CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

I'm a fan of House of Heroes, Needtobreathe, and Brooke Fraser. I got the House of Heroes (2005) album before I knew anything about them, and I almost instantly fell in love with them. The songs are well-written and catchy and there's a raw edginess to it. I got the The End Is Not The End (2008) album, and loved it too - well written and executed, and crafted around a common theme (war/enemy, right?). Similarly, I loved Needtobreathe's The Heat (2007) - most/almost all songs are really catchy and in their unique style and have a decent faith-based influence, and I loved Brooke Fraser's Albertine (2006) - again, for well written, chilled songs with a faith component.

So just recently I've acquired House of Heroes' Suburba (2010), Needtobreathe's The Outsiders (2009) and Brooke Fraser's Flags (2010)... and I must admit that they don't seem to live up to the previous albums I loved. After a couple of listenings, there's 2-3 catchy likeable ones per album, but the rest don't seem as well written and are a bit average... Even though each of the artists have a growing fanbase and therefore can spend more on the audio production (which is a bit better), the songs themselves don't seem as great. Sometimes songs do take several listening to grow on you, so I'll keep trying, but it doesn't have the instant likeability of the previous albums.

So... complain about recent albums here, I guess.

I really can't stand Needtobreathe, and don't know much about Brooke Fraser, but I love House Of Heroes a ton, and while not as good as The End Is Not The End, I really enjoy Suburba, it's a slow burner, there aren't as many stand out tracks, but it grows a lot on you if you give it the chance. I think there are only two songs on the album that I don't like a lot.

though it wasn't bad "Forget and not Slow Down" by Relient K was really distant from what I'm used to and was more of a "meh" album, and the Hawk Nelson's "Live Life Loud" was average too, some good songs, but mainly average - Though they have another album coming out in a month or so...

"Forget And Not Slow Down" is probably my favorite RK album actually.

Mike Doughty's most recent album, Sad Man Happy Man, came out last year. It reminds me very much of his early (solo) work. Which isn't to say that it's a bad album, but he's improved since Skittish and Rockity Roll, and SMHM kind of feels like reverting. It's good, but disappointing.

I have to say, personally, I didn't like Kilroy Was Here quite as much as Grand Illusion.

Wait...

yeah i agree, i have hope for the new p.o.d. cd though whenever it comes out