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Release Date: 5/4/2010

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One can not venture far into contemporary Christian music without bumping into something written and performed by MercyMe. The Generous Mr. Lovewell is the latest effort from the super group and they have received much of the same resounding success. Momentum is a funny thing and with a big mover like MercyMe it’s nice to see them championing a cause as noble as this one.

“The Generous Mr. Lovewell,” revolves around a fictional character we created who reminds us that we simply need to love others well,” explains MercyMe frontman Bart Millard. “For some of us, it means that we need to put hands and feet on our ideology and rhetoric. For others, it means that we need to continue in doing well, but to not stop there.” (taken from the band’s blog on 2-10-2010)

So there’s the mission, now what of the music? MercyMe seems to have a knack for creating songs that radio stations are unable to shelve. So I guess the real question might be, is Mr. Lovewell like his predecessors; in my opinion no. All tracks have a different feel than what I have heard before; all tracks except for “All of Creation” their Christian chart-topping single.

The album begins with a quirky sounding tune in “This Life.” The song is blatantly made to get you to do the bunny hop. “The Generous Mr. Lovewell” follows this tune with the theme of the album. The band carries this theme on the back of an acoustic pop sunny day style anthem. Think Christian Beach Boys. Mr. Lovewell is not with out its surprises. “Move,” the third track on the work, pleasantly shattered my preconceptions. MercyMe got it right with this one.

Now I can’t say that there is a poorly made track on this CD, however; like many, MercyMe tends to lack something that others like Downhere, or NeedtoBreathe have to spare. It must be hard to be in their position. They have to create something new without deviating much from what they know everyone loves.With that said, did they accomplish this; yes, they did. The theme of the album is right for our time and the music is ideal for the larger audience. They even wrap it up with the most important of statements. “But if all that we do / is absent of Jesus then this so called love…is completely… in vein.”

7.0 Out of 10
Reviewed by Greg Rutledge of RockTheCross.net

THE AFTERS’ “LIGHT UP THE SKY” FEATURED ON FINAL SEASON OF MTV’S “THE HILLS” TONIGHT, TUESDAY JUNE 22

Band to Release Digital EP on iTunes ® July 13 in Prep for Sept. 14 Release of New Studio Album

Nashville, Tenn. Jun. 22, 2010… The latest single from The Afters’, “Light Up the Sky,” will be used in the popular MTV show “The Hills” tonight. The show, in its final season, airs on MTV on Tuesday evenings at 10/9 central.

No stranger to television exposure, The Afters’ music has also received placement in NBC’s “Secrets of the Mountain” soundtrack, “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC), “8th & Ocean” (MTV), “Dr. Phil,” “Army Wives” (Lifetime) and “Rachael Ray.”

A digital EP from the band will release on July 13 and feature new songs “Light Up the Sky,” “We Won’t Give Up” and “Runaway.” The band’s third full-length album titled Light Up the Sky will street on Sept. 14.

The first single off of the anticipated album is already being well-received at radio. “Light Up the Sky” was No. 2 most added at AC/CHR last week.

Texas-based band The Afters were propelled into the national spotlight with their INO/Sony Music Label Group debut I Wish We All Could Win. The project spawned the swirling, melodic hit “Beautiful Love,” earning the band an enthusiastic following when the song was selected as the theme track for MTV’s “8th and Ocean”.  “Beautiful Love” was also the most downloaded track of 2006 on the iTunes ® Inspirational charts and garnered the band an mtvU award as well. With their debut exceeding the expectation, status quo simply would not do for their second album.  It is this powerful transformation that lies at the core of The Afters’ sophomore release Never Going Back To OK (INO/Columbia Records). Among a street week hit with placement in the Top 50 on the Billboard Top 200, Never Going Back to Ok proved to be sensation on the silver screen with “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC), “Dr. Phil,” “Army Wives” (Lifetime) and “Rachael Ray” using music from The Afters’ sophomore project in promotion for their programming. A slew of media including Rolling Stone, Seventeen.com, E! News Live, TV Guide, Premiere Radio and more also picked up on covering The Afters’ latest releases as well.

http://theafters.com/
http://www.myspace.com/theafters
http://twitter.com/theafters
http://www.youtube.com/theaftersVEVO
http://www.facebook.com/theafters

via The Media Collective

For Immediate Release
Velvet Kelm or Courtney Hyder
the media collective
Velvet@theMcollective.com
Courtney@theMcollective.com
615.591.7989
via Twitter: @themcollective