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“Light Up The Sky” Is Almost Here, But Get A Free Song Today!

September, 7 2010Comment

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Well, ladies and gentleman. I’m excited to announce that our countdown to some super-amazingly awesome new music is nearing an end. The Afters’ album “Light Up The Sky” is only 7 days away from being available to the world, BUT the band is giving us a special treat this week- a Free Track From The Record!! As I’ve mentioned before, I love this album and don’t want you to miss out, so go get your free song now :)

The song is called “Life Is Sweeter” and Josh told us a little bit about the meaning behind it below-

“Life is Sweeter” was the first song that Matt and I wrote with our new bandmates, Dan and Jordan. We lost some people really close to us last year. Our manager and friend David Lipscomb passed away after a 2 year battle with pancreatic cancer and our drummer Jordan’s lifelong best friend Ron McClelland passed away unexpectedly of unknown reasons. Losing the people that we love is one of the harder things in life. Writing this song and looking at the other side of life and death was a sort of closure for us. It’s comforting to know that death is not the end, but rather the beginning. -josh

Also, in case you missed it- here’s a little glimpse behind the scenes with The Afters

Next week we’ll be celebrating the release of “Light Up The Sky” with a full album stream, so be sure to check back on Tuesday to hear the rest of the record!

Laura

P.S. We sent out some copies of “Light Up The Sky” to our lucky “Win It Before You Can Buy It” contest winners last week, but we’re also drawing a couple more today so be sure to check your email to see if it’s you! ;)

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Help Randy of PCD name his new puppies and Win an iPod Touch!

September, 2 20103 Comments

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Over the weekend, superdad Randy Phillips of Phillips Craig and Dean bought Lily, his 7 year old daughter, TWO French Bulldog puppies – one male and one female.  Now, I don’t know about you, but looking at that picture makes me want to go get a Bulldog puppy for myself…

The puppies don’t have names yet, and Randy and Lily want your help making the decision!

They’re giving away TWO Apple iPod Touch MP3 players two the people with the most creative names.  Just send an email to bulldogs@phillipscraiganddean.com by September 12th with your votes.

In the meantime, pray that Randy get’s some sleep with crying puppies in the house.

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New Music & Download From Phil Wickham!

September, 1 20101 Comment

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This week Phil Wickham has put out a special extended edition of “Heaven And Earth” which includes 4 new songs plus you can also get his live worship album “Singalong” for a limited time on sale!

Want to hear some even more good news? We’re previewing the album and giving away a FREE SONG this week! If you haven’t heard Phil’s music or seen him play live you are totally missing out-  so do yourself a favor and go check out his stuff.

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Click here to download a free MP3 of Phil’s song “Eden” and preview the extended edition album!

Phil sat down to tell us a little bit about his single “In My Love” -

This song really is about the faithfulness of God. It’s about the promises that he gives us to hold onto in difficult times, which in varying degrees, we go through every single day of our lives. Especially, I love the promises that come strait from the mouth of Jesus when he says, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” He says, “I’ll be with you always, until the end of the age. I’ll never leave you or forsake you.” He gives us these amazing promises that, we as his church, need to hold onto in hard times and in good times. I saw these promises first hand over the last few months when a very, very dear friend of mine lost his wife to cancer. She battled it for 3 ½ years, and it’s the first time me or my wife have known someone so close that we’re not going to see anymore in this life. This song was born out of watching these people and everyone involved leaning and standing on the promises that God gives us. It’s about the faithfulness of God, that he is true to his word- and that whether we’re going through cancer or stuff that’s way less intense but still challenging- it’s a song to remind us that God’s word is true, and the rock that we can stand on.

Hear more about it from Phil-

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New Music And A Special Note From 33Miles

August, 26 20102 Comments

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33Miles has a lot of new things happening these days- a new radio single, a brand new album, and some changes in the dynamic of the band, so we thought we’d let them tell you all about it. Read their note below for details, and be sure to get to the end because I left you a special treat :)

Also, before you get started I wanted to let you hear one of their new songs- it’s their single called “Where I Wanna Go” from the upcoming album, “Today,” which hits stores in October. Take a listen, and visit their site 33milesOnline.com to see how you can download it right now, plus 2 other brand new songs off the record!

