Music: Flyleaf

Christian? Yes

Genre: Rock

Review:

Flyleaf rocks. Hard. I could leave it at that, but I won't because I'm actually supposed to give a review..... But that really explains the whole of Flyleaf: rock, have fun onstage, and write lyrics that have meaning.

Flyleaf is my favorite band. With a female lead singer (Lacey Mosely), they sound a lot different from most hard rock bands. Lacey has a very versatile voice that ranges from soft and comforting to hard and screaming. Her voice has so much emotion that it's really wonderful to listen to.

Flyleaf is played on a lot of Christian radio stations but they normally have their gigs with secular bands like Green Day. They are very bold with their faith and really want their music to reach out to all kinds of audiences.

Flyleaf only has one album, but there are two EP's..... I'm pretty sure. They have demo songs on iTunes along with one EP featuring some new songs possibly on their next album.

Flyleaf's song "I'm So Sick" is featured on the first Rock Band. It's a very popular song with powerful lyrics in the chorus: "I'm so sick/infected with/where I live/let me live without this/empty bliss/selfishness/I'm so sick."

Best Songs: "I'm So Sick," "Fully Alive," "Cassie," "All Around Me," and "Breathe Today."

Review Written By: Teapot Sue

Music: BarlowGirl

Christian? Yes

Genre: Christian and Gospel

Review:

BarlowGirl is a Christ-loving band, that's for sure. A trio of rocker gals, they're very bold with their faith and they write pure, encouraging lyrics.

BarlowGirl has a very rock-y sound, but their songs mostly sound the same. The lead singer has a very smooth and beautiful voice with an amazing range.

Most of their songs are great, but to me they are kind of repetitive. I mean, maybe it's because I don't listen to BarlowGirl that much, but from what I have heard, their songs sound a lot alike. Now, I'm not saying that the songs are bad. I think they're all really well written and sound great. The lyrics are also quite powerful. Example: "I don't regret choosing you... I'm not ashamed that it's you who holds my heart."

BarlowGirl is very popular on Christian radio with hits like "Never Alone," "I Need You to Love Me," and "Let Go."

I'm listening to BarlowGirl's "Never Alone (Acoustic Version)" right now, and I'm very impressed with their talent for making songs really come together. The harmony is obviously very thought over, and the rhythm is also catchy.

BarlowGirl is a very talented band, and they definitely deserve your time and money on iTunes. They have many albums to choose from, including some that are Christmas themed. I'm not sure exactly how many they have, but they sure do have a lot! :)

Best Songs: "One More Round," "I Don't Regret," "Porcelain Heart," "Grey," "Million Voices," and a bunch of others that I can't remember what their names are. You're going to have to look them up yourself. :)

Review written by: Teapot Sue

My Top Ten Movies/Songs/Books

Hello, all! I am Madeline- a new member to the Media Reviews "team". Oh, by the way, thanks for inviting me TeaSue! Well, since this is a Media Reviews site, I thought might start by helping you get to know me by sharing my top 10 movies, then songs, then books. Here it goes:

Top Ten Movies

1. Enchanted 2. Pride and Prejudice (BBC) 3. Emma (with Gwyneth Paltrow) 4. Facing the Giants 5. Fireproof 6. Nacho Libre 7. Little Women (Winona Ryder) 8. Anne of Green Gables 9. Napoleon Dynamite 10. Bedtime Stories

As you can see, I really enjoy classics...I am a big fan of some of the books that go along with these movies too. Check it out:

Top Ten Books:

1. Little Women 2. Anne of Green Gables 3. Pollyanna 4. Pride and Prejudice 5. The Scarlett Pimpernel 6. Stepping Heavenward 7. Old Fashioned Girl 8. The Bible (Well, that's a good one...shoulda thought of that earlier...) 9. Do Hard Things 10. Emily of the New Moon

