My Own Little World

Ever since Michael Tait replaced Peter Furler as the Newsboys' lead singer, I've become far less enamored with the band. After a solid initial release in Born Again and a mediocre worship album in God's Not Dead , I really did not know what to expect from Restart . Musically, I was not surprised at all. The album makes use of the standard modern pop-rock sound that both of Tait's albums have used. Some songs sound better than others, with "Live With Abandon" being the best. Overall, the music rarely obscured the lyrics, which with this style is a mark of some excellence, even if the composition is nothing we have not heard before. It supports the lyrics well; however, this is not necessarily a good thing. Most of the lyrics are somewhat thought-out, but a couple songs stand out for better or for worse. "Live With Abandon" and "We Believe" have excellent lyrics, especially the latter. "We Believe" is a simple yet effective p...

I've always had a soft spot for Katy Perry. Her voice is silky smooth and her music is infectiously catchy. However, after looking back at Teenage Dream , I started to become less enamored with her because of her provocative lyrics. You see, I am very impressed when pop singers can break the mold of sex-filled lyrics and create wonderful music. At long last, I can add Katy Perry to that very small group. Does she still write about sex on Prism ? Yes, but it is much more diminished and subtle than Teenage Dream  was. Thematically, it worked; however, I'm not one that likes to hear "sex, sex, sex" in all my music. Thankfully, Prism  distinguishes itself from almost all other pop music in that sense. The album's two highlights, "Unconditionally" and "By the Grace of God", are both astonishingly Christian in their values that they purport, which is a real surprise given how much Perry has denied her faith in the past few years. Musically, Prism  ...