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| ><> CMR Album Review <>< |
'One Life'
[Release Date: September 16, 2008] (INO Records)
Track Listing
1. Gone
2. Jesus Calling
3. One Life To Live
4. Something Different
5. Apologize
6. Just One Of Those Days
7. When It All Comes Down
8. I Loved You Then
1. Gone
2. Jesus Calling
3. One Life To Live
4. Something Different
5. Apologize
6. Just One Of Those Days
7. When It All Comes Down
8. I Loved You Then
| ><> Review Written By: Jay Heilman (jay.heilman@christianmusicreview.org) <>< ><> Date Written: September 8, 2008 <>< |
| [ Main Review ] |
| [ Writer's Closing Thoughts ] |
| You know after having sat back and re-read this, I am sure you as the reader are wondering, “Man, does this dude ever be quiet?” Well in the case of 33Miles new album, One Life, I guess I would have to say no! I really enjoyed this album as you can probably guess by the review. In all honesty, I really was kind of skeptical of this one at first. I wasn’t sure what to think. But, after having taken the time to listen I can assure you this album is one that you’ll want to pick up. Not only is it entertaining, but it has a great and dynamic message that will have you asking yourself a lot of questions. Be sure not to miss out on this one and pick up a copy September 16th! |
Before I started writing this review, the only two 33Miles songs I had heard prior to hearing
this new record was their highly successful debut single, “What Could Be Better (Better
Days Ahead)” and their other radio single, “Thank You”. Other then that, I was not too
familiar with their music. Their debut album was reviewed by our former writer, Stacey
Papanikos, so after receiving a pre-release copy of One Life, I was determined to go back
and familiarize myself with the band.
The most common thing I hear about 33Miles when made comparable to other bands is
their resemblance in sound to the country-pop duo, Rascal Flatts. I had never listened to
Rascal Flatts other then their version of Tom Cochran’s 1991 hit, “Life Is A Highway” (from
the Disney-Pixar film Cars) and their version of “Bless the Broken Road”. When I went
back and made the comparison, I saw many differences mainly in the content of the
songs. Whereas Rascal Flatts sing a lot of faith-based songs as the members appear to
be Christians, 33Miles implement their faith more in their music. Musically while both
sound similar in some instances, I think 33Miles takes more of a rock approach to their
music with a little country flavor added to the mix in some songs. These at the very least
are things I noticed about the two.
Often times in music it is hard to compete and out do yourself when it comes to recording
and releasing a sophomore album. With the success of radio singles from their debut
such as “Thank You”, “What Can Be Better (Better Days Ahead)” and “There Is a God”,
could the trio match the impact that their debut had on Christian music listeners? I think
so. In fact I would go as far as to say that One Life offers even more then its predecessor.
Let’s take a look.
The first four tracks on the album are perhaps four songs that I could play over and over
again. I loved the message behind these songs. After listening through to them several
times, the messages started popping out to me and even affecting my walk personally.
The first track, “Gone” features a message similar to that of the parable Jesus speaks of of
the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:12-32. The chorus is very catchy as it reminded me of times
in my walk with Christ where I might have strayed off track of where the Lord wanted me.
“Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone / Now I’ve got Jesus and that’s a fact / I’m on track and
never looking back / I’m gone, gone, gone, gone, gone / Gonna let the past be history /
Not gonna let it get the best of me”. Musically the track might be considered one of a
country/rock vibe with catchy lyrics and vocals.
There is one line in the verse of the second track, “Jesus Calling” that immediately caught
my attention. It is the answer to many of life’s tough questions. Why does this happen to
me? Why am I going through this? Why must I deal with these things? The answer to that
question is written in the verse, where it says “And how you see your circumstance is all
about a choice”. The choice whether or not to follow in the footsteps of Christ and to heed
to His words can ultimately decide the outcome of many situations you may have in your
life. Even as believers we face many trials and tribulations. Whether it is fear, failure,
frustration, emptiness or anything else that life throws your way, there is always a way out
and that’s through Christ. Philippians 4:13 rings true in these circumstances. “I can do all
things through Christ”. When you’re in these circumstances, do you hear Jesus calling?
“Do you also hear that still, small voice saying / It’s okay you’re not alone / You may be
scared to death but I won’t let you go / You may think the sky above is falling / But can you
hear Jesus calling?”
