V

Various Artists

• Glory Road Original Soundtrack 

  Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder and the late Marvin Gaye sing on an all-star playlist for the soundtrack to the motion picture... Read the full review.

• Gospel Superfest
  The album consists of a collection of songs performed by well-known gospel artists that have made a tremendous mark on the music industry, including Karen Clark Sheard, Tye Tribbett, Trinitee 5:7, Melvin Williams, Shirley Murdock, and more. From Karen Sheard’s, “It’s Not Over” to the down home black gospel sounds of Jones Hall and Worship & Praise’s “Deep Down In My Heart”. The album takes you back to the familiar sounds of black gospel music, which fans are sure to love. Album Highlights: "Deep Down in My Heart" and "The Lord's Prayer." - ashley card
• Hip Hope Hits 2009
  Hip Hope Hits 2009 is a refreshing CD. Refreshing in that it is a lyrically clean CD full of good, understandable, Christ glorifying rap music! The album features well-known Christian rap artists such as Canton Jones, TobyMac, KJ-52, and other really good artists. Hip Hope Hits 2009 will make a great gift for grade school aged children who enjoy rap music and are making an attempt to follow Christ. Likewise, the album will be much appreciated by young adults, and the young at heart that favor rap music. Album Highlights: "What You Want," "One World" and "I Call Him G.O.D." - kimberly a. lilly
• How Great Thou Art: Live From The Grand Ole Opry
  Country music fans will love this album. The collection is a celebration of the gospel music that is performed regularly at the Grand Ole Opry each year by some of country music’s biggest stars. It features 12 gospel songs recorded live by various artists including the Charlie Daniels Band with Third Day’s Mac Powell, Alan Jackson, Patty Loveless, Trace Adkins, Loretta Lynn, Vince Gill, and Carrie Underwood. For many of the artists who grew up singing in church, the project is a return to their roots. Mac Powell’s powerful voice shines in the top-tapping "I’ll Fly Away," and Vince Gill offers a stirring rendition of "Give Me Jesus." Carrie Underwood provides an inspiring performance of the album’s title track, "How Great Thou Art." Other album highlights include "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" and "Just a Closer Walk with Thee." - belinda elliott
• Night Owls Vol. 4: A Shot in the Dark
  This album is worth staying up for. Night Owls Vol. 4 features 20 tracks from the best and the brightest of the hip-hop underground. There’s not a lot of filler or unnecessary bravado on this compilation. Just straight rap. Even the pickiest hip-hop head will enjoy the “back-in-the-day” flow on “California Soul” by Maximillian. LA Symphony’s CookBook and UNO Mas drop their trademark brilliance with “Always Shine”. And try not to break your neck to the marching band beats of “We Will Not Stop” by theBREAX featuring LMNO of Visionaries. This army of holy rap artists are poised to take over the world. So if anyone needs a lesson in “New School”, this is how it’s done. Album Highlights: “California Soul” (featuring Maximillian”) and “We Will Not Stop” (featuring theBREAX and LMNO of Visionaries) - jennifer e. jones
• Rendezvous 

  Created in response to the Frank Moore Bible study, Rendezvous is a compilation of worship music selected with personal and corporate use in mind. The goal of the project is to take the church beyond musical genres and preferences, to a place where only passion for God matters. Great—if you don’t consider “inspirational” or “soul” to be genres, and if you didn’t really care about the corporate bit. Similar in style to Twila Paris and the Winans duo, these 90’s-style tunes are written and stylized for the solo voice. And though there is a sincere feeling in these songs, the only use most churches will have for this project is perhaps a Sunday morning special. Rendezvous will reach the small niche that misses the good ol’ days, but contemporary listeners should probably take a pass. Highlights: “You’re Everything” – bethany duval

• Underground Sound
  Executive Producer Paul Wright, who helped create the popular Wow series, now brings listeners a new collection of songs from the top 15 independent Christian recording artists. The first volume of Underground Sound is a well thought out mix of some of the best quality in underground Christian music. The album provides a broad variety of tracks; songs by bands and solo artists, rock beats and acoustic stylings, and edgy themes and worshipful lyrics. Though most listeners won’t like everything on the CD, it does offer many fans of Christian music a bit of education in the vast area of Christian, independent musicians. Album Highlights: “Something Wrong” by Separated and “Ruin Me” by the Jeff Johnson Band - amy nickerson
• WOW Gospel 2009
  WOW Gospel 2009 is filled with numerous hit songs. Many of the 2008 and 2009 chart-topping songs are featured including Marvin Sapp’s “Never Would Have Made It,” which is currently the number one Gospel album on the Billboard chart. A variety of favored Gospel artists such as, Smokie Norful, The Clark Sisters, Shekinah Glory Ministry, and more make up the two disc CD set. So if you are a Gospel music lover seeking all your favorites on one album, then WOW Gospel 2009 is a must have. Album Highlights: "Even Me," "Never Would Have Made It," and "Jesus" - kimberly a. lilly

Velasquez, Jaci

• Love Out Loud
  With a record contract at age 14, 13 albums since then, and 16 hit singles, it is clear that Jaci Velasquez is no new name in the Christian music industry. Her latest album, Love Out Loud, serves as another project to add to her success. A little older and a little wiser, Velasquez explores the broad concept of love on her debut release on her self-owned recording company. The new CD smoothly offers listeners a healthy, upbeat outlook on both God’s love and man’s. Through covering Jaci’s feelings for her husband in “A Likely Story” and “Tango” to her relationship with Christ in “Jesus (The Way)”, the album invites listeners to love out loud. With traces of her Latin background, honest lyrics, and a great overarching theme, this album is sure to please Velasquez’s many fans. Album Highlights: “Nothing But Sky” and “Love Out Loud” – amy nickerson
• Beauty Has Grace  
  She's back but don’t get too excited. Beauty Has Grace, though boasting both qualities, has neither of the two. Read the full review...

Vlada

• All About You
  If you are looking for retro R&B with soul/jazz roots and European influences, Vlada's debut album, All About You, is for you. With a passion for music and experience touring with the Swiss gospel choir, awake, this Swiss-Serbian singer/songwriter offers a unique sound and solid message. Tracks include a wide variety of grooves, featuring Anja Lehmann in "Desert Moment" and Take 6 in "Hold on to You". Though aimed at a very, specified audience, even listeners who aren't crazy about the '70s vibe will find themselves tapping their feet along to this CD's drum beats. Album Highlights: "All About You", "Desert Moment", and "To My Future Wife" - amy nickerson

Virtue

• Free
  It seems like the ladies are very serious about "being real" this time out. Their past CDs have been glossy, but this one seems more transparent. Read the full review...

Vischer, Rob

• The Best Is Yet to Come
  On his new CD, The Best Is Yet to Come, singer/songwriter Rob Vischer pulls from a variety of influences to craft a textured, acoustic-guitar fueled album. Though a few of the tracks experiment with more rhythm-based composition (like Jack Johnson and Mat Kearney), Vischer mostly offers listeners a folky, pop-savvy variety of mellow songs. Songs about faith and innocent romance provide soundtracks to sunny afternoons with bright melodies and foot-tapping choruses. Though the stripped down arrangements on tracks such as "Castle in the Sky" and "Grandpa's Lake" create an introspective coffee-shop feel, the album's at its best when it gets funky with banjos, brass, and keys on "My Valentine", "How Much I Love You", and "Day in the Rain". Album Highlights: "My Valentine" and "Beautiful Mourning" - jesse carey