Here are some familiar and some not-so-familiar titles. Just in case you were wondering, Old Fashioned Girl is by Louisa May Alcott (who wrote Little Women). Emily of the New Moon is by L.M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables). Also, if you've never heard of The Scarlett Pimpernel or Stepping Heavenward, if you are a fan of classics, or, in the case of Stepping Heavenward are a Christian girl searching for some encouragement, those are a couple more really good ones. I'm not a big music person, so my top songs are kind of limited. I only listen to Christian music, so if you've never heard of these songs, I wouldn't be surprised. But they are great songs, anyway so you should give them a try:

1. I'm Letting Go by Francesca Battisteli 2. Boomin' by TobyMac 3. Average Girl (hence my Blogger nickname) by Barlow Girl 4. Lone Ranger by Nate Sally 5. Empty Me by Chris Sligh 6. The Beauty of Grace by Krystal Meyers 7. Stand in the Rain by SuperChic(k) 8. Million Voices by Barlow Girl 9. My Paper Heart by Francesca Battisteli 10. Clothes by Barlow Girl

Music: Relient K

Christian? Yes

Genre: Alternative

Review:

Relient K is a fun loving band, to put it simply. They have been in the business for quite a while, giving them lots of experience and knowledge of what their fans like. Relient K has more than 5 albums (I don't have them all so I don't know).

Relient K has fun lyrics ("Give me side A give me side B it doesn't make any difference to me/I tried to burn it like all the CDs that I get/But what the heck is all this melted plastic mess") for their mainly young audience. But unlike the Jo Bros, they also appeal to the older folk.

Relient K also has a more serious side, shown with their last album, Five Score and Seven Years Ago. There is still some silly stuff (Like the 12 second song Crayons Can Melt on Us for All I Care), but the song Forgiven has some really good Christian lyrics, and a wonderful tune.

Talented band members make for a talented band, especially in Relient K. Fast guitars, fast drumming, fast lyrics all join to make Relient K. Of course they have been slowing down more as their music careers progress, but the old Relient K feel will still be there, however hidden.

Best songs: "Be My Escape," "Sadie Hawkins Dance," "Failure to Excommunicate," "High of 75," "Nancy Drew," "Forgiven," and "Fallen Man." There are many more awesome songs by them, but these are the elite. :)

Review Written By: Teapot Sue

Music: U2

Christian? There are no bad lyrics, and tons of their songs are about the Kingdom of God.

Genre: Rock

Review:

U2 could be the most famous band in America right now. They've got more than 13 albums, and they're on their way to adding another one to that list.

U2 is a rock band. They don't have a scream-y rock feel, but they've got more of a smooth feel. The lead singer, "Bono", has a great voice for the type of music that they play, and the guitarist, "The Edge", is an incredible guitar player. He is also the keyboardist, and the background singer. The drummer and the bassist are both great, too.

U2 has some songs that are very obviously about the Kingdom of God. Songs like, "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "City of Blinding Lights" are prime examples. They both have soaring guitars, and they sound incredible.

Other Christian songs by U2 are: "Yahweh", "Walk On", and "Pride (In the Name of Love)". All of these are so wonderfully written that it's incredible.

One of their songs, "The Fly", has a great guitar solo. So great, in fact, as to be worthy of the song's own paragraph because of it. The first half of the solo sounds like a voice, crying, screaming, out to God for help. It's incredibly desperate, and it's in a minor key. Then, it's as if a response comes from that, and it's God's. Then, the solo really starts to soar, almost as if to say, "Wait, look. Don't worry, I have things planned for you." I am listening to the solo right now, and it is one of the hardest things that I have ever tried to describe in my life. That song definitely deserves it's own paragraph, and your time.

It's quite hard to really describe U2's sound. Their genre is rock, but it's as if they invented their own. No one else sounds like them. I can confidently say that they are one of the best bands in history.

Best songs: "The Fly", "City of Blinding Lights", "Love and Peace or Else", "Vertigo", "Elevation", "Beautiful Day", and a BUNCH of other songs that deserve to be put in the "best songs" section of this post, but there's not enough room.

Review written by: Teapot Sue