Wired For Sound

Sanctus Real's Pieces Of A Real Heart In Stores Now!

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:08:00 -0600

The long anticipated new studio album, Pieces Of A Real Heart, from Sanctus Real is now available wherever you buy music including iTunes, Amazon, and your favorite Christian retailer including Lifeway . A deluxe edition version is also available at iTunes that includes 5 acoustic songs. New Release Tuesday gives the band’s fifth studio album an A+ and says “‘Forgiven,’ ‘These Things Take Time,’ ‘Lead Me,’ ‘The Redeemer,’ ‘Til I Got To Know You,’ and ‘I’ll Show You How To Live’ are among the best songs ever recorded by one of the premier bands in Christian music…Sanctus Real has really hit the mark.” Head on over to New Release Tuesday now for a free download of their current single,”Forgiven.” Also, be sure to check out the world premiere of their new music video for “Forgiven” now at Yahoo!

The band is currently out on tour and offering fans a chance to ‘Hunt For The Pieces’ by leaving a record with two tickets in each market and giving fans clues as to where the goods are hidden. You can check out their facebook page for all the details.

Sanctus Real will be offering fans a chance to interact and ask the band questions as well as hear them perform a few songs off their release tonight at 8pm CST as part of their live streaming event. Click Here to tune in tonight!

Passion Awakening Is Now Available!

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:42:31 -0600

The extraordinary experience of Passion: Awakening is now available for anyone to take part in. Recorded at Passion 2010 with more than 22,000 young adults, this live recording combines the energy and worship from students that came from all over the globe.

Unique to Passion: Awakening is the extensive lineup of artists along with eight brand new tracks captured for the first time at the conference. With songs from Chris Tomlin, David Crowder*Band, Charlie Hall, Matt Redman, Christy Nockels, Kristian Stanfill, FEE, and Hillsong UNITED, this album is expected to have a lot of attention surrounding it as the songs make their way into the lives of listeners and the church.

Passion: Awakening has a standard and deluxe edition and can be found on iTunes, Amazon, and your local Christian retailers.

Mandisa Talks Weight Loss on TV’s Extra

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:00:00 -0600

As the new season of American Idol heats up, television’s popular entertainment program Extra checked in with season five finalist Mandisa to discuss her inspiring weight loss in a “Lifechangers” segment. The show’s Web site also now features the two-time Grammy nominated singer’s latest video, “He Is With You,” from her acclaimed FREEDOM album.

Elsewhere, Mandisa has just received three 2010 Dove Award nominations including Female Vocalist of the Year, Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song (“My Deliverer”), and Short Form Video (“Lose My Soul” with TobyMac and Kirk Franklin). She’s also part of the “Come Together Now” charity single for Haiti earthquake relief alongside former Idol finalists Chris Sligh and Phil Stacey.

Mess of Fun: Switchfoot Roadie Contest

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:00:00 -0600

Amid the whirlwind of international touring to support HELLO HURRICANE, Switchfoot has launched the “Mess of Me” Roadie Contest that gives one lucky winner the chance to help the multi-platinum band set up for a gig at shoe company Journeys’ Backyard BBQ in Sacramento, California, on May 8. The prize package includes two airline tickets and one night’s hotel accommodations, signed band memorabilia, and one $500 gift certificate to Journeys plus a pair of Switchfoot Studio Project shoes.

In related news, “Mess of Me” has risen to No. 5 on MTV2’s Rock N Jock Video Countdown, and new interviews with band members Jon Foreman and Chad Butler have appeared online.

Join The Passion 2011 Live Link Tonight!

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:00:43 -0600

Leading up to the release of Passion: Awakening tomorrow, Passion will be streaming live video from their home in Atlanta, GA tonight. The Passion 2011 Live Link will allow for anyone around the world to connect and take part in this special experience. In addition to worship with The Passion Band, there will be prayer and discussion about plans for Passion 2011.

To join the Passion community online tonight at 8:30 EST you can go HERE.

