NFN Music Review – SARAH KROGER : Light Has Come. (Integrity Music)

“Light Has Come,” is Sarah’s first-ever Christmas project featuring four worshipful originals and festive classics. The title track is simply lovely, and highlights Sarah’s sweet vocals. The chorus of the song celebrates the birth of Christ in majestic, musical, style. Following, is an equally fragrant rendition of ‘Silent Night.’ Acoustic guitar, piano and string sounds are the perfect accompaniment. ‘Ave (King of Kings)’ is a very pleasant number, while the EP closes with ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” It’s a laid back jazz, rendition that comes across well. While this release doesn’t exactly blow me away, I still found it a pleasurable listen.   7/10.

Planetshakers Releases Christmas Chill Vol. 1

EP Features Instrumental Versions of Christmas Classics,

Planetshakers Favorites

Internationally recognized praise band Planetshakers globally releases Christmas Chill, Vol. 1 today from Venture3Media (V3M). The 5-track instrumental EP is available now at all major digital and streaming outlets via https://planetshakers.streamlink.to/ChristmasChillVol1.

Written and produced by Joth Hunt, the EP features instrumental versions of the Christmas classics “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Silent Night” and “O Holy Night” along with a rendition of “Hark” and “All Glory” from Planetshakers’ latest full-production album for the season, It’s Christmas Live.

“Christmas is a time to reflect on the greatest gift of all, Jesus,” says Hunt. “Christmas Chill, Vol. 1 is meant to be a nostalgic soundtrack to remember God’s remarkable gift and to be played before the start of our Christmas services, as well as while doing all of our favorite traditional holiday things, like decorating the Christmas tree, sharing meals and during holiday gatherings.”

In addition to the audio, Planetshakers is streaming a YouTube video of all five Christmas Chill, Vol. 1 songs in a warm, festive setting with a live fireplace at https://youtu.be/JPvBwZDoVxs.

The new holiday music follows 2021’s “A Very Merry Christmas” single that featured Planetshakers along with the incredible musical stylings of guitarist Mateus Asato and keyboardist Jesus Molina.

Earlier this month, Planetshakers also released Show Me Your Glory – Live At Chapel, a 12-song and 12-video project that was recorded live in-the-round and led by the band members singing along with Planetshakers Bible College students in their chapel. Recorded in a musically accessible way for smaller gatherings, the chapel album features 12 songs from full production album Show Me Your Glory released this past summer. Twelve of the 14 Show Me Your Glory songs were recorded live along with the voices of thousands attending the Show Me Your Glory Planetshakers Conference held in Melbourne, Australia. The album is meant to be a praise and worship musical journey.

 

For all the latest Planetshakers music, tour and more news, go to Planetshakers.com, YouTube (1.47M subscribers), Instagram (674K followers), Spotify (1M+ followers), Twitter (185K followers) and Facebook (1.7M followers).

About Planetshakers Band:

The mandate of Planetshakers – empowering generations to win generations – is outworked globally through the ministry of Planetshakers band. The heart behind each of its endeavors is to see every generation empowered by a life-transforming personal encounter with God through the experience of authentic praise and worship.

Birthed in a youth revival in Adelaide, South Australia (2000), the band serves Planetshakers Church, founded by Russell and Sam Evans, and tours the world. Known for songs such as “Nothing is impossible,” “The Anthem,” “Leave Me Astounded” and “Endless Praise,” and having produced over 30 internationally-acclaimed albums, Planetshakers band has been privileged to be used by God to release a fresh sound of praise and worship into atmospheres internationally.

Integrity Music Presents : Sarah Kroger – Silent Night

Sarah Kroger ushers in the festive season with a soothing and worshipful rendition of “Silent Night.” She approaches this song as an invitation to meditate on the incarnation of Jesus: “With the feeling of a lullaby, we’re invited to imagine Mary and Joseph on that holy night as they grapple with their new reality as parents to the Son of God,” she explained. 

Integrity Music Releases | Friday, October 27

Sarah Kroger ushers in the festive season with a soothing and worshipful rendition of “Silent Night.” She approaches this song as an invitation to meditate on the incarnation of Jesus: “With the feeling of a lullaby, we’re invited to imagine Mary and Joseph on that holy night as they grapple with their new reality as parents to the Son of God,” she explained. 

