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JFH Music Review




Avalon
Testify To Love: The Very Best of Avalon



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 16 tracks: 70 minutes, 55 seconds
Street Date: March 25, 2003


Packed with some of the best, Testify to Love: The Very Best of Avalon is quite a gathering of greats from the quartet known as Avalon. From 1996 to 2001, you'll hit all the highlights in the recording history of one of Christian music's best pop groups.

"New Day", a new recording for this album, kicks things off in the right direction with a fun, upbeat pop-rock sound. This is a real highlight for the album, and I expect to see it climbing the charts as another number one radio hit. "The Greatest Story" and "Give It Up" follow, two tracks from their self-titled debut album reminding us of the first days of Avalon.

The brand new "Everything To Me" comes next, another major highlight for this greatest hits album. This is a soft-spoken track featuring the first real appearance from Melissa Greene, the newest Avalon member. "Everything To Me" is what Avalon is all about: worshipping Jesus, because He is everything - our life, our breath, our satisfaction. A greatest hits project wouldn't be complete if it didn't include probably the greatest hit from Avalon, "Testify To Love", from 1997's A Maze of Grace. Two more tracks from the album that really defined who Avalon was and is come next, "Adonai" and "Knockin' On Heaven's Door".

"Take You At Your Word" makes an easy transition from "Knockin'" to introduce the next era of Avalon's musical career. Hits from 1999's In A Different Light include "Can't Live A Day", "Always Have, Always Will", and "In Not Of", all radio favorites and all typical examples of the great writing talent behind the amazing group.

Before we can move on to hits from Oxygen, we have "Pray", another new recording. Gritty electric guitars lend a hand in this edgy track, which is good, but doesn't match quite the same caliber "New Day" and "Everything To Me" carry. "The Glory" follows, accompanied with other radio hits, "Wonder Why" and "I Don't Want To Go". A final "bonus" track is Joy's "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day", which is an odd ending for this record. It would have been better to leave this song off, and replace it with another hit such as "Reason Enough" or "Undeniably You".

It's definitely a new day for Avalon. After six albums, a barrage of number one radio singles, a whole collection of awards, and now a greatest hits album, the first chapter in the career of Avalon is coming to a close. And now a new chapter is just waiting to be written.

- Review date: 4/11/03, written by Shaun Stevenson



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. Artist Info: Discography
. Record Label: Sparrow Records
. Album length: 16 tracks, 70 minutes and 55 seconds
. Street Date: March 25, 2003
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. New Day (NEW)
  2. The Greatest Story
  3. Give It Up
  4. Everything To Me (NEW)
  5. Testify To Love
  6. Adonai
  7. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
  8. Take You At Your Word
  9. Can't Live A Day
  10. Always Have, Always Will
  11. In Not Of
  12. Pray (NEW)
  13. The Glory
  14. Wonder Why
  15. I Don't Want To Go
  16. Don't Save It All For Christmas
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This Friday, October 17, 2025
ALBUMS
ANTHNY DIARY ENTRY 1 [Provident]
Blanca Full Bloom [Curb]
Chris Blue Every Day Is Christmas [Gaither]
Geoff Moore and The Distance Foundations (Re-Release) [Girder]
Geoff Moore and The Distance A Place To Stand (Re-Release) [Girder]
Nate Parrish Make Me A Mountain (independent)
Psallos The New and Better Way: Hymns of Hebrews (independent)
Anne Wilson Stars [Capitol CMG]

SINGLES
F'rael God's Wheel (ft. TRYBISHOP) - Single [Syntax]
LEON Undefeated - Single [El Rescate Music]
No Vain Glory UNLEADED - Single [Syntax]
REFVGE, Cyfë II & WAY? U P W A R D S ft. Bianca Silver & Josh LeCroy - Single [Syntax]
Rhymes In Harmony & MAYIA My Sister - Single [Syntax]
Anton Scholl Born To Love You - Single [Near Kingdom]
Nathan Sheridan Don't Lose Hope - Single [WieRok]
SNT. VINCENT Feast of the Saints - Single [Syntax]
Vic Lucas, Essence Natay & Ashleey Barnes Let it Rain - Single [Syntax]
Zane Vickery All Things New - Single (independent)

DVD
Chris Blue Every Day Is Christmas DVD [Gaither]

Next Friday, October 24, 2025
ALBUMS
John Allan untitled EP [Centricity]
Dan Bremnes The Villain - EP [Curb]
Clear Convictions Endure [Resuscitation]
Fepeste This World Ain't Mine to Change [Velvet Blue]
gio. FINE BY ME [Capitol CMG]
Tyson Motsenbocker Modern Worries [Tooth & Nail]
Smalltown Poets St. Augustine (independent)
Zahriya Zachary Rediscovery [Bethel]

SINGLES
29:11 Worship, Zion Rempel You Never Fail (feat. Emily Guy) - Single [DREAM]
Chad Cory, Zacardi Cortez My First Love (Remix) - Single [DREAM]
darthy Juniper Tree - Single [WieRok]
Emerson Day Midnight Hour - Single [Fair Trade]
Good Weather Forecast lows2highs - Single [DREAM]
Grace + Max Rich - Single [WieRok]
Mercy Tribe Music The King is in the Room (feat. Ayiesha Woods) - Single (independent)
Mountains in the Sea You Never Fail (feat. Emily Guy) - Single [DREAM]
Tomb Slayer The Christmas Lamb (feat. Khristian Dentley & Sarah Whittemore) - Single [Tomb Slayer]
The Undertaking! All Smiles - Single (independent)

VINYL
Clear Convictions Endure [Resuscitation]


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