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Hey Everybody,

Hope you’re getting pumped up, as we are, about our new CD, “Today,” hitting stores October 5th.  As you might have noticed, there’s been a slight change in the demographic of 33Miles… Collin’s not in the pictures. Well, in the earlier part of the year Collin was contacted by a church to consider a position as worship pastor.  He and his wife, Jenna, after months of prayer, felt like it was not an accident but was an opportunity that God was giving them to take.  So they have accepted the call and he will officially start September 1st.  We are excited for Collin and know that he is right where he needs to be.  Change is not a negative thing when God is in   the midst of it all… it is a glorious thing that drives us to lean into the arms of Christ more each day.  We love and will miss them, but we applaud Collin for his willingness to say “yes” to Christ, whatever that may entail.  I know that he will miss all the wonderful people he has met along the journey of 33Miles.  However, that journey is not over.

33Miles’ mission to serve Christ in encouraging the church to do the same is growing stronger and stronger.  “Today” is releasing in October, our new single “Where I Wanna Go” is being played on station’s all over the country, “The Today Tour” kicks off in September, the Christmas CD “Believe” will release nationwide, the number of child sponsorships is rising, the church is hearing the Gospel preached, marriages are being restored, lives are being saved…  MAN, IT’S EXCITING!!!  Please keep us in prayer as we embark on another chapter in the story of 33Miles….  the best is yet to come.

Blessings,

Chris and Jason

And now for the icing on the cake….33Miles gets real with “Hotel World”

The guys of 33Miles are serious about their music and their ministry. They, like so many other bands out there, work really, really hard traveling the country day in and day out to share their music with the world. Life on the road has its ups and downs though, and can be tough- but lucky for them, tough times can be great sources of inspiration that spur on new amazing songs for them to sing.

Like this one right here…Check out the music video from 33miles that- I dare say- is their most personal and honest yet. ;)

You’re welcome!

Laura

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For All You Blog Junkies

August, 25 2010Comment

For those of you who live for updated FreeCCM blogs, for those who surf wordpress and blogspot for a new post from a friend or someone you don’t even know just to read the sad, funny, confusing, and inspiring words that appear on their page, have we got a treat for you.

Many of our artist friends are fellow bloggettes (bloggies? bloggers?), and ya’ll definitely need to check out their blogs.

Just be warned, you may become addicted.  It’s worth the risk.

Here are some good ones to check out:

33Miles- God, Gear, and Guitars

Addison Road- Band Blog; Jenny’s Blog: Cupcakes, Sprinkles, and Other Happy Things

Building429- Band Blog

Chasen- Band Blog

Darlene Zschech- Band Blog

Decyfer Down- Band Blog; Tour Blog

Derek Webb- Band Blog

Disciple- Band Blog

Fee- Band Blog

Joy Whitlock- Band Blog

MercyMe- Band Blog

Phil Wickham- Band Blog

Sara Groves- Different Kinds Of Happy; Band Blog

Stellar Kart- Band Blog

The Afters- Band Blog

Todd Agnew- Band Blog

Enjoy!

Mikaela

5:12 pm
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Meet The Afters’ “Myspace Girl”

August, 23 2010Comment

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The Afters came out with a song most of you probably remember called “Myspace Girl.” It turns out that the song is actually a true story about their former bass player and a fan of theirs. I know it sounds crazy! We were able to track down this Myspace Girl and interview her speaking about how it all happened. Today we are going to let a fan tell you the story behind a song, so check it out below. Oh, and don’t forget The Afters’ new CD is available to pre-buy on their website now with 3 instant downloads, an exclusive t-shirt and more!

Any one have any questions for Wendy or maybe a similar experience? Leave a comment and let us know.

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Skillet Bible Study Friday #1

August, 20 2010Comment

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Hello Everyone!

It’s me. Rachel. I feel like this summer is flying by – school has already started for most kids in Nashville. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me – but there’s something weird about starting school when it’s still so stinkin’ hot outside. I digress. I am getting WAY off track.

ANYWAY… we’re starting something new here on FreeCCM.com. Starting today – and for the next few Fridays – we’ll be posting some devotionals that were inspired by some of Skillet’s latest songs. Today, we’ll be reading John 18:10-11 and talking about how we define “Heroes” and how we should START defining “Heroes”, according to Jesus.

Ready, set, read!

HERO

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“Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) Jesus commanded Peter, ‘Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?’” – John 18:10-11

If Jesus had known Peter was carrying a sword, he would have put a stop to it. He knew Peter belonged to a group of radicals called the Zealots who were furious about Rome’s oppression against the Jewish people. Peter was prone to get angry at times, even violent.

But Jesus hoped Peter had changed. It had been several years since this young, hotheaded revolutionary walked away from his family’s business to take after Jesus. He was livid over how the Romans treated the Jews. They were abusive and harsh. But Jesus tried to show Peter a different way to respond.

