Album Reviews

Rachael Lampa

Rachael Lampa 

Traditional/Spring Hill

When a young Rachael Lampa barreled out of the starting gate four years ago, her jaw-dropping vocals immediately drew comparisons to Mariah Carey and Seline Dion. Now all grown up at 19, Lampa remains what Carey and Dion ceased to be several years ago: Interesting.

Rachael Lampa is fittingly self-titled. She wrote or co-wrote all 11 tracks here, songs she says are a “true representation” of who she is. Overseen by in-demand producer/songwriter Tommy Sims (Eric Clapton, CeCe Winans), the project finds Lampa alternately crawling and leaping but always moving forward.

Largely leaving behind the adult contemporary sound of her debut and the more urban/dance/R&B sound of Kaleidoscope and its follow-up remix project Blur, Rachael Lampa is full of surprises with rock, funk, pop and, yes, more stunning ballads.

In the two years it took to complete this album, Lampa has experienced some highs (finishing high school, the conversion of a good friend) and quite a few lows (the divorce of people close to her, suicide of friends, depression).

But she has tackled her experiences with a pen; and, in the process, she’s maturing, faith intact, into one of the more intriguing and candid artists in Christian music today.

The album opens with a somewhat understated “All This Time,” which speaks of the pain of growing up through lines like “You’ve given me rain to wash away the stuff I thought I knew/And all that’s left of me is You.”

Other notables from the CD include the funky “Rubber House” (with a rap from T Bone) and “The Good Life,” featuring the outstanding playing of celebrated steel guitarist Robert Randolph.

Rachael Lampa is becoming a multi-faceted accomplishment, showcasing a young woman of faith who is honestly working through life’s difficulties within the constraints of pop music while blooming into a true artist.

everyday sunday

Anthems for the Imperfect

Flicker Records

Everyday Sunday’s Flicker Records debut, “Stand Up,” rocked hard enough to earn the band a spot as one of CCM Magazine readers’ “Favorite New Artists” of 2003 — no small feat considering its album was released within a year of albums by other similarly named groups (Everyone and Everman). But the band, which hails from Columbus, Ohio, had plenty to distinguish itself.

Its songs melded garage rock and British pop, topped with singer Trey Pearson’s strong melodies — a smart combo.

The follow-up, “Anthems for the Imperfect,” picks up where “Stand Up” left off and actually ups the ante.

This time, the Brit-pop references are a bit stronger, the band’s rhythm section snappier and the songwriting more sophisticated and varied.

Typical of the album’s direction is “Gypsy Girl,” which starts with a cascading guitar riff and then explodes into a chorus reminiscent of U.K. power-pop icons Oasis. The Beatlesque gem “Herself” is a darling pop tune describing an ideal love.

“Something” has a snarling vocal over intense power chords, and “Bring It On” is equally charged, complete with a frenetic drum breakdown that leads into a near-psychedelic guitar solo. The ’60s sounded something like this, didn’t they?

The band’s quieter efforts are just as melodic. On “I Won’t Give Up,” a mid-tempo rocker, Pearson sounds like an edgier Dan Haseltine (of Jars of Clay) as he sings about seeking redemption. Album closer “The One” is a delicate dedication of devotion with sweet harmonies and, less characteristic of the disc, violin and piano backing.

If its first album made them a fan favorite, then “Anthems for the Imperfect” will likely propel Everyday Sunday toward even more recognition — especially since most of these songs seem ready-made to become concert anthems with a long shelf-life.

Anthony Evans

Even More 

INO Records

Anthony Evans has journeyed with a few larger-than-life personalities, since his father just happens to be Tony Evans (pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, and president of The Urban Alternative), and also because he currently sings backup on Kirk Franklin’s concert tours.

Now with his debut, “Even More,” he himself will receive focused attention.

The biggest roadblock to Evans’ potential solo success may involve what seems to the listener to be a lack of blatant enthusiasm. Evans vocalizes in a sweetly soulful manner, but he doesn’t often capture and command the listener’s attention.

That said, a few of these 13 songs do show Evans’ charismatic potential. “Be Still” allows him to offer a psalm-like peaceful admonition, and “Unity (We Stand),” features the vocal presence of Kirk Franklin and the always outstanding Crystal Lewis.

The opener, “You Know My Name,” also stands out for its insistent percussion and Dan Muckala’s (Aaron Neville, Mandy Moore) production smarts.

The continuing incorporation of hip-hop into mainstream R&B has made urban sounds a vital part of today’s musical climate.

Anthony Evans’ debut features a sprinkling of these spicy elements, and one hopes they will further define his future work.