February 23, 2010
- Starfield - The Saving One
- The Rocket Summer - Of Men And Angels
- Lifehouse - Smoke & Mirrors
March 2, 2010
- Five Iron Frenzy - The Rise & Fall Of Five Iron Frenzy (DVD)
- Satellites & Sirens - Satellites & Sirens
- Jeremy Riddle - Live: Prepare The Way
March 9, 2010
- Before Their Eyes- Untouchable
- Sanctus Real - Pieces Of A Real Heart
- Stellar Kart - Everything Is Different Now
- Demon Hunter - The World Is A Thorn
The South Carolina quartet NEEDTOBREATHE comes out with the best album of their career with The Outsiders. From the opening banjo lick on the title track to the upbeat jazzy piano on “Girl named Tennessee” Needtobreathe goes back to their Carolina roots to create an album with both musical variety and spiritual depth. “Garden” depicts Jesus Christ in the garden praying with the Father ultimately asking, “Father let my heart be for You” in the strong pinnacle of the song. “Prisoner” comes out swinging with a strong addictive groove, perfect for a run on the treadmill. One of the unsung heroes of this album is the background vocals. They lend a hand to give each and every track on The Outsiders a distinct personality making it a very difficult task to choose a favorite track. 
Innocence & Instinct (02.10.09) could ultimately be called a continuation of End of Silence in intensity and hard-hitting rock, a familiar sound from Essential Records breakout band Red. And the same success is sure to follow. Ten songs make up the album, nine of which are originals; one is a cover of the 1993 hit, “Ordinary World” by Duran Duran. Fans of the English superstars will love Red’s version of this classic song. The album’s overall message is one of intense honesty in the battles we all struggle with internally. Sincere and evocative lyrics brought me in deeper and deeper with each passing song. “Confession” states, “I confess I’m always afraid, always ashamed of what’s inside my head,” ultimately asking for the sin of our inner self to be removed in order to boast innocence. This is just one example of why Innocence & Instinct will be seen as one of the best albums of 2009. The hits will follow like the first video and radio release from the album, “Death of Me.” I for one will keep this disc in my car’s CD player for months to come.
INO Records Skillet’s substantial Comatose Comes Alive CD/DVD (10.20.08) features fifteen songs (plus five more acoustic tracks available online) with a majority of the tracks coming from the band’s last two studio efforts, “Comatose” and “Collide.” There are one or two songs from earlier albums, but the bulk of it comes from this burgeoning outfit’s return to their rock sound. If you’ve heard either of the aforementioned albums, then you know what I mean. This album isn’t about delivering new songs; it’s about harnessing the electric energy of Skillet’s live show.
torrent of power that Skillet shows have become known for. In a way, the DVD experience is even better than actually having been there. While nothing will ever truly replace the firsthand experience, Comatose Comes Alive makes you feel as if you actually are part of the audience…closer even.An added bonus to the show is the band’s inclusion of a cellist and violinist on the tour, as both “Collide” and “Comatose” featured a fair dose of strings backing their rock inclinations. It helped keep their sound authentic and definitely lent itself to the dark, ominous side of some tracks.
