold of a typical pop song, but is more of a mix between pop and techno; so basically it has a pretty sweet beat. The first time I heard the song I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it and how much I got into it. The track is super catchy, and easily one of my favorites on the album. "Steal My Show" is a little slower than the rest of the album, but it feels way too soft for TobyMac. When I hear the song it just does not fit him at all; it definitely does not sound right to me. However, I really love the lyrics. The song basically has the same concept of Lecrae's "Background," since both of them talk about sitting back and letting God take over our lives and control what we do, which is something I have a feeling we could all work on.

"Forgiveness" has got to be my favorite track on the album. Lecrae seems to always do a fantastic job with almost any song he is on, and this track is no exception. I have to admit Toby did a pretty good job rapping on this track too, something it seems he has not done in a really long time. The next song with a guest artists, "Unstoppable" with Blanca from Group 1 Crew, is another pretty sweet song that picks the speed up a little bit. The song definitely sounds a little more like Group 1 Crew's dance, funk music, which Toby pulls off pretty well. Blanca's background vocals also add a lot to the song, so I definitely love that he got her sing on the track. The final song with guest vocals, also happens to be the final song of the album, "Favorite Song," with Jamie Grace. If you do not think TobyMac has gone soft, just listen to this song and you will change your mind. The beat is what you would expect from a feel-good pop song: very upbeat and happy sounding. So, even though I am not a huge fan of the song, Toby was very smart to put Grace on the song because even though the style does not really suit him, it is her forte. She rescues the song in my opinion.

My hopes for this album were that TobyMac would go back to his roots a little more and do stuff like Portable Sounds and Welcome To Diverse City, but alas he did not. This album is almost entirely pop music, which after awhile gets kind of old. I can understand him trying to appeal to the younger generation and trying to make more radio friendly songs, but I almost feel like he compromised way too much on this record. Tonight had a pretty good balance of his older style and his new pop style, and it did pretty well; so, I almost wish he had at least stuck to the balance he had on that record. I do not want to completely bash the Eye On It, because if you like pop music, then more than likely you are going to enjoy this record; but the sound just does not fit him at all. Maybe you will think I am just crazy, whining about the past and how he does not sound as good as he used to, but to me this album just does not show how great of an artist TobyMac truly is. Toby is one of the greats of Christian music, and I will continually support him, so it is with great sadness that I say this album is a disappointment to me.

Favorite Song: Forgiveness (Feat. Lecrae)

One thing I have grown to love from Lecrae is his awesome intro tracks, from "Rehab Intro" to "Check In" to "Overdose" to "Co-Sign;" he has always done a fantastic job of crafting a stellar intro track, so why would Gravity be any different? "The Drop" starts off the album with killer violins that lead into a pretty sick beat. Right off the bat Lecrae - once again - dispelled the thought that he might be going soft in his lyrics to try and appeal more to the mainstream audience. That is absolutely false, and after you listen to the first couple lines of "The Drop" I have a feeling you will feel the same as I do. Time after time Lecrae has put his fans at ease by writing biblical, Christ-centered lyrics, and yet critics and skeptics alike always wonder if he will go soft on his next record. He has not given me any reason to think this will ever happen, so therefore I am not worried one bit.

"Gravity" features the soothing vocals of JR, one of Christian hip hop's most well-known and greatest singers. The title track is honestly a little slower than I expected, which Lecrae accomplished by slowing it down in the chorus with JR's vocals. It is still a good song, just slower than I expected. The next track, "Walk With Me," is a little more old-school; the beat has some pretty sweet organs in the back, and is definitely reminiscent of good ol' hip hop. The song deals with the struggles of this world, but knowing we have hope and reassurance in Christ. Oh and Lecrae was a genius to bring in Novel to do the chorus, because he absolutely killed it.

"Free From it All" has the catchiest chorus on the album, which is sung by Mathai; I get it stuck in my head every time I listen to it. The song talks about being free from all the struggles on this world and not letting what this world does to you get you down because we are free from this world because of Christ. On a side note, if you want to hear stellar production, this is probably the best song to check out; it sounds impeccable. The following track, "Falling Down," is also a great example of stellar production as well though. The beat is easily my favorite off the album; in fact, the whole song is easily my favorite on Gravity. Trip Lee opens up the song with a killer verse, and Swoope and Lecrae follow that up with great verses as well; I believe each of the three artists are at the top of their game on this song, and these may be some of their best verses they have ever done. The three of them talk about how everything in this world will fade away eventually, none of the fame, wealth, sex - none of it - will last.

