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31st January, 2006
JUSTIN
MICHAEL
Artist: Various including Stephen Curtis
Chapman, Delirious?, Jars of Clay, and Rebecca St James
Album: Music inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia - The
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Label: EMI
Enhanced
content: Yes - movie scenes, artist interviews,
game.
In A Word: Inspired (it actually is!)
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"The
imaginations of these artists have certainly been
to Narnia, seen the children, the fauns, the witch
and the lion in their mind's eye and written from
that place."
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Approaching an ‘inspired
by’ set of songs is often a timid process, especially
when the subject matter is so studied worldwide and every
imagination that has been to Narnia already has an idea of
what sights and sounds would best reflect the magical land.
Feel free to take this review as permission to approach with
excitement. The imaginations of these artists have certainly
been to Narnia, seen the children, the fauns, the witch and
the lion in their mind's eye and written from that place.
In short, there is nothing pretentious about these tracks.
Stephen Curtis Chapman's Remembering You is the radio
single. Chapman says of the song: “I think it’s
from a perspective of a lot of of the characters in the book...everytime
I experience spring, or new life, the beginning signs of redemption
of restoration, I want to remember what all of that means,
not only remembering my past...but remembering into the future’
Nichole Nordeman hits the mark of her typical lyrical depth
with I Will Believe stating: “The story itself
has so many different layers, I wanted to write a song that
captured a part of all of that.”
A very firm hi-five must be given to Delirious? and Rebecca
St James. The Delirious? song Stronger has found
its way onto both this album and their Mission Bell
disc. It’s anthemic, full of hope; there’s an
orchestra, a choir, and a typically chunky production that
your new stereo will love. You just have to hold a flickering
flame above your head and sing at volume. RSJ, back in rock
mode recently, is in fine form here with Hero that
skillfully paints the picture of Aslan from young Lucy’s
perspective: "And I feel like I’m living in the
lion's mouth; but the lion is an angel".
Other highlights include the very witty, and completely unexpected
disco of Turkish Delight from the David Crowder Band,
the street-smart power-pop of Toby Mac’s New World
and Bethany Dillon’s typically wistful stylings on Hero:
"You were a man of great sorrow; the world that you created
kept you at a distance; you weren’t recognisable; you’re
the hero we’ve been waiting for; you have done the impossible’
This is a world of imagination that captures deep truths and
stirs the soul and the imagination. Many of the artists have
simply taken what made Narnia wonderful for them as children
and captured it in song.
Personally, there are still a couple of skip track moments,
but I’ll let you decide where they are!
Justin
Michael can be heard weekday mornings on Geelong-based radio
station 96.3 Rhema FM - www.rhemafm.org.au.
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