In some ways, CCM vet Matthew West is like the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). He’s been going at it for over 15 years and delivers releases that, though not the darling of a more artistic-driven listener, still remain popular favorites among fans and on the charts. Heck, he even has a sort of “post-credits scene” on his albums. Also like the MCU, he has a formula that has served him well and his latest release, Brand New, continues this trend. Are there witty lyrics served with a hip-hop beat? Check. Are there more saccharine tunes that tug at the heartstrings? Yep. Is there at least one song that features a gospel choir and some hand claps? You bet. Do real life stories from fans make it into the lyrics? Of course. Some may roll their eyes at West’s formula, but no one can deny it works for him...

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John Mark McMillan’s brand of poetic alternative/rock is celebrating its eighteenth year of existence in 2020. He has chosen to celebrate in style, with the release of his eighth album titled, Peopled With Dreams. Though most listeners wouldn’t have tuned their ears to his sound (this reviewer included) before the world-wide hit “How He Loves,” McMillan has been at this for a long time before and since. On his previous album, Mercury & Lightning, we found John Mark wrestling with deconstruction and reconstruction of his faith amidst great difficulty finishing the album. The struggle produced an increasingly rare gem, as McMillan took listeners on a creative journey of reassurance that among all the treasures or gods of this earth, only one is truly worthy of our worship...

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Momentum in the music industry is a funny thing. Sometimes you have all the right ingredients and it just doesn’t pan out. Maybe another song or band overshadows your release day, or perhaps it just doesn’t strike listeners the way that the artist hoped. In some cases though, the right song comes along at just the right time and it's a runaway success. Such would be the case for Switch, Billboard’s number one new Christian artist of 2019, and their smash song, "Symphony." For those unfamiliar, the pop group is made up of two male and two female vocalists, and formed out of the multi-site mega Life.Church based in Oklahoma. In February of 2019, the band launched their first EP of six songs, titled Symphony, containing the aforementioned song that continued to race up the charts like a heat-seeking-missile. Ultimately, the group ended the year on a high note after holding the top spot for a whopping thirteen consecutive weeks and having the fourth most played song on Christian radio of the year...

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