CCM Links

When Michael W. Smith dropped his daughter off at college, he went through what most parents go through: wistful and bittersweet happiness. His mixed emotions are our gain, as you can see in the video for How to Say Goodbye.

In the grand tradition of songs like Wayne Watson’s Watercolor Ponies and Class of ‘95 and Bob Carlisle’s Butterfly Kisses, this one will probably be around for a long, long time.

It’s not Christian music per se, but it’s very, very cool…

Mute Math is on the Transformers Soundtrack!
Not only that: they’re doing the THEME SONG!

Come on. Tell me that’s not incredibly awesome. It is!

If you go to Mute Math’s MySpace page, you can hear their version of the Transformers Theme! As a reward for your loyalty to CCM Links, here’s the video for Mute Math’s Typical…

One more thing: look for Mute Math on Letterman on July 17th!

If you’re like me, you really like Casting Crowns. I thought their debut album deserved Album of the Year honors, and their popularity shows that they’ve struck a chord with their music. Their lyrics are generally world-class, and there’s no denying their musical chops. I’m really looking forward to their next album, The Altar and the Door.

This video is a preview of that upcoming album, mixed with an interview with lead singer Mark Hall. I love his description of their music: “discipleship set to music”. See and hear for yourself, and then get in line to fight me for your own copy of the CD on August 28, 2007.

I promised to let you know if you could view the Rock the Boat concert from their archive. Well, you CAN! Until June 30, 2007 you can watch the full concert by clicking the link below.

In case you missed the earlier post, here’s the lineup:

Comedian Thor Ramsey

DecembeRadio opened

Reliant K followed

The evening was interspersed with clips from the movie
Evan Almighty. It looks pretty good.

Jeremy Camp followed Reliant K.

Switchfoot was obviously the biggest name of the night, and they didn’t disappoint.

Click here to watch the concert!

Everlife apparently isn’t new, but they’re new to me. They’re a trio: Amber, 22…Sarah, 20…and Julia, 17. They’re self-taught, and appear very talented. They’re a popular part of Disney Radio, which is good: it’s nice to see Christian artists being promoted to children.

In case you were wondering whether they’re really very talented, you might do what I did. I listened to one of their studio recordings on their website, and then listened to this non-studio unplugged version. They’re the real deal, for sure…it’s not studio magic makes them sound good, they’re good on their own.

Watch and listen:

Rush of Fools has taken the Christian music world seemingly by storm. I can’t tell you how many times my 7 year-old son has said “I really like the song Undo by Rush of Fools”. I have to agree with him: it’s memorable, and very singable.

Rush Of Fools “Undo” Music Video

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What do you think? This song has been #1 for several weeks…enjoy it!

What would you say to a free concert by three of the hottest in contemporary Christian music, right there in your own home? If you’re like me, you’d say “heck yeah!”. Well, now’s your chance…but you’ll have to act fast.

Hollywood Jesus is hosting an online concert by Switchfoot, Reliant K, and Jeremy Camp. Joining Jeremy Camp will be DecembeRadio, one my favorite new bands.

WHEN: June 16th .. 9pm EST (-5 GMT)
WHERE: Sign up at the Hollywood Jesus website for exclusive access to the event.
WHY: Because you’ll see and hear an incredible concert!

A limited number of viewers can take part, so go sign up now!

Holy Cow!
Playing the flute this well is tough enough…but he’s doing more than that. He’s making serious music! I’ve never seen anything like it. Amazing!

This is the kind of creativity that I’ve always admired…the ability to go beyond the ordinary and make something truly unique. In case anyone’s wondering, his name is Greg Pattillo (probably no relation of Leon Patillo).

Here’s a thought-provoking video from Brian McLaren. He talks of the “worship industry” that springs from those who, with good intentions, seek to supply the body of Christ with quality worship products. The inevitable result seems to be the sanitization of truth. I appreciate Brian’s point: the truth isn’t always pretty, or pleasant.

What do you think?

Many of you don’t know who Dan Macaulay is. Now’s your chance to catch up:

Dan Macaulay is a passionate modern worship leader & composer with an infectious pop sound. His original honest & singable worship songs are making their way around the globe & people are taking note. Listen & you’ll know why!

That’s from the bio on his ShoutLife page. Unlike many artists, however, his bio isn’t hype (except, perhaps, for all the ampersands). Dan recently won two SHAI awards for 2007 Worship Album of the Year and 2007 Male Soloist of the Year. Other winners include folks like Carolyn Arends and Thousand Foot Crutch, so you know he’s been up against some strong competition.

Anyway, Dan’s offering two free mp3’s for your listening pleasure:

You Make Me
Amazing

Something else that sets Dan apart from many other artists is that he offers chord charts with his songs. If you like to play, they’re also free (and in PDF format).

Go get ‘em!

This video may or may not work for you. If not, I’d appreciate hearing from you so that I can figure out which part of Dan’s code I’m missing. Thanks!