ALBUM REVIEW - PSALMS BY RECLAIM THE DAY

 

Definitely a better late than never review! On June 11, 2022, I heard Reclaim the Day the day after this project was released. Today is July 29, 2023. Oh well.

I love the artwork for this project. One word of warning - there are projects called Psalms (e.g. The Psalm Project) where the songs are Biblical Psalms set to music. There are others who use the Biblical Hebrew word for "song" (you guessed it, Psalm) but these Psalms are more contemporary. This fits into the latter category. (So does Disciple's latest release, "Skeleton Psalms.")

Reclaim The Day released three singles before this EP. Two of these - 2022 WVIU rock song of the year "Sentenced To Life" and "Chokehold" which teams RTD's lead vocalist with Zahna - lead off this project. For some reason the third single, "Who You Are" didn't get included (it deserved to have made the cut). 

The other three songs are as good as the singles. "Yours Alone," which pairs Becca Sugg with Alex Beattie, is an excellent, worshipful song. The band rocks out again on "Say Goodbye," which has been recently released as a single. This project closes with "Don't Look Back."

Those who know me know I'm a Reclaim The Day fan. You can check them out on Spotify and YouTube and their Facebook page.

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2022 WVIU MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES AND WINNERS

WVIU Music Awards

  As I was going through the list of nominees for the '22 WVIU Music Awards, I found the list for female fronted bands. Included were Divine Martyr, Reclaim The Day, Saving Jackie, and Undefeated. Do those names sound familiar? And why is each one underlined and in blue? That means they're links to interviews I've done with these four bands. So which one do I vote for? Not an easy decision. Same thing with Rock Song for the year where two of the nominees were my two favorite songs from the past year - "Fear" by Divine Martyr and "Sentenced To Life" by Reclaim The Day. 

I smiled when I saw these four bands and Samuel Day on the list of nominees. I also saw several artists I was unfamiliar with. Some of them I have since interviewed (Brave Worship, Crystoria, Toni Lashaun, and Yung Priest Da Preacher), and others I have contacted and hope to have their interviews soon.

So allow me to start with congratulating the past and hopefully future interviewees.

SONGWRITER ON THE RISE: CRYSTORIA!  I had the honor of interviewing her last month.

VOTING MEMBER'S CHOICE - WORSHIP PROJECT OF THE YEAR: BRAVE WRSHIP (NICOLE DRENNAN). Her interview was just a couple of weeks ago, plus I had the opportunity to hear her at Get To The Point Festival with Reclaim The Day, Divine Martyr, Tempus Unum, Hush Harbor, and Inarticulate Bones.

LISTENER'S CHOICE - SONGS THAT REMIND US OF OUR PURPOSE: "YOU CHOSE ME" BY TONI LASHAUN. Well deserved! That song has been a blessing to me.

 

FEMALE FRONTED BAND: UNDEFEATED! 

 

BASSIST OF THE YEAR: LOGAN MOREHOUSE OF RECLAIM THE DAY!

LEAD GUITARIST OF THE YEAR: MARCUS SUGG OF RECLAIM THE DAY!

ROCK SONG OF THE YEAR: "SENTENCED TO LIFE" BY RECLAIM THE DAY! (I don't sound excited, do I?)

Left to right: Logan Morehouse, Becca Sugg, Marcus Sugg.

Congratulations to both all the above and those listed below, as well as to the well deserved nominees.

• Gospel Singer of the Year- Carrie Davis
• Contemporary Artist on the Rise- Appointed
• Worship Song of the Year- "REFINER" by Jesseca Toovey
• Industrious Women in Music- Tiffany Coleman aka: MIZ TIFFANY
• Best New Artist- TORI TELLEM
• Inspirational Song of the Year- "HOPE FOR THE WORLD" by Daniel Evans
• Favorite Christian Rap Duo- Bro. Glenn & C.O.G. (WayyMakker)
• Gospel Singer on the Rise- Lisa Johnson
• Drummer of the Year- MASON BEARD
• Inspirational Artist on the Rise- MATTHEW ELIAS MCQUEEN
• Pop Artist on the Rise- KATELYN DOYLE
• Solo Acoustic Artist of the Year- BRIAN HOFFPAUER
• Poetic Lyricist of the Year- "QUESTIONS" by B/CHRISS
• Americana Artist of the Year- GREG ALLSUP aka: FryKatz
• Male Rap/Hip Hop Artist on the Rise- JOSHUA SCALES
• Contemporary Song of the Year- "CALL OUT HIS NAME" by Brooklynn Nicole
• Male Rock Vocalist of the Year- JARON COX
• Country Artist of the Year- MELISSA LEIGH
• Favorite Female Rap/Hip Hop Artist- MS. LAVISH
• Listeners Choice~ Christian Rap Song of the Year- "BRIGHTER" by SKY feat. 1kPhew
• Song of the Year- "THERE SHE GO" by Tori Tellem
• Favorite Male Rap/Hip-Hop Artist- SKY
• Album of the Year- "HEART ON MY SLEEVE" by Tom Taylor
• Favorite Christian Pop Song- "CHILD OF GOD" by Katelyn Doyle
• Songwriter of the Year- MATTHEW ELIAS MCQUEEN
• Worship Vocalist on the Rise- ANGEL VEGA
• Songs on Repeat- "SIDE STEP THE DEVIL" by Bro. Glenn & C.O.G.
• The Future Generation of Music- GULLY MARK