Recently I took my children to a concert and they started asking a lot of "where are they now" questions about different musicians. I told them many never make it past the second CD, because they have worked so hard on first that the second one is dull or dry. It's sometimes hard for a musician to move on to the next level. The next day Sarah Bauer's second CD Lead Me Home comes across my desk. Her debut CD, Delighting in Dreams, was a great CD and I looked forward to this new one. Thinking about what I had talked about the night before, I put the CD in my player. WHAM! Any doubts were squashed! I found myself listening to a high-energy powerhouse of a CD. Lyrically and musically, this CD rocks and blends perfectly with Bauer’s smooth and passionate vocals. This is the kind of music that can be played both on Christian and secular radio. The title track shares a different view of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. In it she is looking for more in life and longing for home and heaven not knowing that the shoes of His grace are there with her all the time. Having complete faith in God is the idea behind “See Me Through.” Bauer gives this a harder edge sound and even has a moment to sound like pop singer Alanis Morissette. It's the song “Mary’s Got My Back” that will be the talk of this CD. It has an almost rock/bluesy sound and portrays the Mother of God as protector of her children. (One wonders if Bauer is making an inside joke to the rock group Creed’s song ‘Who’s Got My Back?) “Only You” is a little pop song where Bauer lists her favorite things in life (Mocha Frappaccinos, Italian food and free wi-fi are a few), but nothing beats out the Lord! Bauer looks at the delight we get when we follow God’s will for our lives in “Cause To Laugh". She tells of story of Abraham and Sarah and the Annunciation and what joy these women felt in following God’s plan. Bauer’s strong vocals shine in her version of the classic “Amazing Grace.” She has taken the roots of the song and made them her own. With Lead Me Home, Sarah Bauer has shown she is not a flash-in- the-pan artist, but one who continues to grow in music and faith.

Katie Rose is a new artist who has both hip and angelic vocals. Her CD Carry On highlights those awesome pipes that have a sound like a mix between Nora Jones and Sheryl Crow. Her laid-back coffee house sound is demonstrated on the tune “You Take Me Away,” a song about letting Christ into your heart and feeling so alive because of it. “Wash Over Me” echoes that in answering God’s call and feeling free from all sin. Rose gives into a little Doobie Brothers / Blues Traveler sound in “Junction Song.” She sings that the road to home is not easy, but worth the bumps. In “Humble Shepherd” Rose sings to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and lays all the day's sufferings at His feet. Slowing things down with some a cappella, Rose sings "Ave Maris Stella" (Hail, thou Star of Ocean.) This is taken from a hymn to Our Lady in the Breviary. The song is not out of place and will give you goose bumps. The song goes hand-in-hand with the song about Rose’s mother in the title track “Carry On.” In it her mom ask for Mother Mary’s help and for the Lord to lead her in all she must do in her busy day. Katie Rose reminds us no matter how hard the road is ahead to smile and Carry On.

Switching gears from vocals to beautiful piano music, we have Joe Curry. In Focus is a CD of wonderful instrumentals by this composer-performer. Each song tells its own story since no words are used. Curry uses a style called programmatic tone poem, which was used in the late 19th century and early 20th century by such composers as Liszt, Strauss and Debussy. He has taken this concept and, using a contemporary styling, offered a reflection for each instrumental piece to which you can further add your own reflections and personal passions. Some of these include "Navigator," a song about taking the uncharted waters as you sail through life.; "Roman Sunset," a tune about the sun falling over the places where Christ walked. Seeing Jesus in those all us is the message behind “Eyes of a Stranger.” “Three Shadows" highlight the Trinity and reminds us that we are always safe under the view of the Godhead. In Focus deals with looking at your life and seeing if it is leading you toward that heavenly goal. Each song will touch your life in a special way.

I'm thrilled we finally have Nancy Krebs at CatholicMusicNetwork.com. Her fifth and newest collection is called Songs From The Heart, and its a brand new CD with styles ranging from a capella to joyous reggae. This was a surprise for me since I have heard Krebs' other music and always thought of her as a female John Michael Talbot. She still has that meditative style in the vocals. This new CD was inspired by the spirituality of several great saints and by various Gospel passages. One such Saint is Vincent Pallotti, who felt his calling was to awaken in all Catholics their deep conviction of their call to the apostolate and to renew their love so that this call would be fully realized. In the song “Waiting For Me,” those words ring true in doing all things through Christ. More writings by St. Pallotti have inspired Krebs in writing a Marian song, “Queen Of The Apostles.” The Saint had a strong devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Krebs echoes that love asking her to strengthen us and send us in to the world to share in His love. This song was the number one Marian song in the US (2004) and fifth at the XX World Festival of Marian Songs in Guatemala, representing the United States. Other Saints songs include “You Are Enough For Us,” based on the thoughts of Sts. Frances and Clare of Assisi, and “Strengthen Me,” written from the prayers of St. Ignatius Loyola. “Humility” is centered on Sirach 3:17 -18 which says, “My son, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are and you will find favor with God. For great is the power of God; by the humble He is glorified.”  It is this humility that comes across in Nancy Krebs' Songs From The Heart.

--Jeff Burson