Thrive Worship brings their fresh sound to Christmas favorite “Joy to the World.” Creating their own arrangement for Christmas songs every year at church, this one stood out as a way of not only sharing joy and light with the world, but also of serving other churches looking for arrangements to play.

Citizens releases a deluxe version of their latest album, “i can’t find the edges of you” featuring acoustic tracks recorded live in Nashville. Taking their listeners on a thoughtful journey away from the need to find answers to infinite questions and pointing to Peace found in surrender, Citizens describe it as “a record for the lost, last, and least.”

Vineyard Worship presents a deluxe edition of “Come Now Is The Time” to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

Special Musick returns with another offering of Lo-Fi music for the Christmas season

SILENT NIGHT [Official Live Video] | Vineyard Worship feat. Samuel Lane

Silent Night / Jesus We Love You (feat. Brandon Lake, Phil Wickham & Kim Walker-Smith)

Classic Hymns & Carols from Brian Fallon

BRIAN FALLON is celebrating the Yuletide season with the release of his all-new holiday album. An intimate collection of classic hymns and carols, Night Divine is available everywhere now via Lesser Known Records/Thirty Tigers.

Produced and recorded by Fallon at his New Jersey home during last year’s quarantine, Night Divine comprises singular renditions of such beloved Christmas carols as “O Holy Night,” “The First Noel,” and “Silent Night,” alongside deeply personal takes on the timeless hymns and spirituals that form his earliest musical memories.

“In some ways, I’ve been working on this record in my head since I was a kid,” says Fallon. “These songs are some of my most cherished musical memories, and I hope that people are able to turn to them not just in the coming weeks, but any time they’re in need of a little peace or comfort.”

The Haynes Sisters Share Classic Harmonies on New DARE Records EP ‘ Christmas.’

Tiffany, Tonya, and Tara – known professionally as The Haynes Sisters – have been singing and performing on their instruments together since they were children. Their tight three-part vocal harmonies, inspired by such 1940s and 1950s icons as The Andrews Sisters (“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”), The McGuire Sisters (“Sincerely”), and The Lennon Sisters – lend a nostalgic timelessness to their first-ever holiday EP, simply titled Christmas.

The project will be available on all streaming and downloading platforms on Friday, December 10, 2021.  Learn more at https://haynessisters.com.

NEEDTOBREATHE unveil “Silent Night”, their first Christmas release in over a decade.

“In a year that has been both noisy and tumultuous, there is a deep desire within us all for some kind of peace on earth. Sickness and political unrest have ravaged our nation, causing us all to take stock in the things that matter most to us. With December around the corner, we hope this song takes you back to happy times with the ones you love and that this holiday season brings you joy, laughter, and hope,” the band shared.

“Silent Night” follows NEEDTOBREATHE’s critically acclaimed new album Out of Body, which was released in August and debuted in the top 5 across three Billboard charts. The album is available physically and digitally via Elektra Records/Centricity Music online. Limited edition Christmas bundles are available exclusively through NEEDTOBREATHE’s online store.

Last month, NEEDTOBREATHE released a brand new version of the album’s current single “Who Am I” featuring vocals from multi-platinum recording artist, Elle King. “Who Am I” (feat. Elle King) is available now to stream and download as an official Out of Body bonus track.

Out of Body has received critical acclaim from Billboard, People, Spin, Taste of Country, and more. American Songwriter commended the band’s “phenomenal and dedicated songwriting”, and Southern Living crowned the group “our favorite Southern rock band.” All Music praised Out of Body as “their tightest and most consistent set in years,” adding “this is an album designed to empower and motivate through life’s tough times.” In September, NEEDTOBREATHE took the stage at CBS This Morning Saturday to deliver the network television debut performances of “Hang On”, “Who Am I”, and “Survival”.

Leading up to the album’s release, NEEDTOBREATHE released a trio of Jared Hogan-directed official music videos for “Hang On”, “Who Am I”, and “Mercy’s Shore”. Earlier this month, the band unveiled an official music video for “Banks” directed by Chris Phelps.

