Album Review: “Business Up Front/Party in the Back”-Family Force 5

“Come along now children. It’s time for a little music.” This sentence is the first line on Family Force 5’s 2006 debut offering Business Up Front/Party in the Back. I will be reviewing the Diamond Edition of the CD, with 3 extra songs.

1. “Cadillac Phunque”-A great opening song. “I’m rollin’ around, servin’ it up, I brought you some Cadillac Phunque!” 8-10
2. “Kountry Gentleman”-Possibly my favorite song from the album (I’m gonna say this about 4 songs). Great theme song for any boy from down South. “My momma raised me in the Dirty South, a Kountry Gentleman, so you best watch your mouth!” 9-10
3. “X-Girlfriend”-As with all the songs, FF5 has some catchy lyrics in this number. The lead singer, Soul Glow Activator, sings, “She just became my x-girlfriend.” Not exactly the most catchy, but it sticks. 8.5-10
4. “Drama Queen”-One of my least favorite songs, but it’s still great. “You go and talk behind my back. Don’t you know that’s whack? It’s a personal attack.” As I said, catchy. 7.9-10
5. “Put Ur Hands Up”-My least favorite song. The synthesizer saves the interesting lyrics. 7-10
6. “Love Addict”-Possibly my favorite song on the album. “Doctor, oh doctor, I’ve got an emergency. It seems I’m head over heels, a case of L-O-V-E!” 9.5-10
7. “Earthquake”-Probably my 2nd least favorite song. But it’s still cool. “The needle dropped. My track was hot. We began to rock. Our eyes were locked.” 7.8-10
8. “Replace Me”-Possibly my favorite song on the album. Maybe close to my favorite song of all. Relient K’s “From End to End” and a song later on this album beat it. One of the songs that is closest to being Christian. “My batteries died so long ago. There’s a heart-shaped box where they must go.” I absolutely like it. 9.9-10
9. “Lose Urself”-This starts out like a song from the disco era. But it turns into a pop-punk with some catchy voices and lyrics. “I must say that you captivate in so many ways that I can’t relate.” 8.5-10
10. “Peachy”-The song where you can understand the most lyrics. It’s fun. I read somewhere that it was written to convert a friend to Christianity. It ends up being fun and relaxed despite being a punk-rock band. “You, wanna talk about God Philosophy. I don’t think there’s anything wrong. I’ve got time, in fact lifelong.” 9-10
11. “Supersonic”-The synthesizer and guitar miz great to make this song a great party song. “Let go of yourself. It’ll be good for your health.” 8.7-10
12. “Numb”-”You know, cardboard is one of the coolest things invented by paper.” This song is about dancing. I don’t exactly enjoy it that much. 6.8-10
13. “I Love You to Death”- This begins like a hard rock song and continues with brief interludes of normalcy, Family Force 5 normalcy that is. This is an okay song, not my favorite but good. 8-10
14. “Face Down”-Decent. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it. 7.5-10
15. “Never Let Me Go”-This is the best song on the album. “You will never ever let me go!” This is the best song and has an interesting music video that everyone should see. 10-10

Average score: 8.407-10

Overall: This is one of my favorite albums ever. It has some catchy lyrics and great guitar-synthesizer combinations to make an unforgettable album. “Replace Me”, “Love Addict”, “Kountry Gentleman”, and “Never Let Me Go” are all great tracks that I can put on repeat and not get bored. This album has great mainstream potential that has not been fulfilled, but the Christian community has embraced this CD full on, with FF5 being named Best Artist, Best Band, Most Underrated Artist, Best Website (familyforce5.com), Best Live Performance, Artist You’d Most Like to See on the Cover of CCM (who created 5collector’s edition covers featuring each of the band’s members), and Most Likely to Be Breakout Artist of 2008. Thier video for “Love Addict” was 3rd behind tobyMac’s “Boomin’” video and Skillet’s “Whispers in the Dark”, and “Love Addict” was the number 2 best song behind Skillet’s “Rebirthing.” Also, FF5’s video for “Never Let Me Go” was a finalist for Best Short Form Music Video in the 2008 Dove Awards, the Christian msic idustry’s answer to the Grammys. Well, it’s time the world hears Family Force 5.

Grade: A-

Album Review: “Hawk Nelson is My Friend” by Hawk Nelson

Here they go again! The Canadian “pop-punk” group is back at their guitar-jamming, drum-pounding ways with their third studio album, Hawk Nelson is My Friend. I now will give you a song-by-song review and then give my disc review.

1.  ”You Have What I Need”-The band goes back to a formula that is similar to the songs “The One Thing I Have Left” and “Like a Racecar” on their previous albums. It is possibly my favorite song on the album.
2. “Friend Like That”-A great guitar riff gets us started on a great, peppy, fun song. It praises God for being a friend “that can set me free.” I like it……
3. “Turn It On”-It’s another song that has a similar ring to it, like “Late Show” on Letters to the President. It’s a fun song too with also some good guitar. A good dance song like “Bring ‘Em Out.”
4. “One Little Miracle”-Similar to “Zero” and “Everything You Ever Wanted”, this song talks about hardships and that there is a possibility that “one little miracle” could “get us through.” It’s a good song to listen to when you’re down because it brings you up.
5. “Let’s Dance”-A review I read called this song “the worst song on the record” in a review where he gave it a 1-star grade. It’s not exactly thought-provoking, except the line: “Money is the god we work for.” Then I had to listen a little closer. It doesn’t really make much sense after that.
6. “Ancient History”-Not many songs use a class name to draw you in, but this time it helped. It’s Jason Dunn singing once again about guy-girl angst. It’s pretty poppy and fun. I like it.
7. “Somebody Else”-A song of lament about who the singer used to be to a girlfriend, I think. “I used to be somebody else…the people around me, they all seem to tell me, that I tend to change like the seasons.” Very nice soft song, for Hawk Nelson that is.
8. “Arms Around Me”-A song asking God to “wrap your arms around me.” A good soft song.
9. “Just Like Me”-Jason Dunn is getting mad at a girl because he is “just like” him. Not my favorite.
10. “Not the Same”-After examining the lyrics, it looks a lot like “Zero.” It’s a song about the past, but with a twist: “Though it’s not the same without you.” Good song, not my favorite, but better than “Just Like Me” and “Let’s Dance.”
11. “Words We Speak”-I honestly don’t get this song. Good sound though.
12. “I Still Miss You”-Battles with “You Have What I Need” for best song on the album. Song about the lead singer who loses his grandma to cancer and still trusting God while mourning her death.

Overall: “Hawk Nelson is My Friend” is probably this Canada-based group’s weakest output so far. “You Have What I Need” and “I Still Miss You” are two songs worth listening to, while “Friend Like That” is pretty infectious and well-done. Othwerwise, this lacks mainstream potential and is not really my favorite. Check out their previous albums, “Letters to the President” and “Smile, It’s the End of the World”, to see a better sampling of Hawk Nelson music.

I need to give this a grade like FF5’s album.

Grade: B-