Jesusfreakhideout.com celebrates 30 Years online in 2026... Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation August 13, 2026!

JFH Music News Report

BEC RECORDINGS' BEBO NORMAN RELEASES LIGHTS OF DISTANT CITIES
TO MEDIA ACCLAIM THIS WEEK

Debuted This Week at No. 2 on iTunes Christian Albums Chart
Performing on Wednesday, October 24, on Fox 17's Tennessee Mornings


Bebo Norman, Lights of Distant Cities
Click Here To Enlarge Album Cover


RSS Icon


NEWS SOURCE: Merge PR
October 23, 2012

SEATTLE, WA -October 23, 2012 -BEC Recordings' singer-songwriter Bebo Norman has released his eighth studio album, Lights of Distant Cities, this week to media praise that has brought 4 to 5 star reviews across the board. As it released, Lights of Distant Cities quickly climbed to the No. 2 spot on the iTunes Top Christian Albums chart.

Lights of Distant Cities was co-produced with close friend and longtime live collaborator, multi-instrumentalist Gabe Scott along with Ben Shive (Andrew Peterson, Sara Groves). Norman's music provides a common ground for the songwriter and the listener to collaborate in a discourse on life's curious details, and how those day-to-day unknowns play in the greater mystery of faith.

Media have called this album a "triumph," "beacon of hope" and "stunning masterpiece." Bebo has been featured on the Family Christian Blog, in CCM Magazine (October 2012), this week's Worship Leader's newsletter and New Release Tuesday's Podcast. Bebo will also be performing on Nashville's FOX 17 Tennessee Mornings on Wednesday, October 24.

See what else the media have to say about Lights of Distant Cities:

"On his latest effort, Lights of Distant Cities, it's no surprise to find that Bebo's done it again -- unapologetically written an album full of raw desperation. Lights of Distant Cities ranks among Bebo's best work and is a must-have fall release." - New Release Tuesday, 5 Star Review

"An absolute recommend for personal devotion, Lights reminds us that Norman is masterful at using the medium of music to draw your attention toward honoring and glorifying God in everyday moments." - Worship Leader, 4.5 Star Review WL Pick

"As a solid and holistic artistic statement on searching for God in this fallen world, Lights of Distant Cities is one of the year's best albums and a mid-career triumph for Bebo Norman." - JesusFreakHideout - 4.5 Star Review

"Norman delivers a project that we cannot just enjoy, but listen to and grow with." - About.com, 5 Star Review

"A few years of spiritual drought have produced a record that will take listeners back to his practically perfect debut. Not that it's a downer, though. The darkness is tempered by some lighter moments, and it helps that Norman is surrounded by old friends in collaborators Gabe Scott and Ben Shive. Norman's eye for the unusual in the everyday is a one-in-a-million gift." - Rhapsody

"For long-time fans of Bebo Norman's work, Lights of Distant Cities is a stunning masterpiece, which reveals more and more upon repeated listens. In other words, get ready: this album is soon destined to rule the space between your ears, as one of the best albums of 2012." - Hear! Hear!, 5 Star Review

About Bebo Norman:
Norman's 1999's national debut, Ten Thousand Days, landed Norman on the cover of CCM-a rare honor for a new artist. The follow-up, Big Blue Sky, was voted No. 1 Christian album of 2001 by the editors at Amazon.com. Myself When I Am Real (2002) earned seven Dove Award nods and charted the defining hit, "Great Light of the World." Recent projects Try (2004) and Between the Dreaming and the Coming True (2006) continued the steady climb, the latter gaining a near-perfect score at ChristianMusicToday.com, which called it "his best." In 2007, Norman partnered with Seattle's BEC Recordings to release his first Christmas project that garnered another Dove nomination. In 2008, Bebo Norman released another critically acclaimed project (self-titled) receiving such reviews as "…feels like the beginning of a vibrant new chapter in an already distinguished career" (Billboard). In 2010, Bebo received a Dove Award for "Inspirational Recorded Song" for his song "The Only Hope" from his self-titled project. Norman resides in Franklin, Tennessee with his wife and two children and is a Compassion International artist.

- ### -

Connect with Bebo Norman
Facebook | Twitter | Website

For more info on Bebo Norman visit the JFH Artists Database.