Thi'sl and Lecrae seem to be a lethal combination. First we had "Anger Management," then "APB" earlier this year and now "Fakin.'" Thi'sl brings the hood sound to Lecrae's songs, something Lecrae's more polished voice cannot really achieve on its own. This song goes out to everyone faking like they are all high and mighty and tougher than anyone else, it basically just calls them out. Then we go from gangster rap to Jamaican rap with the song "Violence," produced by Tyshane, who you probably know from Lecrae's "Black Rose." The minute I heard the first beat I could hear Tyshane's imprint on the song. My big prediction for this year is that Tyshane is going to be the next big producer in Christian hip hop; he is going to be the next Alex Medina or Alex Faith. "Violence" is a pretty sweet song, and it added a whole nother element to the album by doing a completely different style than on the rest of the Gravity.

I was a little leery about Big K.R.I.T. being on "Mayday," just because he is not exactly a Christian rapper. But going back to my trust in Lecrae, I trusted that he knew what he was doing in putting K.R.I.T. on the song; and, once again, Lecrae did not disappoint me at all. K.R.I.T. brought a whole new perspective to the song, from the nonchristian point of view that really rounded out the song perfectly. He admits he does not have all the answers to life, but then Lecrae comes on the song and basically says, "But I know someone who does: Jesus." The song is one of the most powerful on Gravity, which really surprised me, considering I thought it was going to be one of the softest, lyrically, on the album.

"Confe$$ions" slows it down again, with possibly the slowest beat ever on a Reach album. The song is meant to make you reflect and really think about your life. Lecrae talks about the fleeting value of money and what comes with it, something society does not exactly understand. "Buttons" follows in the recent trend of Lecrae doing a love song on each of his releases: "I Love You" on Rehab, he did not do one on The Overdose, but he did "Rise" on Church Clothes, and now "Buttons." This song is a little different than his previous romance tracks in that it does not deal as much with traditional love themes, but is more about every day life, especially when they get on each other's nerves. I love that Lecrae is giving good alternatives to the secular 'love' songs that are so filled with garbage and are not really about true love, but rather lust. So, "Buttons" and the rest of his love songs are definitely great alternatives to those.

"Power Trip" features the stellar lineup of PRo, Sho Baraka, and Andy Mineo. I built this song up so much in my mind before listening to it that I thought it was easily going to be the song of the century. Yes, I admit that was a stupid thing to do, but I did. The song is good, but it is clearly not the song of the century since I chose Falling Down as my favorite song over it. The beat is very eccentric, in a good way, but it kind of takes some getting used to. Sho Baraka seems to have gotten better since he left Reach, because every feature he has done since has been stellar, including his verse on "Power Trip." However, Andy Mineo's verse is easily the best on the track. In case you did not know, the dude can rap! He closes out the song really well, and it makes me wish his verse was a lot longer.

The second song released from Gravity was "Lord Have Mercy," and the minute I heard it I had a feeling this album was going to be something special. The song is probably not the greatest song Lecrae has ever done, but something about it makes it really good. The beat is very different from anything he has ever done before, which seems to be the theme of this whole album: doing things completely different than in the past. I also really like the inclusion of No Malice's soundbite during the chorus off his song "Darkest Hour" on Church Clothes. The first song released from the album, "I Know," follows up "Lord Have Mercy." The song definitely stays far away from playing it safe, from the beat to the hard-hitting lyrics. I have not stopped listening to this song since it was released, and it is easily one of my top two or three songs on the album.

The album finishes off with two more melodic songs: "Tell the World" and "Lucky Ones." Lecrae basically says on "Tell the World" that because of what Christ did for us on the cross he is going to live his life for Him and tell everyone he can about the love of Christ. But then "Lucky Ones" comes next, and it is not exactly what I expected for the end of this album. Based off how the rest of the album sounded I was honestly expecting a more fast-paced closing track, of which "Lucky Ones" is the exact opposite. It has another very slow beat, but it actually ends the album perfectly; the song brings the record full circle. I think this song would be perfect to play at the end of war movie where everyone is lying dead on the battlefield, but one guy stands up crippled and raises the flag of his country up high in victory. He is the lucky one to have lived through the battle, and in that same way, Lecrae talks about how we are the lucky ones to have received the grace of God to forgive us of our sins and give us eternal life.

After saying all that about the album, all I have left to say is wow. Gravity more than exceeded my expectations and has worked its way into hip hop hall of fame. If this record does not hit number one on every music chart imaginable, I will honestly be shocked. Every song on this CD is stellar from start to finish. Every beat was perfectly created. The production is at a higher level than I have seen on any album in the past. The lyrics to each song on Gravity are hard-hitting and theologically solid. Everything is set up perfectly for this album to hit number one on all the charts, and I believe it will. I cannot stop listening to Gravity, and I have a feeling neither will you. I cannot stress enough how great of a masterpiece this album is. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy or two of Gravity; you will not regret it.

