Search - Kristian Stanfill :: Attention

Not really new...

Anne | Baltimore, MD | 05/28/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"If you enjoy pop Christian music, like all the other Passion albums then you will likely enjoy this album. It has a good beat and decent lyrics. It isn't anything that stands out to me as being very different, but Kristian Stanfill has a voice that is easy to listen.



As for my personal feelings about the album, though, I've been puzzling about what to write. It really made me dig into what I think about worship music and other Christian music I enjoy listening to.



The conclusions I came to are these: When I listen to worship music, I want it to be solid Biblically and not merely a short chorus that is repeated over and over. I studied cults in college and that is one of their tactics to brainwash people. When I sing the same line over and over and over, I start feeling yucky knowing this. Secondly, when I listen to worship music, I want to love the Lord through my singing and have the words be about him, not the emotional high it might give me. Listening to one loud song after another tends to do that. Third, when I'm listening to Christian music for fun that isn't worship music (not meant for me to sing along to in church), I enjoy music that tells a story from the writer and singer's heart(s).



This album goes against all 3 of those things for me. I looked through the liner notes and I didn't see any Bible verses referenced nor could I discern, except for one song (that I did really enjoy), that the lyrics were very meaty Biblically. There are times when Kristian Stanfill repeats the same 1-3 lines several times and builds that drum beat to create an emotional high from the music. He does this over and over throughout the album. None of the songs really told a story. Anyone could have written these songs--I couldn't hear what made these songs different as I listened to these words. Sometimes that's a good thing and sometimes it's not. It depends on how you look at it.



One of the things I most appreciate about artists is when they share their hearts in their art. It's kind of like a scene I remember from a movie once when the art teacher kept encouraging her student to share her heart in her art--she could tell when she finally saw it. I believe that Kristian Stanfill's heart is in these songs--but there wasn't anything particularly personal about the lyrics and I would love to see that in the future when he records another album."

Pleasant Music That Brings You Closer to God

Professor Donald Mitchell | Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 97,000 Helpfu | 07/02/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

""The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud noise that could be heard far in the distance." -- Ezra 3:13



This CD has many good qualities including appealing music, good vocals, a solid bass line, and lots of percussion as a foundation. The sound is solid and consistent. I found my heart being moved closer to the Lord as I listened.



If your church doesn't have a worship team, you could use this CD for worship . . . or for the opening of a home Bible study. The CD liner has the lyrics included.



I found the music had a few drawbacks from my point of view:



1. I prefer worship music that exhibits more variety. This music seems more similar than different in beat and sound from song to song.



2. I also prefer music that doesn't use nearly as much repetition in the lyrics as these songs use.



3. I am also strengthened more by music that is based more on quoting the Word.



Praise the Lord!"

Thanks To Kristian Stanfill's Debut Album, My Attention Is F

J. B. Hoyos | Chesapeake, VA | 05/31/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For more than seven years, Kristian Stanfill has been serving as the worship leader at Alpharetta, Georgia's North Point Community Church. "Attention" is his impressive debut album with sixstepsrecords. It contains a superb collection of contemporary praise and worship songs that will reinvigorate your walk with the Lord. According to Stanfill, the purpose of "Attention" is to focus the listener's attention away from the materialistic world and back on the cross.



With songs like "Lord of All" and "Faithful", "Attention" explains the wonder, awe, power and love of our God. Most of the songs, such as "Go" and "Wake Up," emphasize the urgency of our need to worship Him. Time is running out. Jesus will soon be returning to Earth. It is time to wake up, go, and run towards Him. Hence the reason for the album's beautiful cover; it brilliantly depicts a Kaleidoscopic image of a cityscape (perhaps Atlanta) with the powerful sun shining in the background against the face of a huge clock. The atmospheric sun, like the Son of God, gets our attention every day, and from it we get nourishment and life.



The inspirational lyrics are easy to read and follow. I have read every word and disagree with none of them. I recommend and hope that worship leaders throughout the country play Kristian Stanfill's music. I would love to see the lyrics of his songs displayed on church media screens. These praise and worship songs make you want to lift up your hands and give praise to the Lord. I'm not ashamed to say they make me want to dance. I grew up on pop music. I use to dance for the Devil; now I dance for the Lord.



Kristian Stanfill either wrote or co-wrote most of the songs for "Attention." It is obvious that this charming young man is extremely talented, and He loves God and family. I wish him much success in the future. A devoted fan of the News Boys for many years, I now have another band to keep my eye on. I want to thank Kristian Stanfill for making me realize that my attention needs to always be focused on the Lord. I want to thank sixstepsrecords for blessing me with this album's release. Most of all, I want to thank the Amazon Vine Program for allowing me the opportunity to review "Attention."

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