 

 



 

 

News Report Archives

[2026]
Jan. | Feb. | March | April | May | June | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec.

[2025]
Jan. | Feb. | March | April | May | June | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec.

[2001 - Present]
Visit our complete MUSIC NEWS ARCHIVE

 



Return to Main News Page

 

 

 

                 
Get $20 off $50 and up order when you use our link -- and we'll get a discount, too!

Search JFH



This Friday, October 30
ALBUMS
Beach Chapel A Special Place In Heaven (independent)
Kirk Franklin I Am What I Am [Uptown]
Lucy Gray By The Water - EP (independent)
The Hyssongs We've Got a Song to Sing [Horizon]
The Oak Ridge Boys Buried Treasures [Lightning Rod]
Olive Shoots Music Longing and Loss (independent)
Various Artists Songs Inspired By The Chosen: Season 1-5 [Capitol CMG]
Vomitorial Corpulence Martyrdomical Symphonanthem [Rottweiler]

SINGLES
2 Lane Summer How Do I Live - Single [Quartz Hill]
1K Phew & Timbaland Seven Trumpets - Single [Reach]
Bethel Music Greatness (feat. Aubree Archibeck, Martin Smith) - Single [Bethel]
Gracie Binion & Mitch Wong Gloria - Single [BEC]
Lauren Daigle with Preservation Hall Jazz Band Sleigh Ride & Go Tell It On The Mountain - Double Single [Interscope/Capitol]
Will Ellis My Yesterday’s Are Gone - Single (independent)
Forrest Frank What a Life - Single [River House]
goodwill., GodFearin & Xay Hill IN MOTION - Single [Syntax]
Amy Grant To Be Together (feat. CAIN) [Capitol CMG/AG]
I.A.N. Pray For Me - Single [Syntax]
Laura Kaczor Wrapped in Love - Single [Upstream]
Lady Audri My Body - Single [Syntax]
Leem of the Earth The Cavern of Dark - Single [Velvet Blue]
LOUDWERX Bass Go Boom (feat. Magic & Bird, Andy Mineo) - Single [Artist Influence]
Malcolm Rue & A Tribe Apart Omemma - Single [Syntax]
Kevi Morse Is it too late? - Single [Syntax]
Nai and J Follow - Single (independent)
New Wine Worship For Jesus - Single (independent)
Lloyd Nicks Glory (Angels We Have Heard) - Single [Curb]
Blessing Offor Broken Me (from The Chosen Album) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Hunter Plake It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas - Single [BEC]
Chelsea Plank Make Me Willing - Single [Provident/Sony]
Razzie & OnBeatMusic Brick After Brick - Single [Syntax]
Jordan St. Cyr Guide Me Home - Single [BEC]
Carly Ann Taylor How Glorious (Amazing Grace) - Single [Curb]
TobyMac The Hard Times - Single [Capitol CMG]
Phil Wickham SOS (Don’t Let Me Go) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Aaron Williams Abide (Christmas) [feat. Hope Darst] - Single [Provident/Sony]
ZOEgirl I Still Believe - Single (independent)

This Saturday, October 31
SINGLES
Chaotic Resemblance Move - Single (independent)

Next Friday, November 6
ALBUMS
Big Daddy Weave It's Time For Christmas - EP [Curb]
Hillside Recording & Addy Prado Come and See - EP (independent)
Meadows DESERT WALKER (CD) [Facedown Records]
Mystical Death Across [Rottweiler]
Chris Tomlin Good News Of Great Joy (Christmas Songs Of Worship) [Capitol CMG]
We Are Messengers Rejoice! (A Celtic Christmas LIVE) [Curb]
Mark Wills Grand Ole Revival [Gaither]

SINGLES
Olivia Lane Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Single [BEC]
Tasha Layton & Dave Barnes What Should I Get You For Christmas - Single [BEC]
Hunter Plake Holly Jolly Christmas - Single [BEC]
River Valley Worship Come and Behold - Single [BEC]
Vineyard Worship Jesus Our Christ - Single [Vineyard]

VINYL
Meadows DESERT WALKER Vinyl [Facedown]

For all release dates, click here!