Favorite Song: Falling Down

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Wherever I Wind Up is R.A. Dickey's story, and after reading the book you feel as if you have just gone through a whirlwind of events and emotions. There are some very sad parts to his story, and of course some very good ones as well. As a child he was sexually abused many times by a baby sitter and then by a random kid as well. His parents were divorced and because of their situation, his mom battled alcoholism. One day in high school his life changed forever though. He had a really good friend named Bo that played on the football and wrestling team with him, and Bo invited him to a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting one day. Dickey agreed to go, and afterwards it got his mind thinking about God and where he would go if he died. One day he is over at Bo's house and starts asking him questions about becoming a Christian, and right there in Bo's room with Bo and Bo's mom, he asks the Lord into his heart. He says right away he felt "relief. A lightness." He still had an issue with bottling up his feelings though, and not until his 30s did he share with anyone - not even his wife - about the abuse he suffered as a child.

Dickey was a phenomenal high school pitcher, and a great pitcher at the University of Tennessee as well. He got drafted by the Texas Rangers and was given a $810,000 signing bonus, which was readily retracted once a routine physical found that his right elbow was missing its ulnar collateral ligament. He was seen as the freak pitcher who was missing parts in his body. So, he was sent down to the minors where he pitched pretty well, but was hammered in his first big league start. The Rangers then suggest to him that he should become a knuckleball pitcher, just to save his career - something he was at first opposed to. The stigma is that only pitchers who are on the decline start throwing knuckleballs. After he realized it may be his only shot to make it to the majors he agreed though. From there he bounced around the minors with a bunch of different organizations, making a few big league appearances - none of them too impressive. Even when he did well it seemed as if teams did not want to take the chance on a 30 year-old knuckleballer. Finally he starts gaining command of his knuckleball, but still nobody seems to really want him, which leads to doubt creeping into his mind and making him less and less effective.

Eventually Dickey found a home in the New York Mets - the team he is still with today. He pitched consistently during the end of 2010, but then had just a decent season in 2011, finishing with an 8-13 record and a 3.28 ERA. 2012 has shown the dominant side of Dickey. As I am writing this he has a 15-3 record with a 2.72 ERA. Dickey may have finally found the confidence he needs to succeed, and his knuckleball seems to be unhitable at times.

I wanted to share with you one of my favorite passages in the book where Dickey is talking about prayer and what it is to him. He says on page 286, "When I pray, I am not just talking to God. I am deepening my relationship with Him. To me, prayer is not a me-driven, goal-driven endeavor, something I turn to when I really need to pitch a dominant game or get out of a tight spot or a personal crisis. I've never prayed to God and said, 'Lord, please let me strike out Albert Pujols four times tonight.' Nor will I ever do that. God is not a genie in a bottle that you rub when you want something. He is the ever-present, ever-loving Father, the guiding Spirit of my life, my Light and my Truth. He has a plan for me; I believe that as much as I believe anything in my whole life, and even if I don't end up flourishing in New York or proving myself to be a trustworthy big-league pitcher, I know that's because He has something else in store for me, and whatever that is, I know that I will be at peace."

Wherever I Wind Up is an extremely well written book - what else would you expect from an English lit major? The thing that makes a biography - or in this case an autobiography - good, is when the author goes into very vivid detail, so much so that you feel as if you are there and you feel the emotions the person is experiencing. While reading this book I could feel Dickey's pain. I could feel his joy. I could feel his sadness. I hurt with him when he lost and I rejoiced with him when he won or had a great accomplishment. (I feel really cheesy righting that, just to let you know - but it is the truth.) I felt like I was there for every major part of his life. This book gave me great insight not only into the life of R.A. Dickey, but into the mind of R.A. Dickey. Dickey is a fantastic writer, and he does a great job of really pulling the reader in and making you not want to put the book down. I instantly became enthralled by his story and at times I kept reading way longer than I should have. 

Possibly one of my favorite autobiographies of all time was Josh Hamilton's Beyond Belief, but Wherever I Wind Up easily ranks up there as a close second now. I highly recommend reading this book if you love sports, stories of redemption, or just great books. It will be fairly quick read, just because of how well it is written; but, do not buy it if you want to get any work done, because I seemingly could not get anything done once I picked it up and started reading.

This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from The Christian Music Review Blog. Click here to visit today! 