The title track (or at least half the title) and the album’s first single, “One Life to Love” has
to be hands down one of the best cuts on this album. The reason I say this is, I see a lot
of myself in the man described in the first verse. “He never thought he cared so much
about the minute hand / Until he started praying for a second chance”. I consider myself a
perfectionist with a lot of things, including this site, so in doing so, I put a lot of time into
what you see and read on Christian Music Review. I often put so much time into it that I
have caught myself at times overlooking things that are and should be more important to
me. My wife and my two beautiful daughters for one, and my number one priority in
serving Christ. While I wouldn’t label myself as extreme of a case as the man in the verse,
sometimes I feel like I could spend more time with my family and not so much time on
everything else. After all, I only have one chance to live and to love and enjoy the life God
has given me. The second verse is very touching as well, speaking of a woman who had
to give her child up for adoption only to regret her decision years down the road. In both
of these cases, it’s apparent that if the guidance of the Lord had been sought, these
things could have been avoided. We only have one chance, so it’s best to make the most
of it. The chorus of the song is amazing in describing this thought, “You only get just one
time around, you only get one shot at this / One chance to find out the one thing that you
don’t wanna miss / One day when it’s all said and done I hope you see that it was enough /
This one ride, one try, one life to love”
The fourth track should serve as a reminder of the scripture found in 2 Corinthians 5:17.
When we are saved, we are a new creation in Christ. That ‘old’ you has died and has left
in it’s place the brand-new you. People should be able to tell the difference between us as
Christians and those that don’t know Christ. “Something Different” touches on this
subject. After all, we are witnesses to the world for Christ. The news of Salvation is found
in those who are followers of Jesus, if we don’t show them, then how will they know their
way? I especially like the chorus from this one, which should be our anthem to the world
as Christians. “There’s something different about you / I see God’s love in your heart /
And it’s making you shine” The second verse goes onto talk about what you should do
after getting saved, “So go and tell the good things that Jesus has done / Let every
moment be your moment to tell everyone, yeah”
The piano-driven track, “Apologize” deals with one of the most hurtful and trouble-causing
elements in the church (and the world) today. Pride. Yes, even Christians have pride.
And pride in it’s very nature is a sin. I have always considered myself a forgiving person,
even back before I gave my life to Christ. I could never hold a grudge. But I know that
everyone doesn’t follow that the same. Even when I am in the wrong, I usually find myself
apologizing and asking someone’s forgiveness even if they choose not to do so, or to
forgive me. “I’ve gotta let go of my pride and apologize”. A lot of times, people have
trouble apologizing. In most cases, it’s the pride that gets in the way. Mark 11:25-26
speaks of this very issue. If we can’t swallow our pride and be forgiving to others that
trespass or sin against us, then how can we expect God to forgive us of the things we’ve
said or done to others? He won’t, that’s it.
“One Of Those Days” is an entertaining and thought-provoking song that asks the
question, do you give God praise even in your troubles? You should. Yell it out!
“Hallelujah, I give you the praise God even though I’m having a bad day!”
Material possessions often get put too much in priority in our lives. This seems to be the
message behind the song, “When It All Comes Crashing Down”. Even as Christians we
feel as though we can’t survive if we don’t have this, or if we don’t have that. I like the
bridge lyrics of the song that really put things in perspective. “Too many lives get buried,
living in the temporary”. Amen. Keep your focus on God and His priorities and will for your
life. Because I can promise you just as the song says, anything else will not hold and may
come crashing down someday. Keep your eyes on Christ and everything will fall into place
where it needs to be. Remember the old saying, “This world is not my home, I’m only
passing through”. Just like our ‘stay’ here is temporary, so is the things within it (cars,
houses, etc.).
“I Loved You Then” should serve as a reminder that no matter what we go through in our
lives, Christ loved you enough to die on a cross, proving to the world also that He loves
you enough to help you through the darkest and toughest times in your life. He loves you
now and He loves you even when you don’t realize it, much less when we are undeserving
of it. The love of God is something we should never forget. The song musically is one that
I would categorize almost as a love song to the listener from God Himself.
Isaiah 64:6 says our best is filthy rags to God. But He takes what we give as an offering. I
sometimes cannot even fathom how God has put up with some of the things that I have
done. After all He has done for me, I have still not shown the honor and respect that He
deserves. Even when I don’t bring God my best, He still cares enough for me to forgive
and allow me the chance to redeem myself. I try not to knowingly make the same mistake
twice, but sometimes it happens. “Offering” talks of this. God uses what we give as an
offering. Even though we don’t deserve His love, His mercy and His patience at times, He
still gives it. The pre-chorus begins by saying, “And on my own, I made a mess of things”,
but the chorus says, “But you take it as my offering / You take the best and worst of me /
And peace is at Your throne / Where the broken are made whole / And I can’t imagine
anything / More beautiful or more amazing / When I bring everything and You take it as my
offering.”