TobyMac Launches Awake Tonight Tour with Skillet

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:00:00 -0600

Hot on the heels of his biggest chart debut yet for the acclaimed TONIGHT album, 2010 Grammy nominee TobyMac has launched the Awake Tonight Tour with Skillet. Check out this video for the No. 1 project’s title track (featuring Skillet’s John Cooper) to get a taste of the excitement these shows are sure to deliver, and follow Toby’s Twitter for behind-the-scenes content from the road, ticket giveaway links, and more.

Billboard hails TONIGHT for its “music that stimulates the mind, nourishes the soul and makes you want to dance.” New Release Tuesday calls it “the first ‘must have’ album of 2010.” LifeWay.com says it is “stellar, a diamond without blemish.”

New Tomlin, Crowder Songs Highlight PASSION: AWAKENING

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:00:00 -0600

Exclusive new songs by Chris Tomlin (“Awakening,” “Our God,” “Chosen Generation”) and David Crowder*Band (“Like a Lion”) highlight PASSION: AWAKENING, recorded live at Passion 2010 in Atlanta and available at physical and digital retailers everywhere March 9. The project also features standout performances from FEE, Matt Redman, Christy Nockels, Hillsong UNITED, and more.

Richland Chronicle says, “PASSION: AWAKENING is the complete package for anyone seeking a new and refreshing worship album … an experience that will not be found anywhere else.” The Christian Manifesto adds, “The buzz on this album is high … you won’t be disappointed.”

Preview PASSION: AWAKENING or pre-order the iTunes deluxe edition.

Sanctus Real Shares REAL HEART This Tuesday

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:54:36 -0600

With a growing playlist of thoughtful No. 1 pop hits, Sanctus Real may reach even greater heights when its fifth studio album, PIECES OF A REAL HEART, hits stores everywhere March 9. New Release Tuesday gives the much-anticipated project an A+ and says “’Forgiven,’ ‘These Things Take Time,’ ‘Lead Me,’ ‘The Redeemer,’ ‘Til I Got to Know You,’ and ‘I’ll Show You How to Live’ are among the best songs ever recorded by one of the premier bands in Christian music … Sanctus Real has really hit the mark.”

Hear PIECES OF A REAL HEART at Rhapsody, enjoy this new interview, and stay current via the band’s Twitter.

Matthew West Starts New Album "Story Of Your Life" Inspired By True Real-Life Stories

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:44:08 -0600

With the impact that “Something to Say” has had on so many lives, Matthew West has realized the importance of songs that come from the heart. He was able to take his own life experiences and deliver the songs in a way that everyone can identify with. Now, with a new project in the developing stages, he wanted to generate an even more meaningful album that would truly display the joy, pain, struggles, victories, and losses that everyone goes through on a day-to-day basis.

The new album is going to be called Story of Your Life, which will literally be songs inspired by submitted stories from the real lives of people. Matthew West will be gathering these heartfelt stories from his website in a small secluded cabin in Tennessee. To submit your story, go here.

Early Edition LIVE - Passion Awakening on Yahoo! Music

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:33:00 -0600

The launch of the Passion Awakening album has officially been released on Yahoo! Music. Starting today, the full album will be streaming until the release date on March 9th. With songs from Chris Tomlin, David Crowder*Band, Christy Nockels, Hillsong UNITED, Charlie Hall, Matt Redman, Kristian Stanfill, and FEE, the album is expected to be a huge success in impacting lives around the world.

Go now to preview the album on Yahoo! Music for the Early Edition of Passion Awakening and also Pre-order your copy on iTunes for the release on March 9th to experience this tremendous worship experience.

Listen to Seabird on Paste Magazine New Music Sampler!!!

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:48:00 -0600

Check out the latest from Seabird and other artist on Paste Magazine’s New Music Sampler.

Seabird’s latest single,Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful, is a track pulled off of their sophomore album, Rocks Into Rivers, which released in early January. Download the sampler now!

FREE Sanctus Real Download!

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:00:00 -0600

There is still time to pre-order autographed copies of Sanctus Real’s fifth studio album, PIECES OF A REAL HEART, before it hits stores everywhere March 9. The set has already made quite a name for itself thanks to the No. 1 hit, “Forgiven.” As if that great song weren’t already enough to inspire pre-ordering, you can grab a free download of another new tune, “These Things Take Time,” if you show the band a little bit of Facebook and Twitter love via this link.