Listen to Silent Night here:

Christian Music News Update – December 2014

The Rend Collective

REND COLLECTIVE have released their new album, ‘Campfire Christmas Volume 1’. Read a press release; “Christmas is a time of nostalgic family traditions so we wanted to bring you in to some of ours”, explains the band. “We love the old hymns and carols of candlelight services too much to do Christmas without them… but that’s not to say we haven’t re-imagined them a bit! We hope you enjoy our “Rend-itions” of O Holy Night (O Night Divine) on ukulele, Joyful Joyful (Rejoice) for harmonium and string quartet, and, perhaps our favourite of all, the indie/rock’n’roll/gospel hybrid that is our Joy to the World (You are My Joy). We know Jesus is the absolute focus of this season, but we all need those songs to get us dancing around the tree (ideally wearing a pleasantly distasteful Christmas sweater and a party hat). We are all about celebration and we haven’t been scared to grab the banjo, dust off jingling-johnny and play some Christmas pop classics!”

 

Suffolk-based singer/songwriter,FINNY, has released his second album. John Finny Finlanson has a country-wide prison ministry. The music on ‘Unchained’ is described as folk rock which “deals with many of the difficulties which face people in and out of prison.

 

ANCHOR MUSIC are proud to present their debut live album, ‘My Hope Is In You’, recorded over 4 days at the 2014 European Leaders Advance in Harrogate, UK. The event gathered thousands of Christian leaders from across the continent to engage in Spirit-led worship and to join in a collective heart to see God move across the nations.

Anchor Music is an expression of worship from Vinelife Church in Manchester that began when the worship community started creating music that speaks of an adoring God who extravagantly loves His children. Over the last year the community has released a debut EP ‘Hope Of Glory’ and led worship at events across the UK. This new album features over an hour of original songs by Anchor Music and fresh arrangements of tracks by Jesus Culture, Jonathan David Helser, Matt Redman, Bryan & Katie Torwalt and Josh Baldwin. www.anchormusic.co.uk

 

 

NEWSBOYS have released an album comprising entirely of hymns. ‘Hallelujah For The Cross’ has already entered Britain’s Official Christian & Gospel Albums Chart and features such songs as “All Creatures Of Our God And King”, “It Is Well”, “Holy Holy Holy” and “All Hail The Power Of Jesus Name”.

 

To mark the centenary of the 1914 Christmas truce, Silent Night Carols events are bringing communities together all over the country this December. Sports fans, school choirs, brass bands and families will gather in football grounds, schools, cathedrals and churches, to sing carols including a specially-commissioned, contemporary version of Silent Night, with a new verse and chorus.

This new version of Silent Night (Christ The Saviour Is Born) with additional words by writers Ben Cantelon and Nick Herbert, has been recorded by multi-platinum-selling tenor Paul Potts. Through the Silent Night Carols and the release of this single, and the Silent Night Carols albums, HOPE Together is linking with the charity Tearfund to help bring hope to those affected by the war in Syria, particularly women and children.

“It’s fantastic to be invited to record such an iconic Christmas Carol for such a worthwhile cause. Silent Night is such an iconic carol and this update to the traditional carol really adds some sparkle. I hope that people enjoy it as much as I do and it becomes part of their Christmas” says Paul. https://itunes.apple.com/album/silent-night-christ-saviour/id943486391?ls=1

 

Dove Award-winning singer/songwriter CHERRI KEAGGY is heading back into the studio to record her ninth album, No Longer My Own, and she is once again turning to the innovative Kickstarter crowd-source business model to fund the project. Keaggy is no stranger to the business model, having successfully employed Kickstarter on her 2012 release, So I Can Tell.

While Keaggy admits to being both humbled and excited by the number of doors that opened for ministry through concerts, church services, women’s events, TV appearances, interviews, and radio airplay as a direct result of So I Can Tell, she insists the story is far from over. With a quiver full of new songs that are burning in her soul, Keaggy prays No Longer My Own will inspire and embolden fellow saints to live more fearlessly for Christ.

“John 16:33 says, I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. In these troubled times, this is a message I believe the world needs to hear,” Keaggy declares.