New Needtobreathe album coming in August

This August 28, the band brings The Heat, their greatly-anticipated sophomore project. Joining the NEEDTOBREATHE team this time around is Word Entertainment, who will market and distribute the project in the CBA market alongside Atlantic's efforts in the mainstream.

With hit singles and non-stop touring in 2006, NEEDTOBREATHE finally slowed down to record The Heat in early 2007. Co-produced entirely by the band, the new project also features the stellar production work of Rick Beato (Shinedown, Jump Little Children) and Collective Soul frontman Ed Roland.

NEEDTOBREATHE kicked off 2006 with rave reviews and a CCM cover story for their greatly-anticipated debut CD Daylight , and closed out the year with the project being one of Billboard magazine's Critic's Picks, a CCM magazine edtior's pick and as one of ChristianMusicToday.com's Top New Artists of 2006. In between the accolades, the band toured non-stop as they opened for superstar bands TRAIN and Collective Soul, among others, and partnered with label-mates Big City Rock on the "Love and Heat" tour. Along with "You Are Here" receiving both mainstream and Christian radio airplay, and "Shine On" becoming a multi-format Christian radio hit, NEEDTOBREATHE'S music could also be heard on the ABC show "The Evidence," the motion picture "Employee of the Month," MTV's "Laguna Beach," and during the World Series.

For more information on NEEDTOBREATHE, visit www.needtobreathe.net

Barlowgirl Listening Party

Want to be the first to hear BarlowGirl's new album How Can We Be Silent? Fervent Records sister rock-trio BarlowGirl launched their first listening party on May 21. The album will be in stores July 24, but you can visit www.HaveYouHeardTheWord.com each Monday from now until the release to hear a different song from the new album.

Again, the listening event is only available on Mondays, so check back each week for a new song at www.HaveYouHeardTheWord.com

Tobymac's Portable Sounds Fall tour lineup

Well, it's official. Barlowgirl will be heading out on the road with Tobymac & Thousand Foot Krutch for the fall leg of the Portable Sounds tour. Check out the details at Tobymac's MySpace page.

Be looking for our interview with Barlowgirl very soon at TitleTrakk.com. And while you're thinking about the Portable Sounds tour, check out our mini-review and photo feature for a stop the tour made in Pennsylvania here.

Chris Rice Blog

Wonder what's going on in Chris Rice's life? Check out Deep Enough to Blog, his personal web log.

Also be looking for Chris' next studio project "What A Heart Is Beating For" coming July 17th.

"I'm more excited about these songs than ever," Chris says.

Casting Crowns' "The Altar and the Door" coming August 28th

Multi-Platinum, GRAMMY-winning band Casting Crowns announces the release of its highly-anticipated third studio album, The Altar and The Door, on August 28.

The Altar and The Door is based on Mark Hall’s real-life ministry experience with real people, real life struggle, and the faith that overcomes. Not only does the project’s title appear as a track on the album, but the concept has emerged as an overall theme running throughout the record.

“At the altar, everything makes sense,” says Hall. “When we’re in the church and spending time with God, we know what we’re supposed to do and how to live. Everything is black and white. But somewhere between the altar and the door, when we leave and go out into our lives, it all leaks out. Everything gets gray again. It’s like we have these two lives, and the Christian life is the journey between the altar and door—trying to get the things you’ve got in your head, into your hands, into your feet, and into your life. This album is all about that journey of realization, the struggles we encounter and the victory of seeing it as possible.”

Visit the Casting Crowns website here.

Welcome Race Fans! Dakoda Motor Co. is reuniting

The Southern Cal band Dakoda Motor Company (who gave us such hits as "Sondancer" in the early nineties) called it quits years ago.

But now they've reunited. You can view a demo version of a new song (On My Way Home) at their MySpace page. Original band members have all returned, including the lovely voice of Davia Vallesillo, who parted ways with the band before the release of their last album, Railroad.

Mark Schultz's bike tour blog

In case you didn't know, Mark Schultz has recently started a bike tour across the entire US. It's called the "Mark Across America" tour and will stretch 3500 miles.

Mark's already faced some tough obstacles on the tour, including 40 MPH headwinds in Santa Ana, a flat tire, a wrong turn and a bee stuck in his helmet.

To see Mark's daily video blog from the road, visit this link.

3 new Storyside:B singles at MySpace page

Storyside:B's new album We Are Not alone streets June19th, but fans can check out a new single on their MySpace page.

Tracks available for your listening pleasure include "Be Still", "Tell Me What You Think of God" and "Don't Let Go". Give a listen here.

Barlowgirl "How Can We Be Silent" streeting July 24

The Barlowgirl ladies will bring us a brand new album July 24th, and you can check out the cover above.

Newboys Go remixed streeting May 8th

Following the success of newsboys: remixed in 2002, and on the heels of their latest hit record GO, comes a new remix album, Go | Remixed, in stores May 8.

“I have always loved remix CDs,” says singer Peter Furler. “They’re like one of those TV makeover shows: you give the words and melody a new jacket and shoes, the rhythm a nip n’ tuck, and send it out on the dance floor.”

Including radio hits “Wherever We Go,” and “Something Beautiful,” the songs on Go | Remixed are the imaginative work of producers Tedd T. (MuteMath, newsboys, tobymac, Rebecca St. James, Stacie Orrico, ZOEgirl), Max Hsu (Superchick, tobymac, VeggieTales, ThumpMonks), Lee Bridges (India.Are) and Jeff Frankenstein of newsboys.

The song list and corresponding producer are:

1. Wherever We Go (Lee Bridges)
2. GO (Lee Bridges)
3. Something Beautiful (Lee Bridges)
4. Your Love Is Better Than Life – St. Petersburg Mix (Max Hsu)
5. City to City (Tedd T.)
6. The Mission (Lee Bridges)
7. Secret Kingdom (Lee Bridges)
8. I am Free (Tedd T.)
9. In Wonder (Jeff Frankenstein)
10. Let It All Come Out (Lee Bridges)
11. Gonna Be Alright (Lee Bridges)

Read our review of the original GO here.

downhere competes in marathon

(Left to Right): Jeremy Thiessen, Jason Germain, Glenn Lavender, Dave Lewis

Nashville, TN (April 30, 2007) – Following their hectic schedule during Gospel Music week and their on-stage appearance during the Gospel Music Awards, three members of the CCM group, downhere, and their production manager took to the streets of Nashville to run the city’s popular Country Music Marathon, Saturday, April 28th. downhere joined an estimated 30,000 runners from around the world and completed the full marathon of twenty-six miles in the hilly downtown and music row areas, with the finish line at LP Field, the Tennessee Titans stadium.

This was Jason Germain’s (guitar/vocalist) first marathon. Jason only started running recently and managed to finish in less than five hours. Jeremy Thiessen (drums) ran the first part of the marathon with his wife and finished the full marathon on his own. This is his second marathon. The Country Music Marathon was Glenn Lavender’s (bass) third marathon. He beat his recent Toronto Marathon time by 40 minutes. For production manager Dave Lewis, this was his first marathon and he finished at 4:24:26.

All members of downhere are originally from Canada but now call Nashville their home. They recently won their second Juno Award for Contemporary Christian/Gospel ALBUM OF THE YEAR, which was an honor for their critically acclaimed CD, Wide-Eyed and Mystified. A new project will be released on Centricity Records in the spring of 2008.