Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

JFH Music Review




Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie - Original Movie Soundtrack
(Various Artists)



Album length: 15 tracks: 36 minutes, 09 seconds
Street Date: August 27th, 2002


Every great cartoon series of our days needs a full length feature film. While a lot don't deserve features (like Pokemon, and almost any current Nikelodeon show), it's series like DuckTales, Transformers, and G.I. Joe from my childhood that earned worthy theatrical treatments. In 2002, the Christian computer animated vegetables for kids, VeggieTales hits the big screen with Jonah, the series' take on the classic Biblical story. The soundtrack for the film releases a little over a month before the film's release, and features a mix of original Veggie songs, artists' inspirations, and selections from the film's score.

The album opens with the infectiously fun and humorous "Billy Joe McGuffrey," a song for the kids that will definitely soon become a favorite. "Bald Bunny" and "Steak and Shrimp" appear to be short song snippets from the film as well as a short rendition of "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything," from a previous VeggieTales video. "Message from the Lord" and "It Cannot Be" are solos from the lead character Jonah, and sound a lot like something you might here on a stage play's soundtrack. Anointed offers a fun bluesy Gospel lament in "Second Chances," followed by the peppy and jazzy Veggies tune "Jonah Was a Prophet." The album highlight is actually The Newsboys original song, "In the Belly of the Whale," which is smartly written by Steve Taylor and Peter Furler. The song is traditional Newsboys, even featuring accompanied "raps" by Taylor at the close of the track. Two more album highlights follow, Chris Rice's excellent extended version of "Billy Joe McGuffrey" and Relient K's rousing pop/punk rendition of "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything." The remaining seven songs are excerpts from the film's instrumental score by Kurt Heinecke. Each track begins with a quote from the movie with the remainder of the track being instrumental. It's exciting to hear such a big theatrical score for something as deserving of it as VeggieTales. Following these tracks, the album ends with the nonsense film closer, "Credits Song."

The soundtrack is a great sampler for what we should expect from VeggieTales' debut theatrical release. The only disappointment was after hearing The Newsboys, Rice, and Relient's offerings, I wanted more. It would have been cool to either have more songs by CCM artists on here with the entire score being on a separate album, or for the Veggie tunes to be with the score on this album and a full album of artists' offerings on another. Well, maybe somewhere down the line CCM will put together a VeggieTales tribute project, but until then, there's the Jonah movie soundtrack. Check it out and go see the movie on October 4th! (and once this piece of advice is outdated, buy the movie on video!)

- Review date: 8/25/02, written by John DiBiase



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

 

Veggie CD

Buy This CD Online


. Record Label: Big Idea Records
. Album length: 15 tracks, 36 minutes and 09 seconds
. Street Date: August 27th, 2002
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. Billy Joe McGuffrey
  2. Bald Bunny
  3. Steak and Shrimp
  4. The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
  5. Message from the Lord
  6. It Cannot Be
  7. Second Chances - Anointed
  8. Jonah Was a Prophet
  9. In the Belly of the Whale - Newsboys
  10. Billy Joe McGuffrey - Chris Rice
  11. The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything - Relient K
  12. Opening Titles
  13. The Joppa Market
  14. Jonah Meets the Pirates
  15. The Dream/Cards At Sea
  16. Jonah Meets the Whale
  17. Nineveh
  18. On the Hill
  19. Credits Song
spacer Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 


(JFH Sponsor Spot)

 

 

                 
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

Search JFH




This Friday, November 8, 2024
ALBUMS
Gabby Barrett Carols and Candlelight [Warner Music Nashville]
CXMMXNS CXMMXNS Chapter 1 - EP [Essential Worship]
New Hope Oahu There Is One - EP [DREAM]
Neal Morse & The Resonance No Hill For A Climber [InsideOut]
TAKE Time Bomb [Resuscitation Records]
Lauren Talley A Lauren Talley Christmas [Horizon]

SINGLES
Cory Asbury I Hope You Dance - Single [BEC]
Jordan Kauflin, Laura Story Approach, My Soul - Single [Getty]
Sam Bowman & GLADDEN Misfit Toys - Single [DREAM]
Wavorly Enemies - Single (independent)

VINYL
Michael W. Smith Every Christmas Vinyl [Rocketown]
Stryper To Hell with the Amps Vinyl [Frontiers]
TAKE Time Bomb Vinyl [Resuscitation Records]

DVD
Stryper To Hell with the Amps Blu-Ray [Frontiers]

Next Friday, November 15, 2024
ALBUMS
Dolly Parton & Family Smoky Mountain DNA – Family, Faith & Fables [Owepar Entertainment]
The Lore Family Faith Over Fear [Horizon]
Fernando Ortega For All the Saints - EP (independent)
Earnest Pugh Worth is the Lamb
We Are Messengers Rejoice! (A Celtic Christmas) - EP [Curb]
Paul Wright III Reverie [United Alliance]

SINGLES
Big Dismal Here In My Heart - Single (independent)
Hannah Kerr It Came Upon A Midnight Clear - Single [Curb]
Olivia Lane Silent Night - Single [BEC]
Tasha Layton Wake Up It's Christmas - Single [BEC]
Jamie MacDonald A Million Chances - Single [Capitol CMG]
Ronnie Martin On Christmas Morning - Single [Velvet Blue]
Hunter Plake Daylight - Single [BEC]
Jordan St. Cyr Christ is Here - Single [BEC]

VINYL
Sixpence None the Richer Divine Discontent Vinyl [Word]



For all release dates, click here!
 



Check out the new album from Taylor Holland Armstrong!



Listen to the new Single from Second Adam and the New Creations!

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images