By Kevin Pollard

• Jimmy Needham: Night Lights, inPop

I don’t know why I have only just discovered Jimmy Needham, now on his third album, Night Lights, but I’m glad I have.

Needham offers up a bluesy upbeat jazz-pop sound that makes this one of my favourite albums of the year.

With infectious melodies and lyrics, the songs communicate messages of grace (‘Yours to Take’), leaving religion to follow Jesus (‘Moving to Zion’) and humility (‘Being Small’), where he sings, “Why I wanna be a hurricane when I’m barely a breeze? Cause I’ve already seen your storm bring me down to my knees . . . Whenever I climb too high, keep my feet on the ground, and when I get full of me, turn me upside down . . . If it’s you that’s getting bigger, I don’t mind being small.”

This theme continues on the autobiographical ‘The Reason I Sing,’ where he writes, “So if I’m destined for a small stage, the small crowds and the small pay, then maybe even in a small way I can bring You fame.”

He celebrates his love for his wife, Kelly, on a great cover of Mavin Gaye’s ‘How Sweet it Is’ and the self-penned horn- infused ‘Steal Away.’

• Natalie Grant: Love Revolution, Curb

Natalie Grant has been named Female Vocalist of the Year at the Dove awards an impressive four times. She certainly has delivered many good songs over her 11 years as an artist.

However, I have yet to be impressed with any one album – that, is until Love Revolution, her eighth.

It is the perfect balance of catchy melodies, lyrical sub-stance, solid production and stunning vocal delivery.

The songs here challenge listeners to stand up and impact the world around them, as on ‘Daring to Be’ and ‘Human’ (co-written with American Idol winner Jordin Sparks).

The self-penned, funky ‘Beauty Mark’ reminds teenage girls that true beauty is not external.

Along with these pop/R&B songs, Natalie offers a handful of great worship songs, with covers of Hillsong’s ‘Greatness of Our God,’ Brooke Fraser’s ‘Desert Song’ and the Michael Neale and Krissy Nordhoff  track, ‘Your Great Name.’

But it is the original ‘You Deserve’ and album-closing ‘Song To the King’ that really show why Natalie has earned the Female Vocalist title.

• Jeremy Camp: We Cry Out – The Worship Project, BEC

It has been six years since Jeremy Camp’s last worship album, Carried Me. In that time, a lot has happened to him – getting married to Adrienne Liesching (The Benjamin Gate), becoming a father and recording three studio and two live albums.

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We Cry Out – The Worship Project offers a perfect mix of familiar covers alongside strong self-penned tunes. They feature his undeniable vocal chops on anthemic rockers (‘Not Ashamed’) and stirring ballads (‘King Jesus’).

The strongest cover songs included are Tim Hughes’ ‘Jesus Saves’ and Desperation Band’s eight-minute anthem ‘Overcome.’

On the other hand, he offers nothing new on Hillsong’s ‘Mighty to Save’ and Matt Redman’s ‘You Never Let Go.’

• Josh Wilson: Josh Wilson, EMI

If you have listened to Christian radio over the past two years, you have most likely heard a few of singer/songwriter Josh Wilson’s songs from this his self-titled sophomore album.

It features hit singles from previously released EPs, including the self-penned ‘Sing,’ ‘Before the Morning’ and ‘Savior, Please.’

An instrumental version of ‘Amazing Grace’ showcases a great acoustic guitar performance.

If you’re a fan of pop artists like  Matthew West and Brandon Heath, you will want to check out newcomer Josh Wilson.

• DVD: Veggie Tales: It’s a Meaningful Life, Big Idea

The latest Veggie Tales DVD to hit the shelves borrows from Christmas classics like Polar Express, A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life in telling a story that’s a lesson in being content (based on Jeremiah 29:11).

In the biggest football game of his life, Stewart (Larry the Cucumber) has a chance to win it all, but misses the game-winning touchdown and is injured.

This dashes his hopes of playing in the Salad Bowl and living a life of fame and fortune.

Years later, Stewart loves his family, his friends and his job at the toy train factory, but still wonders if things could have been different. A mysterious train conductor who can turn back time gives Stewart a chance to see what life could have been like.

He learns  through this that God had a plan for his life and was with him every step of the way.

The DVD features the new song ‘Meant To Be’ by Steven Curtis Chapman, along with the acting debut of his adopted daughter Stevey Joy, who voices Emma the Rhubarb.

There are also a number of bonus features.

October 2010