“We’re confident this is our best, most important record yet,” Sanctus Real stated in an online post.

Check out these photos from the “Forgiven” video shoot.

Inspiring New Matthew West Song Prompts Video, Web Site

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:00:00 -0600

Matthew West, the most played Christian radio artist of 2008 and 2009, is back on the airwaves in 2010 with “Save a Place for Me,” the fourth single from his popular SOMETHING TO SAY album. A video for the track has just premiered via the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s RANSOM.tv.

“I hope the story it tells will enhance the emotion of the song when people see it, both the sadness and the hope of Heaven,” says Matt.

A special “Save a Place for Me” web site is also now accessible where listeners inspired by the song’s message can post photographs and memories of friends and family who have passed away.

Switchfoot’s Jon Foreman Joins “Help Haiti Live” Concert

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:00:00 -0600

Switchfoot lead singer Jon Foreman has joined the line-up for Help Haiti Live, a charity concert on February 27 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville that will also stream online. Other featured performers at the event include Jars of Clay, Mat Kearney, and Big Kenny (Big & Rich) among others. All proceeds will go to Compassion International’s disaster relief fund for earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

In related news, Steven Curtis Chapman, Amy Grant, TobyMac, Mandisa, and Britt Nicole are among the artists heard singing on “Come Together Now,” a new benefit single for Haiti with all proceeds going to the country via The American Red Cross and Samaritan’s Purse.

Starfield’s THE SAVING ONE “A Truly Epic Album”

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:31:04 -0600

Award-winning Canadian band Starfield has just released its fourth album, THE SAVING ONE, to enthusiastic reviews and is now touring the United States on the DARE2SHARE Blaze Tour.

Soul-Audio calls THE SAVING ONE “a truly epic album destined to turn more than a few heads” with “soaring vocals, driving rock and roll rhythms, and anthems of praise directed squarely at God.” New Release Tuesday describes it as Starfield’s “best overall album … that will find its way onto a lot of ‘best of’ lists for 2010.” Chosen for Grace says the set “never fails to move my heart toward God. Pick up this album. You won’t regret it.”

MATTHEW WEST’S “SAVE A PLACE FOR ME” MUSIC VIDEO TO PREMIERE ON RANSOM.TV THIS WEEK

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:31:00 -0600

Song No. 24 on R&R AC Chart; New Web Site Memorial To Lost Loved Ones

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) Feb. 25, 2010— GRAMMY Award nominated singer/songwriter Matthew West will debut the new music video for his current radio single, “Save A Place For Me,” this Thursday, Feb. 25, on RANSOM.tv. The song, which is currently No. 24 on the Radio & Records Christian AC Monitored chart, has additionally prompted a web site (http://www.matthewwest.com/save-a-place-for-me) where fans can share memories of lost loved ones.

Produced by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, the video, which was filmed in Nashville, portrays both the burden of loss as well as joy found in the hope of Heaven. West explains, “I wanted the video to tell the story beyond my own personal experience of losing a loved one. One setting in particular captures the sentiment of the song so well. There is a memorial wall, and all these different people are walking up to the wall, placing pictures on the wall, leaving flowers, saying a prayer, and remembering someone they’ve lost. I get chills just writing about it. I hope the video and the story it tells will enhance the emotion of the song when people see it, both the sadness and the hope of Heaven.”

Vice President of Television, Film and Internet at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Duane Gaylord, who also executive produced the video, comments, “The staff at Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s RANSOM.tv is excited about working with Matthew West. His heart and passion to minister to the lost and hurting will appeal to RANSOM.tv users. ‘Save a Place for Me’ is a track that touches the hearts of those who have lost someone close to them. We look forward to seeing what the Lord does through this collaboration.”

The video will debut in its entirety this Thursday at www.RANSOM.tv, a ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. RANSOM.tv provides a place for youth and young adults to land and grow in their spiritual walk. The site includes interviews, testimonies, devotionals, and cultural segments dealing with real topics to encourage a deeper relationship with Jesus. For more information, visit RANSOM.

