It's about time that television gets away from the perversion of regular sitcoms and mini-series and starts recognizing something and someone really important. That's what I thought when I heard about the new mini-series on Jesus. The mini-series is being produced by CBS and they seem to have a good idea of who Jesus was. On the back of the album cover reads "…What you hold in your hands is also a reaction. A reaction to a person. A person whose story changed the course of history." The main question now is if it will give justice to the greatest man to ever walk the earth. After listening to the soundtrack Music From and Inspired by Jesus The Epic Mini-Series, there is potential, but the soundtrack seems to fall a little short.
I was filled with excitement when I received the Music From and Inspired by Jesus The Epic Mini-series CD. I looked at the back and saw the lineup. With such names as dc Talk, 98 degrees, Hootie and the Blowfish, Leann Rimes, and even Edwin McCain, I was very anxious to hear the songs that were inspired by Jesus from these established artists. Being an avid dc Talk fan I jumped right to their remake of the 70's song 'Spirit in the Sky.' I was very delighted with the sound they produced but the lyrics were the part that set this and a couple other songs apart from the rest on this album.
Immediately following was 98 degrees with their song said to be inspired by Jesus called 'The Love that You've been Looking For.' After listening to this song and songs from other mainstream artists that performed on this CD, I saw the catch in the title of the album, Music Inspired by Jesus The Epic Mini-Series. As far as the average listener knows, the music is inspired by Jesus, but the lyrics aren't. The song by 98 degrees was very catchy but does not stand apart from any of their other songs that are focused on love of a woman rather than the person who supposedly inspired this song.
Not all of the mainstream artists disappointed me though. Edwin McCain's song 'Jesus, He Loves Me' offered beautiful arrangement of the old children's song 'Jesus Loves Me' with the striking voice of Edwin McCain backed by an amazing choir.
The album is full of all styles of music from the country rock style of Lonestar, to the classical opera voice of Sarah Brightman. Appearances by some of Christian music's hottest artists like Steven Curtis Chapman, Avalon and Jaci Velasquez also grace this album.
The album is very good musically including a beautiful instrumental piece by Patrick Williams that is the theme from the original soundtrack. But if you're looking for the Christian coming out of mainstream artists, this may be disappointing.
Similar sounding releases
2002Kathy TroccoliThe Heart of Me
2003AvalonThe Very Best of Avalon
2000Jaci VelasquezCrystal Clear
2001Natalie GrantStronger
2003Jonathan PierceFor You
2003Kristy StarlingKristy Starling
