In 2024, Matthew West released Don't Stop Praying with an accompanying devotional book. I can't speak for the book, but the album felt like a lackluster offering from the veteran CCM artist. I'm happy to report, however, that West's latest album, Jesus is King, is a welcome return to form. While the music still feels restrained at times, West comes back to the blend of lyrical content that makes his albums enjoyable. Worshipful, radio-ready tunes mix with songs of encouragement directed at the listener. It's the winning combination that West excels at and that was missing from his last record...

With what is now two studio albums, an acoustic album, and a Christmas album since the start of 2024 (not to mention that this is the third full-length release tied to Michael Sweet that I have reviewed this year), Stryper continues their prolific output. Throne of Thorns follows in a similar vein to When We Were Kings, with many songs drawing direct comparisons to tracks from that record. With some, the new offering fares better ("Throne of Thorns" improves upon the comparable "End of Days"), but with others, they feel too similar (take "Grateful" and "Ashes to Roses," for...

It's truly a rare thing for a rock and roll band to take twenty-five years off between albums with almost nothing in-between. And it's even more rare to have all the original members back in the saddle for the latest go round. All this rarity comes with a natural bit of nervous energy and questions for both the band and their longtime fans. Will this latest outing be a dud and besmirch the band's fine track record? Will the band still have that mystical "it" that made them treasured in the first place? Can you capture the energy of the old days? Do you have anything more to really say to the world artistically...

The lads of Rend Collective have enough collective (see what I did there?) energy as a band to power their own live shows; lights, speakers, videos and all. And this energy is not limited to the stage either. The band is almost in a constant state of creativity, and the traditional album release cycle is no match for the output that these fine fellows are capable of. According to the band’s social media page, the new EP, The Evergreen Season, is a collection of odds and ends created in the last year that needed somewhere to go. But far from a thrown-together collection, Evergreen feels cohesive and zesty at the same time. The Irishmen of Rend Collective have always been a rambunctious bunch, but this collection of songs may be their most high-spirited one yet...