James B. (wandersoul73) from LINDALE, TX Reviewed on 9/3/2012...
Wow, this cd is packed to overfilling with wondrous tunes!
Laurie F. (laurielee) from SISTERS, OR Reviewed on 10/12/2009...
This is a great CD. Addison Road's lead singer has a voice that is intoxicating. I am not normally a fan of groups whose lead singer is female, but this is the exception. Great songs, great lyrics. A great heart for God in their music.
CD Reviews
All That Matters is that You Buy This Album
JQ | Helena, MT USA | 03/23/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"My first experience with Addison Road was their radio single "Hope Now." For some reason, that song made an impact with me; it stood out as a beautifully poetic, energizing, articulate ballad in the midst of its merely "good" peers. So, I was excited at the opportunity to see Addison Road perform at the "Rock and Worship Road Show" alongside MercyMe, Jeremy Camp, 10th Avenue North, and Hawk Nelson. Although they only held the stage for 3, maybe 4 songs, Addison Road made an impression. At 8.5 months pregnant, a slower pace and some breathlessness were expected, but lead singer Jenny Simmons bounced around the stage like a 4-year-old on a sugar high, and she belted out her energetic lines with clarity and seemingly boundless enthusiasm. When she came back out for an acoustic performance of "What Do I Know of Holy?", I was sold as an Addison Road fan.
After the concert, I listened to the CD several times. Addison Road strikes me as "Superchick for adults." They don't settle into a single sound for the entire album, which is nice when listening all the way through; you don't get bored. "All That Matters" forces you to move and makes passers-by look at you oddly; "Sticking With You" keeps you in that mood. As I mentioned before, "Hope Now" is just beautiful and mesmerizing to listen to. "It Just Takes One" is a solidly Superchick-ish single. And so forth; all decent songs, with some outstanding ones.
That final ballad, though, is really what sold me. "What Do I Know of Holy?" I'm trying to find the most poignant line or two to include in my review, but I'd have to post the whole thing. It's just such a wake-up call to those of us who think we know "all there is to know" about God. Sometimes we need a bit of a reality check to remember just how insignificant we really are in comparison to God. It makes the fact that He cares about (and died for) each of us individually that much more awesome and incomprehensible. This song has been going through my head for a week now, and I can't thank Addison Road enough for giving it to the world.
Bottom line, support this band; they have a lot more to give us in the years to come."
Great Debut (at least I think it is)
Nathan Cooper | Houston, TX | 12/27/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This group that is partly from Baylor U in Waco, TX has made a great debut, with at least a couple of the songs being radio-worthy, with the first being 'Hope Now'. This group has a great sound and should be around for a while."
Addison Road CD Review
E. MCCLAIN | Wichita, KS USA | 11/22/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"An excellent contemporary Christian CD. The lead vocal sound is unique and well worth the investment and listening pleasue."
Talent Lies Beneath Overproduction
Nathan Eveland | Waterloo, NY | 12/01/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Christian pop band Addison Road's record label debut should please those who like a female-fronted group with an upbeat/alternative flair. Most of the songs, such as single "All that Matters" or the bass-heavy "It Just Takes One", are catchy and friendly enough that everyone can sing along with them. Ultimately, however, they're forgettable thanks in large part to the overproduction of the album. Many of the tracks end up sounding alike, and the talent of Jenny Simmons' singing is often drowned out by surging guitars and drums that seem like they're competing with one another.
In the latter part of the album, softer, more melodic tracks like "Always Love", "Run", and standout "What Do I Know of Holy" allow Simmons' vocals to breathe and even soar at times. These tracks balance out the heavier, more derivative sound of the earlier songs and save the album from mediocrity. "What Do I Know of Holy" in particular, on its own, makes the record worth owning. It speaks of the singer's humble realization of how little she really knows her creator: "What do I know of You, who spoke me into motion? Where have I even stood, but the shore along Your ocean?"
This album is a promising debut for a Christian band that has plenty of talent. Addison Road is one group that I'll be following in the future."
Good use of harmony, lyrics
Matt Deronda | GA, USA | 10/30/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Addison Road did a great job blending harmonies (2 stars) and female vocals with overall good lyrics (1/2 star). While none of the music is incredibly complex or intricate, the songs sound good (1/2 star), and are overall pleasing to the ear (1 star). It's a good album, overall, though it could have been a little longer."