“If you live by the sword, you’ll die by the sword,” Jesus told him.

Those of us without a hero go lashing out at every injustice and offense. We see ourselves as vigilantes for what’s right. After all, who else is going to stop them? No wonder Peter carried a weapon under his clothes. He couldn’t see a better way.

We don’t carry real swords, of course, but our weapons of choice can be just as dangerous. It’s a sharp tongue that cuts down other people. It’s the cold silence with which we freeze others out. It’s the slander we speak against them. It’s the poisonous anger that boils up inside us.

Peter didn’t understand the kind of hero Jesus came to be. He only had the human perspective. So when Jesus spoke about liberating Israel, Peter thought it was from Roman rule. When Jesus spoke of a new kingdom, Peter thought it was an earthly one.

But Jesus was talking about so much more. He was talking about spiritual freedom. He was talking about a Heavenly kingdom. Peter underestimated the kind of life Jesus promised to bring.

There is a new kind of hero that Jesus introduced to us. It’s not very gratifying to our human desires; it doesn’t seem very effective; and it feels like we’re letting others get away with their abuses. But it’s the superhuman way. It’s the way of the divine. And quite frankly, it’s the only way that works. It’s the way of trusting Jesus, our hero.

No one else can heal the ills of our society. No one else can restore our marriages. No one else can bring justice to the persecuted or restore fathers to the fatherless. Only Jesus.

When Jesus admonished Peter to put away his sword and he miraculously replaced Malchus’ ear, he was showing a more heroic way. It was the kind of heroism that gives life, rather than takes it.

At this moment in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus needed to surrender because his death on the cross would bring eternal life to every generation to come. This was God’s plan; this was the “cup” Jesus needed to drink. And without knowing it, Peter was fighting against this purpose.

Laying down our swords doesn’t mean we’re victims. It means we’re embracing the kind of heroism that Jesus demonstrated. He gave his life on the cross so that others wouldn’t have to. As we seek to live like Jesus, we’ll find that our own sacrificial responses show Jesus to everyone around us.

And now an update from Skillet..

Have a blessed weekend!

-Rachel

11:52 am
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Heather Williams- Preview The New EP And Download A Free Song

August, 17 20102 Comments

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You may remember Heather Williams from some of our previous posts, but if not, now is the time to get to know her and her music. Today is an exciting one because Heather’s brand new 4 song EP is out on iTunes, Amazon, etc, and to celebrate we’re streaming clips of the songs for you to preview PLUS we’ve got a free download of her song off the Catalyst Music Project. Heather also has an amazingly powerful story about overcoming life trials of abuse, homelessness, poverty and more, and she shared just a glimpse of that with us in the video below so don’t leave without watching it!

Preview Heather’s brand new EP here, and let us know what you think!

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Click here to go get these songs on iTunes!

Go get this week’s download from Heather- “Emmanuel,” off the Catalyst Music Project.

Heather talks about the process for writing her single “Hallelujah”

Hallelujah is a really special song to me. About a year after my son Caedmen died, I was sitting on the floor, and I had my husband’s guitar and I was just kind of strumming. He had shown me 3 or 4 chords, and I was just sitting there, and I was at such a place where I was so broken. I wasn’t mad a God and I wasn’t questioning God, but I had really just made a decision to keep an open dialogue with God; not just inside, but coming out of my mouth; because I’m not fooling him. And I think that’s like when you read about David in the bible where he’s really giving his heart to God through his mouth- I think God likes that, he likes that relationship. So I said ‘okay’ and started strumming from G to C and back and I just started asking Jesus to show up just right where I was. I think the cry of it, saying ‘Hallelujah’ and saying ‘even in this place on a floor with a guitar crying out in a blubbering mess I’m still going to say Halleluiah, and I’m still going to say that I love you, and I’m’ still going to want to glorify you in anything and everything.’ And me just being able to say ‘through all that I can stand because of God’ and maybe somebody can look at that and say ‘So can I!’ you know? Maybe they haven’t been through the loss of a child, but everybody has something. I’m convinced that every person on this planet has something that’s happened to them, or they’re going through now, or they’re going to go through that God needs to reach in, and they need to be able to say ‘God, I give it up to you.’ So, if I can be just a little bit of somebody having hope because they see that I went through it, and through a song like “Hallelujah.” -Heather

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More Beautiful You

August, 16 2010160 Comments

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When Jonny Diaz wrote his hit single, “More Beautiful You,” I don’t think he could have predicted the impact it made on women of all ages across the country.