"A Man Who's Not Afraid" is a pretty daring way to open the album, and definitely different than anything I have heard a band do before. It was strange, but House of Heroes made it work. After the little one minute intro, "Out My Way" began to serenade my ears with the best song of the year so far. The song is kind of in-your-face, but at the same time not too in-your-face, if that makes sense. "Out My Way" has an urgent feel to it and at the same time is very motivating - it is perfect working out to by the way. Possibly some of my favorite lines by House of Heroes come from this song, like the chorus, "If you've got shots you wanna take, better hope it buries me, hey ey ey. If I go out then so it be; you know I'm going out my way." This was a great way to start the album off, and it easily made me super excited to listen to the rest of the album.

"Dance (Blow It All Away)" follows up "Out My Way" with a song that always makes me think of Relient K for some reason. (Do not ask me why, just go with it.) The song is filled with a bunch of metaphors from the very first stanza, and is just great lyrically. The song talks about wanting to either completely rebuilding their life or just start all over and hav fun with it - just blow it all away. "Remember the Empire" is a very fun song to listen to, and completely different than the rest on the album as far as sound goes. It is a very interesting song, with some of the most intricate instrumentals on the record that intrigue me every time I listen to it. The song seems to go along with the thematic songs they have had in the past, in fact Cold Hard Want seems to take a departure from their usual, thematic albums. So many songs on this album remind me of weird things, but "Remember the Empire" reminds me of Star Wars every single time I listen to it.

"We Were Giants" was an easy choice for my second favorite song on the record. It is a little different than the rest of the album, in that it is more acoustic and intimate. I would absolutely love to hear this one in a house show type setting. I have always loved Tim Skipper's voice, but "We Were Giants," I feel, is the best representation of how great of a vocalist he truly is. The song is a plea for someone to stay and hold on to what they had, because he still believes they still have it. The song is a perfect segue into "The Cop," slowing it down perfectly to go into a purely acoustic song with interesting production. I have heard complaints lately of bands overproducing albums, which there may be some validity to that, but "The Cop" seems to take it back to the times when songs sounded less than perfect. The song was supposed to sound a little more old-fashioned, in which the band greatly succeeded.

I instantly fell in love with the instrumentals on "Comfort Trap;" in fact, I just love the whole song. I get it stuck in my head every time I listen to it, and it will usually stay in my head for like the next 24 hours it seems. The song is super catchy, and the lyrics - like all other HOH songs - are stellar. Skipper talks about getting to comfortable with what he has in life and telling God that He could wait, and he realizes he is stuck in this horrible trap. The first and only single form the album, "Touch This Light," follows that up with easily another favorite of mine off the album. The song is equally as catchy as "Comfort Trap," but it really speeds the album up and brings it back to the pace we left off with on "Remember the Empire." The single is what revived my love for the band, and it should be able to make a fan out of anyone.

"Angels of Night" is that song on the album that I think may have made me realize just how good this band truly is. The style of the song is unlike the rest of the album, which seem to be the theme of Cold Hard Want. The track is not one of my top favorites on the record, but after listening to this song for the first time, something just hit me and me realize just how well the band does everything. I would highly recommend looking up the lyrics to this song and just reading through them, even without the song playing in the background. Just read them. The lyrics are so well written and are the greatest representation of just how great of a lyricist Skipper is. "Stay" continues with the slower pace that "Angels of Night" started again. The song is pretty good as far as instrumentals, lyrics, and vocals go, but it is not one of my top tracks on the CD.

"Suspect" is another one of those interesting songs on Cold Hard Want that just really made me fall in love with the band all over again. The instrumentals are a little more technical and techno-ish during the verses, and the lyrics take me back to those old secret agent movies I used to love to watch. Who am I kidding? I still love to watch those movies - just last night I watched an old James Bond movie! "Suspect" is easily the best song in the later portion of the album. "Curtains" then continues in the strange intro tracks that segues into the final song, "I Am a Symbol." The song is a perfect mixture of everything that makes House of Heroes great, from stellar lyrics to great instrumentals to strong vocals on the part of Tim Skipper. The best line in the song, by far, is "One voice in the crowd is small, but if he speaks the truth, then he speaks for all, all of us." I love the song, and it is a perfect way to end a perfect album.

I am very skeptical of ever giving perfect ratings to albums, which is why I rarely give them out. Most albums that I review, I will pour over and scrutinize everything possible to get a good picture of how everything sounds, which I did with Cold Hard Want as well. I seriously can find no flaws in this album; House of Heroes did absolutely nothing wrong on the record. Every time I listen to it I fall more and more in love with it, and each time I find something new that makes me love it even more. I went into this album hoping for a solid release from the band, and they more than delivered. They released, what is right now, the top album of the year. I guess we will have to wait and see if any album can top Cold Hard Want, but man is it going to be hard to do.

Favorite Song: Out My Way

This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from The Christian Music Review Blog. Click here to visit today!