Frequency Podcast

Back in August, Michael W. Smith released his new single “A Million Lights” to the world as a sampling of his new full-length album to be released early next year. We at Frequency tend to look out into the blogosphere, the industry, the other podcasts and gauge the response of consumers and industry experts, to get their take on new releases.I’m sad to report, that there has been very little by way of review or response to the song. The reviews (which are all glowing 5 stars) on Amazon are not the type I’m talking about – they are effectively just copies of press releases. So where is the response to the song?I (Dan), thought long and hard about whether to write a review. After all, it seems like the song has widespread acclaim and in Michael’s own words:“I don’t recall being this excited about a single in a long time,” says Smith. “I’m very happy with how ‘A Million Lights’ has turned out and am anxious to get it from my studio out into the world! I believe the message of this song will be inspiring to everyone who hears it.”So with all the grace I can muster and affection I hold for Michael as a fan going back to the early days, I’ll submit a quick, humble and honest review.From a production perspective, I never have a criticism about Michael’s team’s ability to put out well-mastered material. With the bulk of the production being synth and sequencer-based tracks, it’s not overly difficult to do so. Even Michael’s signature voice is expected and spot on to what his fans will expect – albeit always maintaining an element of nasal weakness that is uniquely coupled with a natural vocal buzz.Where things fall off the rails is in originality and lyrical content. The song, if written and released under any other name, would not have reached the critical acclaim or widespread success it seems to have achieved. Let’s be honest. Would it reach CCM radio? Absolutely. Why? Because it feels good, it sounds good and it challenges nothing. Now to be fair, not all Christian music needs to pierce the heart and beat you into the reality of taking up our cross. But there’s not even a hint of Christ in this song. The lyrics blend into easy listening and inspirational like a pale colour on a Pinterest board. I believe consumers deserve better, deserve depth. And after multiple decades of songwriting and success, it’s appropriate for Smith to be a bit bold and take a few risks. Unfortunately, Michael has gone the other way, and I’m afraid he’ll be giving us an entire meal of what this sampler provided. “Smitty” will always be loved and respected on many levels. He’s chosen his friendships and affiliations wisely. I just wish he had someone in the room that was prepared to challenge the “by the numbers” type of song in this release. Someone needs to ask: “What does this song even mean to the average listener?” Give us better Michael. Challenge the listener to reflect on something more than gazing at the stars, lights, dancing and feeling.

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In our first of a two-part interview, Joe connects with Marc Alan Schelske, a writer, speaker, hobbyist theologian, and recovering fundamentalist. Marc just released his excellent and timely book, "The Wisdom of Your Heart" that challenges Christian myths about emotions.

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Our long-awaited conversation with the frontman of The City Harmonic. Elias is a thoughtful, intelligent, and hard-working guy with excellent perspective on what it means to find the balance between fulfillment as an artist and the pragmatic nature of providing for his family.

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You've likely noticed things have been a bit quiet of late. We just wanted to check in with our listeners and explain why we've been absent the past couple of months.

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The front man from The City Harmonic shares a quick bit of wisdom regarding song selection and what does (and doesn't) ultimately save us. Share with a friend.

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We admit it: sometimes it can be difficult to get us to move off of high center. You can put wonderful art right in front of our faces - we will even enjoy and appreciate it - and yet we can get so buried in the day-to-day existence that we fail to bring it to you. That was nearly the case with The Beatitudes Project, an album, book, and documentary film from songwriter/guitarist Stu G. It's an ambitious and timely project, well-crafted and striking in its reexamination of the blessings from the Sermon on the Mount. We were taken with it immediately.Thankfully, a good friend of the podcast, Pam Ettien, shared her enthusiasm for the project and encouraged us to reach out to Stu. She even offered to take on the role of researcher if we could schedule an interview. So we did. The result is our latest Amp'd Interview and a glimpse into the heart of the visionary behind The Beatitudes Project.

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It's probably safe to say that we don't mind playing favorites - especially when it comes to folks like Ross King. Yes, he's a talented singer/songwriter who doesn't mind pushing up against Christian music industry norms. But he's also a vocal - and perhaps unintended - ambassador for Christian artists, rejecting "too safe" conventions that hamper creativity and advocating for honest dialogue.

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The name Matty Mullins is more likely to be known within the circle of secular metalcore aficionados than amongst consumers of contemporary Christian music. He's the frontman for the hugely popular metalcore band Memphis May Fire. But he's also a Christ follower and is preparing to release his second solo effort, Unconditional, a CCM-ready collection of irresistible pop.

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Our guest this episode, Greg Sykes, is one of those folks that we seem to run into a lot, and we're always the better for it. The Covenant Award winning songwriter and worship leader hails from St. Catherines, Ontario (Canada!). His debut EP, Reverse, was released March 10, 2017, by Integrity Music.

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With the busyness and wonder of the Easter season behind us, Dan and Joe finally had the chance to take a deep breath and jump back into new episodes. That means we're ready to share Part 2 of our interview with Joel Vaughn. We pick up just where Part 1 ended Joel began to describe his transition to signing with Dream Label Group. Enjoy!

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