New to the scene, but not new to music is the young group Jackson Waters - a group of friends who met in college and are now signed to Word Records. Their debut release, Come Undone hit the shelves last week, but CMCentral caught up with front man, David Leonard, a few weeks ago. We chatted about the new album, the cover art, marriage and the ever-perilous world of Jack Bauer. […read more]

After making quite an impact with the single Sweetly Broken as part of a compilation CD, Jeremy Riddle has stepped out on his own and put together a full-length project of his own. Full Attention hit the shelves on 6 March of 2007 and is the debut release for Riddle and Varietal Records, an imprint of Vineyard USA. CMCentral conducted the following email with Jeremy Riddle via email discussing the album, Jeremy’s history in music and his “top friends” on MySpace. […read more]

Click here to listen to an album preview and audio interview with CMCentral’s J Gonzo.

After a very successful career as a member of dcTalk, TobyMac has carved out a rather successful solo career with two well-received albums. Now with the third album, Portable Sounds recorded and on the shelves, he’s out to show the world that he’s been maturing as an artist while still bringing a party to the Christian music world. CMCentral’s Sr. Editor, Brenten Gilbert, caught up with Toby about a month before the release of the album, in between recording sessions for another album, and talked about Portable Sounds, his latest tour, diversity and much more. […read more]

With his debut release for Essential Records, Brandon Heath encourages listeners to step out of their comfort zones, exercise their faith in God and take the first steps that await them. Don’t Get Comfortable reminds us that the world in which we live is not our final destination and that we need to use the life that we are given to glorify God and fulfill His purposes. Songs like “Simple Man” explore the way God can use us despite our shortcomings as long as we are willing. The title track reminds us of the many times God has proven His power over time and challenges us to let Him show us again. […read more]

Fernando Ortega returns with an album of hymns and inspirational songs to share a sense of gratitude for this providence with listeners. The Shadow of Your Wings is a fourteen-track album that exudes praise in it’s purest musical form. From the opening song, “Grace and Peace,” which offers a traditional Christian greeting, to the final strains of the “All Creatures Great and Small” reprise that closes the album, listeners are treated to an elegant collection of earnest and heartfelt music that worships our Creator. […read more]

One group who has refused to settle for merely being a band, Mute Math has cut their teeth on the touring circuits with a jaw-dropping live show and a relentless schedule. In fact, the only buzz louder than the chatter about the legal activity going on behind the scenes and delaying the album’s release was the clamor of fans who had seen the group in concert. When Mute Math released their self-titled effort almost two years to the day after Word Records released their teaser EP (Reset), the real question was how well that hype and energy would translate to disc. Part of that question was answered with the inclusion of a six-song live EP while the rest was satisfied with the stunning performances captured for the project. […read more]

It’s been seven years and still John Reuben presses on. With the release of Word of Mouth, his 5th studio project, John has proven that it’s possible to continually grow musically as you grow in other aspects of your life. A few weeks before the release, CMCentral.com’s Editor brenten gilbert caught up with John Reuben (after a hair appointment, if you must know) and chatted about the new album, being comfortable in your own skin and the importance of being honest. It was a fun interview, filled with laughter and reminiscing. […read more]

Click here to listen to an exclusive audio interview with Matt Hammitt of Sanctus Real.

Click here to listen to an exclusive audio interview with tobyMac as he talks about his new album, “Portable Sounds.”

Click here to listen to J Gonzo from CMCentral.com take you through the new album from John Reuben, “Word Of Mouth.”

You may remember Something Like Silas, the modern worship group who debuted on Sparrow Records a few years ago. After a restructuring of members and goals, the group has re-emerged as Future of Forestry, a modern rock group that merges artistry with an attitude of worship.

Recently the band released Twilight, their debut as Future of Forestry on the young label imprint, Credential Recordings and CMCentral’s brenten gilbert caught up with Eric Owyoung to discuss the new album, nature vs. technology and the direction that the band expects to take in the coming days. […read more]

Mandisa, a standout top ten finalist on the fifth season of American Idol, will release her debut album via EMI/Sparrow Records in May 2007. Produced by Shaun Shankel (Destiny’s Child), Doubledutch (tobyMac), and others, the set will reflect Mandisa’s personal struggles, joys, and her passionate faith. A powerhouse vocalist, Mandisa quickly impressed American Idol superstar guest coach Barry Manilow in an early 2006 episode. “I’m such a fan already,” Manilow said. “Mandisa is one of those girls that has range; she can sing from bottom to top without any trouble. She’s one of a kind.” […read more] 

This is a tradition that goes back as long as the very existence of CMCentral.com. Every year those of us behind the scenes and on staff here at the site take a look back at the year past and try to sort through all the albums that were released, whittling the list down to our top five. This year, five of us participated and in a clear display of our differing opinions, each of us had a different album in the top spot. In fact, only two albums (Switchfoot’s Oh! Gravity and Mute Math’s self-titled debut) appeared on more than one list. That’s a diverse city that should make TobyMac proud. Anyway, below are our picks as well as some commentary from each of us. […read more]

Craig Minor, A&R Director For Vital Gospel, a division of Daywind Music Group, passed away on Monday, January 9th. Craig, age 38, leaves behind his wife of thirteen years, Diane, and his daughter, Kayla.

As A&R Director for Vital Gospel, he worked with gospel recording artists Ann McCrary, Rod McGaha and most recently, New Harvest. Craig traveled the country as a judge for the Exalting Him talent search and served as friend and sales associate to over two hundred bookstores. […read more]

Click here to listen to an album spotlight of the new collection from Passion.

Mike and Kelly Bowling, formally known as the Mike Bowling Group, officially announced their name change and the addition of Jeff Snyder as their newest member this week. Mike and Kelly are no strangers to Gospel music. With a combined total of 11 Dove Awards, three Grammy nominations and lending their voices to over 20 number one songs, this husband and wife team are destined to remain a mainstay in the Southern Gospel industry. The announcement was made on the heels of Mike’s wife, Kelly Bowling joining the group full time. […read more]

Avalon returns for their second release of 2006, a project of hymns and other inspirational songs, entitled Faith. Opening with a short, a cappella version of “Holy, Holy, Holy,” the stage is set for a worshipful outing for the vocal group. The bulk of the tracks on the album offer familiar choruses and a message of God’s faithfulness, reminding listeners that we can always rely on God to lovingly care for us. Whether it’s “Blessed Assurance,” a song of great testimony, or “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee,” a Christmas hymn put into new context, “In Christ Alone” or “On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand,” the album resonates with confidence and reassurance. Though it doesn’t exactly fit in with the rest of the project, “For Freedom,” a tribute to the American troops, is included as a bonus track as well. […read more]

For singer songwriter Adam Watts, it may not be a lack of inspiration with which he struggles, but rather the energy and motivation to pursue his own goals in music after spending most of his energies writing for others. Though Sleeping Fire is his sophomore release (The Noise Inside, BEC Recordings 2004), Watts is probably more known for his work as a writer and producer for such musicians as Jeremy Camp, Jesse McCartney and Hannah Montana. However, as evidenced by his solo work, there’s a lot more to the music of Adam Watts than pop veneer and catchy hooks. […read more]

With Glory, his latest project - the second on BEC Recordings - Canadian rapper, rocker, and skater Manafest offers listeners a look at several ways in which we distance ourselves from the troubles of life as well as the unfortunate side effects of such behavior. Before launching into that message though, Manafest starts off the album by encouraging listeners to discover their true identity and realize their potential despite the limitations and expectations placed on us by the world around us. “Don’t Turn Away” efforts to “introduce you to the one that’s trapped inside of you.” […read more]