The Year of the Eucharist may be over, but the fruits of its blessings live on. One of the most powerful CDs to emerge from this has to be Annie Karto's Perfect Sacrifice. Karto is known for her popular song used during Priesthood Sunday, “You Are A Priest Forever,” and her award-winning “Overshadow Me.” With "Perfect Sacrifice", Karto continues to prove what extraordinary vocal and writing talents she has. The music has a relaxing and meditative style, but there is nothing boring about it. I found myself listening to every word being sung and each one charged me with a greater love of God and His gifts to us. Professional musicians playing violin, cello, mandolin, flute, percussion and more helped make this CD complete.
The theme of "Perfect Sacrifice"centers on the Eucharist and the title track is a perfect example of Karto’s love for this Sacrament. Beautiful string instruments blend with her awesome vocals in this song of love for the Body and Blood of Christ received at Mass. “Sanctify” gives us a prayer to offer as we receive the Body of Christ, while the song “Stay With Us Lord” ask His Presence to remain with us after we are fed by His Body. “In The Breaking Of The Bread,” a song about the disciples on the road to Emmaus, brilliantly ties into the theme by describing the mood when their eyes were opened to Jesus as He broke the bread and they then knew He was alive. Karto also shares in song some of her favorite older traditional hymns like “Ave Maria,” “Adoramus Te Domine” and ”O Lord I Am Not Worthy.” The song that everyone will talk about from this CD is “How Beautiful.” This is a love song for Jesus in all He has done for us. The music and message are wonderful, but it is the duet with popular Catholic artist Donna Cori Gibson that will leave you speechless. Both vocals blend together in soul touching amazement. I would not be surprised to see this song up for awards in the next year. In all, Perfect Sacrifice is a contemplative recording designed to rekindle in the listener a Eucharistic amazement.

Speaking of Donna Cori Gibson she has released a new collection of well-known Christmas songs entitled A Traditional Christmas. All I can say is, it 's about time! Gibson has one of the most beautiful voices in Catholic music today and letting her get a hold of some of the most beloved Christmas songs that we all grew up with is a natural. All these songs are about the real meaning of Christmas: the birth of Jesus. There's no Santa Claus, no winter snow, no "season's greetings" songs here. Giving us a bit of Jesus’ Jewish lineage, Gibson start off the record with “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” Her powerful vocals blend stunningly with the captivating music of this Advent song. Combining piano and strings together, Gibson brings out the true meaning of “O Holy Night.” I was taken back to the days of listening to my parents' old “Living Strings” vinyl records with “Hark The Herald Angles Sing.” Gibson uses the "easy listening" standard to give it that older Christmas feel. I loved it! “Coventry Carol” stands out as Gibson does it cappella . Other songs include “Joy to the World,” “Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming,” “Angels We Have Heard On High,” “Gesu Bambino,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Silent Night,” “Il Est Ne, Le Divin Enfant,” and many more. With all the schools, stores, radio stations and public displays taking Jesus' birth out of Christmas and even in some cases taking away the word "Christmas," it's time for a CD like Donna Cori Gibson’s A Traditional Christmas.

To Every Mother is the debut CD from Catholic singer/songwriter Mary Donahue. Donahue has been inspiring families these last few years by concerts and television appearances. The secret is her angelic vocals and the mixture of mesmerizing music and the poignant message of her ministry. Donahue has a similar style to Gretchen Harris, Susan Wood, or Donna Lee. The CD is held together with a common theme of mothers. “Halleluiah Lullaby” “Song Of Promise," and “Sing Of Mary” are geared to praise the motherhood of Mary, Mother of God. “We Cherish You” is a precious song about adopted children and how the adoptive parents feel about them. In this song Donahue shares vocals with Tim Doering as he sing the father’s part. One of the most powerful messages from the CD comes from the song “Never be The Same.” This song is sung by a mother who has aborted her child and later realizes what she has done. The cries of bitter anguish and forgiveness will touch your heart. Donahue was asked to write a song for a Homeschool Conference based on Pope John Paul II's encyclical "Familiaris Consortio." The song is called “One Family At A Time.” In it we are called as parents of children to teach, train, guide, and instruct the lives entrusted to us toward the light of Christ. One other Mother that Donahue has found inspiration in is Mother Teresa. “A Prayer Of Mother Teresa,” is inspired by her prayer “Jesus, teach me to love as you love.” To Every Mother is a CD that offers a message of hope and healing to all mothers.

The early Catholic Church knew you needed to make a joyful noise unto the Lord and many famous musicians including Mozart, Handel, Hayden and others turned their talents to giving praise during the Mass. Songs of the Church were done in their style. In modern day this was recently done by Sal Solo. His Anno Domini Mass has been so popular it has been recorded in several different languages including Polish and Spanish. (See our sister site www.reddemusicacatolica.com for the Spanish version.) This year Solo is aiming for yet another audience with this collection of Mass tunes: Teens. A new CD called Teen Mass For The Millennium, gathers all the songs from the Anno Domini Mass and places them in a style geared for teens. Gone from this version are the orchestras, monks and classical voices, in favor of a more familiar guitar/drums sound. The Apostle’s Creed song “We Believe” has been converted into a hand clapping, head bobbing tune. Electric guitar, harp, and a drum machine mix with Solo’s vocals to pray the “Our Father.” The “Alleluia” is given a reggae beat and sung beautifully with a choir. The other songs from the Mass are included and have a lighter meditative design to them. Through his travels across the country, Sal Solo has seen that there is a need to keep the youth interested in their Catholic faith. Teen Mass For The Millennium will seal those traditions in them in a fresh new way.

Looking for some praise music that will knock you off your chair and onto your feet? Look no further than the sound of John Angotti on his new CD Angotti LIVE. This is a collection of the best songs by Angotti recorded live in Memphis Tennessee. It's the energy that comes from a concert like this that would even put Elvis to shame. It's awesome! Angotti’s vocals are powerful as he sings along side Meredith Dean Joseph, Bethany Paige, Kevin Paige, Mike O’Brien, and Equoia Coleman in this live production. "Angotti LIVE" has a sound that really makes this seem more like a studio CD than a live concert, except for the audience’s clapping and cheering. The recording is brilliant. Music is taken for Angotti’s past CDs “Rise Up, My People," "Common Ground," and "Testify." The only new song is the top 40 contemporary Christian hit, "I Can Only Imagine." Angotti breaths a different life into this crossover tune. As with his past CDs John Angotti embraces all styles of music on "Angotti LIVE," but energetic, youthful exuberance is his hallmark and it remains so here.
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                                                                                                                                            --Jeff Burson, Nov 2005