The album ends with the song, “Little Bit of Love”, a song reminding us to live out John 13:
34 in our lives in which Jesus says, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one
another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” You never know just how
much you can affect someone else’s life until you show them love, show them compassion,
respect. It may come across as an overused saying, but truthfully, a little bit of love can go
a long way. “A little bit of love goes a long, long way / A little bit of hope can change the
day / You could be the miracle that someone’s waiting for” This is something good to
remember, after all it’s God’s commandment to you and all of us as well.
this new record was their highly successful debut single, “What Could Be Better (Better
Days Ahead)” and their other radio single, “Thank You”. Other then that, I was not too
familiar with their music. Their debut album was reviewed by our former writer, Stacey
Papanikos, so after receiving a pre-release copy of One Life, I was determined to go back
and familiarize myself with the band.
The most common thing I hear about 33Miles when made comparable to other bands is
their resemblance in sound to the country-pop duo, Rascal Flatts. I had never listened to
Rascal Flatts other then their version of Tom Cochran’s 1991 hit, “Life Is A Highway” (from
the Disney-Pixar film Cars) and their version of “Bless the Broken Road”. When I went
back and made the comparison, I saw many differences mainly in the content of the
songs. Whereas Rascal Flatts sing a lot of faith-based songs as the members appear to
be Christians, 33Miles implement their faith more in their music. Musically while both
sound similar in some instances, I think 33Miles takes more of a rock approach to their
music with a little country flavor added to the mix in some songs. These at the very least
are things I noticed about the two.
Often times in music it is hard to compete and out do yourself when it comes to recording
and releasing a sophomore album. With the success of radio singles from their debut
such as “Thank You”, “What Can Be Better (Better Days Ahead)” and “There Is a God”,
could the trio match the impact that their debut had on Christian music listeners? I think
so. In fact I would go as far as to say that One Life offers even more then its predecessor.
Let’s take a look.
The first four tracks on the album are perhaps four songs that I could play over and over
again. I loved the message behind these songs. After listening through to them several
times, the messages started popping out to me and even affecting my walk personally.
The first track, “Gone” features a message similar to that of the parable Jesus speaks of of
the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:12-32. The chorus is very catchy as it reminded me of times
in my walk with Christ where I might have strayed off track of where the Lord wanted me.
“Gone, gone, gone, gone, gone / Now I’ve got Jesus and that’s a fact / I’m on track and
never looking back / I’m gone, gone, gone, gone, gone / Gonna let the past be history /
Not gonna let it get the best of me”. Musically the track might be considered one of a
country/rock vibe with catchy lyrics and vocals.
There is one line in the verse of the second track, “Jesus Calling” that immediately caught
my attention. It is the answer to many of life’s tough questions. Why does this happen to
me? Why am I going through this? Why must I deal with these things? The answer to that
question is written in the verse, where it says “And how you see your circumstance is all
about a choice”. The choice whether or not to follow in the footsteps of Christ and to heed
to His words can ultimately decide the outcome of many situations you may have in your
life. Even as believers we face many trials and tribulations. Whether it is fear, failure,
frustration, emptiness or anything else that life throws your way, there is always a way out
and that’s through Christ. Philippians 4:13 rings true in these circumstances. “I can do all
things through Christ”. When you’re in these circumstances, do you hear Jesus calling?
“Do you also hear that still, small voice saying / It’s okay you’re not alone / You may be
scared to death but I won’t let you go / You may think the sky above is falling / But can you
hear Jesus calling?”
The title track (or at least half the title) and the album’s first single, “One Life to Love” has
to be hands down one of the best cuts on this album. The reason I say this is, I see a lot
of myself in the man described in the first verse. “He never thought he cared so much
about the minute hand / Until he started praying for a second chance”. I consider myself a
perfectionist with a lot of things, including this site, so in doing so, I put a lot of time into
what you see and read on Christian Music Review. I often put so much time into it that I
have caught myself at times overlooking things that are and should be more important to
me. My wife and my two beautiful daughters for one, and my number one priority in
serving Christ. While I wouldn’t label myself as extreme of a case as the man in the verse,
sometimes I feel like I could spend more time with my family and not so much time on
everything else. After all, I only have one chance to live and to love and enjoy the life God
has given me. The second verse is very touching as well, speaking of a woman who had
to give her child up for adoption only to regret her decision years down the road. In both
of these cases, it’s apparent that if the guidance of the Lord had been sought, these
things could have been avoided. We only have one chance, so it’s best to make the most
of it. The chorus of the song is amazing in describing this thought, “You only get just one
time around, you only get one shot at this / One chance to find out the one thing that you
don’t wanna miss / One day when it’s all said and done I hope you see that it was enough /
This one ride, one try, one life to love”
The fourth track should serve as a reminder of the scripture found in 2 Corinthians 5:17.