In addition to the music video, West has created a special web in response to all the emails he received from people who had lost loved ones and found comfort and encouragement in Matthew’s song. Fans can upload a picture and share a story to celebrate the lives of the loved ones they have lost. The site will additionally feature guest blogs and devotionals dealing with the topics of loss, grief, and the hope of Heaven. For more information or to post your story, visit www.matthewwest.com/save-a-place-for-me.

GRAMMY Award nominated singer/songwriter Matthew West catapulted onto the Christian music scene in 2003 with his debut single, “More,” the most played Christian AC song of 2003. The multi-Dove Award nominee has since released three critically-acclaimed recordings, Happy (2003), History (2005), and Something to Say (2008), while dominating radio as the most played Christian artist of 2003, 2008, and 2009, according to Radio & Records. All of West’s singles have charted in the Top 10, including memorable hits “Only Grace,” “History,” “Next Thing You Know” and “The Motions.”

Most recently, West was asked to pen the theme song for VeggieTales’ latest Christmas DVD release, Saint Nicholas – A Story Of Joyful Giving. West recorded “Give This Christmas Away” with best-selling, award-winning artist Amy Grant, who performed the radio single alongside Matthew on Fox News programs “Huckabee” and “FOX & Friends.” West’s latest single “Save A Place,” is currently climbing the charts at Christian AC radio.

For more information on Matthew West, visit www.matthewwest.com or www.myspace.com/matthewwest.

Starfield's The Saving One In Stores Now

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:50:11 -0600

Starfield’s long anticipated release, The Saving One, is now available wherever you buy music including iTunes and Amazon. The Saving One is a unique mix of songs delivering tracks that will bring the listener closer to Christ. With tracks like their current single, “Rediscover You,” Starfield blends a catchy melody with honest and vulnerable lyrics while tracks, like the title track “The Saving One,” provide the spiritual depth of a modern hymn.

You can head over to iTickets to get a free download of “Rediscover You” now!

The band will be hosting a live streaming event tomorrow, February 24th, from Vancouver, British Columbia. The band will go live at 8pm CST/9pm EST. Click here tomorrow at that time to hear the band play and talk about their songs off their latest release as well as answer questions from you the fans!

Pre-order Passion Awakening on iTunes Today!

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:13:54 -0600

After a successful conference that was able to reach thousands of college students, Passion: Awakening is set to release in two weeks. However, today everyone can pre-order the deluxe today on iTunes which includes 3 additional songs and 2 videos not available on the regular edition.

Passion: Awakening includes new songs from Chris Tomlin, Kristian Stanfill, David Crowder*Band, Christy Nockels, Charlie Hall, and Matt Redman, as well as appearances from Fee and Hillsong United and will release on March 9th. Recorded live at the event at the beginning of January, Passion: Awakening captures the worship and heart of the 268 Generation.

New Amy Grant Album Available Everywhere March 30

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:00:00 -0600

Six-time Grammy Award winner Amy Grant, who has sold 30 million albums to date, will release SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD, a project featuring seven exclusive new songs plus select re-recordings of past signature hits, on March 30 via Sparrow Records.

Among the new tracks are the poignant single “Better Than a Hallelujah”, “Haiti,” “Unafraid,” “Hard Times,” and “Overnight” which spotlights Amy’s 17-year-old daughter, Sarah Chapman. Grant also reinterprets the tunes “Somewhere Down the Road,” “Arms of Love,” and “Imagine/Sing the Wondrous Love of Jesus.” “I love the new single and the opportunity to get to do a song with my daughter,” Amy says. Listen to “Better Than a Hallelujah” here.

Historic Nashville church the setting for Patty Griffin's new album

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:44:10 -0600

New York Times and an acclaimed singer-songwriter, Patty Griffin, used the Downtown Presbyterian Church as the setting for her new album “Downtown Church”,where she recorded most of the album… the church has been noted in the New York Times, on NPR, in the Boston Globe , where it was called “magnificent”.

“At the end of the week, it was hard for me to walk away from that place,” said Griffin

Read More on the Downtown Church’s colorful history and how the album idea was put together…