While society tells us there will always be someone more beautiful than us, or someway to make ourselves more beautiful by trying this or losing that, Jonny’s song reminds us that we are God’s masterpiece, His perfect imperfection, and He doesn’t make mistakes.

So Jonny teamed up with his mother, Gwendolyn Diaz, and together they wrote the book “More Beautiful You,” a short study on “true beauty” through God’s eyes.  It’s an encouragement to all women who have been worn down by societies expectations that you’re not alone in your struggles, and that there could never be a “More Beautiful You.”

Here’s the powerful music video for “More Beautiful You”:

Jonny’s book is on sale now on his website, but I have five books here with me that I’m looking to give away.  Comment back on this post with your definition of true beauty, and I’ll randomly choose five winners in 2 weeks (8/30) and send you his book!

Tell someone they’re beautiful today,

Mikaela

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Sneak Peek Of The Week & Guest Album Review!

August, 13 20101 Comment

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We’ve got some more exciting sneak peeks for you this week!

(1) FIRST OF ALL- The Afters are previewing the 2nd track from their upcoming album called “You Lift Me Up.”

I can’t even tell you how much I love this song, so please just go experience it for yourself and let me know what you think. Lead singer, Josh Havens, gave a little behind the scenes info on the song:

You Lift Me Up is the first song that Matt and I wrote with our new bandmates, Dan and Jordan. We all experience the ups and downs of life. God is with us when we need Him most. He lifts us up when we fall and carries us when we can’t go on. And above all, He loves us…even when we feel unlovable.– Josh  Click here to go listen to “You Lift Me Up”

(2) SECOND OF ALL- We have more brand new songs for you to listen to here from Disciple’s upcoming  album “Horseshoes And Handgrenades”

We heard the first 3 songs off the record last week, and now we’re moving onto Track 4-”Augustine” and track 5 -”Shot Heard Round The World” today! Take a listen below and- if you like what you hear- go get an INSTANT DOWNLOAD of the full record on the band’s website right now, PLUS 7 unreleased bonus tracks. Go check it out at DiscipleRocks.com

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(3) LASTLY- We have a special Disciple “Horseshoes And Handgrenades” album review feature from one of you guys who got the record and sent your thoughts in.

Thanks to Josh Fisher (this week’s winner) and everyone else who submitted your reviews! We have more to come, so keep sending them in to freeccmcontest@gmail.com. Check out Josh’s review of “Horseshoes And Handgrenades” below, and visit his blog “Christian Rock OBSESSION” for more of the latest Christian rock reviews from him!

Disciple is one of those bands that has been around for so long, it’s common sense to identify them as an “experienced” group.  Over the years, they’ve gained a knack for repeatedly putting out good albums, and this summer are back with yet another.  After a significant lineup change and a transition to a decidedly more “Southern” style with their last album, Disciple returns once again with Horseshoes & Handgrenades.

As the title seems to imply, quite a bit of that Southern vibe has stuck with the band for this time around.  But if you consider the second half, you’ll also notice that it appears to indicate a ferocity found in some of their earlier work.  And indeed, Horseshoes & Handgrenades contains some of the heaviest songs from Disciple to date while still holding onto a lot of the Southern feel, both in the guitars and vocals.  Songs like “Watch It Burn,” “Shot Heard ‘Round The World,” and “The Ballad Of St. Augustine” are a lot like the heavier songs that might have been featured on Scars Remain, the latter with parts sounding similar to a metal song.

On the other hand, we have songs like “Dear X, You Don’t Own Me,” “Invisible,” and “Collision” that are highly melodic and undoubtedly heartfelt, all the while keeping the rock status intact.  ”Invisible” is even reminiscent of Skillet back in their Comatose era.  Both songs may be slightly softer in tone, but they’re still hard rockin’ tracks.

The lyrics remain highly encouraging all through the album.  If you’ve heard all or some of a Disciple album before, you can be sure that their style of songwriting still has not wavered from its uplifting state.

Those who find themselves liking the band’s slower ballads more than anything are out of luck for this round.  The last song on the album is the only one that might be considered a “ballad,” even though its quite a bit heavier than their songs like “After The World.”  It’s a shame, because Disciple had a few good ones on their last album.

Horseshoes… is an album for those fans looking for something heavy this summer.  It’s the band’s heaviest yet, while still containing a few mid-tempo tracks.  It’s still hard to say whether or not they’ve topped any of their previous works, but in terms of heaviness, that’s a definite.  Their amazing live show is sure to be be affected by these new songs, stepping things up to a completely new level.  Disciple is back, and you don’t want to miss out on this album.

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