When we are saved, we are a new creation in Christ. That ‘old’ you has died and has left
in it’s place the brand-new you. People should be able to tell the difference between us as
Christians and those that don’t know Christ. “Something Different” touches on this
subject. After all, we are witnesses to the world for Christ. The news of Salvation is found
in those who are followers of Jesus, if we don’t show them, then how will they know their
way? I especially like the chorus from this one, which should be our anthem to the world
as Christians. “There’s something different about you / I see God’s love in your heart /
And it’s making you shine” The second verse goes onto talk about what you should do
after getting saved, “So go and tell the good things that Jesus has done / Let every
moment be your moment to tell everyone, yeah”
The piano-driven track, “Apologize” deals with one of the most hurtful and trouble-causing
elements in the church (and the world) today. Pride. Yes, even Christians have pride.
And pride in it’s very nature is a sin. I have always considered myself a forgiving person,
even back before I gave my life to Christ. I could never hold a grudge. But I know that
everyone doesn’t follow that the same. Even when I am in the wrong, I usually find myself
apologizing and asking someone’s forgiveness even if they choose not to do so, or to
forgive me. “I’ve gotta let go of my pride and apologize”. A lot of times, people have
trouble apologizing. In most cases, it’s the pride that gets in the way. Mark 11:25-26
speaks of this very issue. If we can’t swallow our pride and be forgiving to others that
trespass or sin against us, then how can we expect God to forgive us of the things we’ve
said or done to others? He won’t, that’s it.
“One Of Those Days” is an entertaining and thought-provoking song that asks the
question, do you give God praise even in your troubles? You should. Yell it out!
“Hallelujah, I give you the praise God even though I’m having a bad day!”
Material possessions often get put too much in priority in our lives. This seems to be the
message behind the song, “When It All Comes Crashing Down”. Even as Christians we
feel as though we can’t survive if we don’t have this, or if we don’t have that. I like the
bridge lyrics of the song that really put things in perspective. “Too many lives get buried,
living in the temporary”. Amen. Keep your focus on God and His priorities and will for your
life. Because I can promise you just as the song says, anything else will not hold and may
come crashing down someday. Keep your eyes on Christ and everything will fall into place
where it needs to be. Remember the old saying, “This world is not my home, I’m only
passing through”. Just like our ‘stay’ here is temporary, so is the things within it (cars,
houses, etc.).
“I Loved You Then” should serve as a reminder that no matter what we go through in our
lives, Christ loved you enough to die on a cross, proving to the world also that He loves
you enough to help you through the darkest and toughest times in your life. He loves you
now and He loves you even when you don’t realize it, much less when we are undeserving
of it. The love of God is something we should never forget. The song musically is one that
I would categorize almost as a love song to the listener from God Himself.
Isaiah 64:6 says our best is filthy rags to God. But He takes what we give as an offering. I
sometimes cannot even fathom how God has put up with some of the things that I have
done. After all He has done for me, I have still not shown the honor and respect that He
deserves. Even when I don’t bring God my best, He still cares enough for me to forgive
and allow me the chance to redeem myself. I try not to knowingly make the same mistake
twice, but sometimes it happens. “Offering” talks of this. God uses what we give as an
offering. Even though we don’t deserve His love, His mercy and His patience at times, He
still gives it. The pre-chorus begins by saying, “And on my own, I made a mess of things”,
but the chorus says, “But you take it as my offering / You take the best and worst of me /
And peace is at Your throne / Where the broken are made whole / And I can’t imagine
anything / More beautiful or more amazing / When I bring everything and You take it as my
offering.”
The album ends with the song, “Little Bit of Love”, a song reminding us to live out John 13:
34 in our lives in which Jesus says, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one
another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” You never know just how
much you can affect someone else’s life until you show them love, show them compassion,
respect. It may come across as an overused saying, but truthfully, a little bit of love can go
a long way. “A little bit of love goes a long, long way / A little bit of hope can change the
day / You could be the miracle that someone’s waiting for” This is something good to
remember, after all it’s God’s commandment to you and all of us as well.
9. My Offerings
10. Little Bit Of Love
| 3.7 |
| 2.8 |
| 2.0 |
| 1.0 |
| 9.5 |
| 95% A |
