Customer Reviews

Do You See What I See

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you haven't purchased Todd Agnew's new CD "Do You See What I See," please get it today and get several copies. First, you'll wear out one CD pretty quickly, and secondly, you'll want all of your friends and family to have a copy.

This is not just another seasonal CD with good Christmas music. It is the story of real people who encountered God when Jesus came to earth as a baby. The songs portray their struggles, faith, awe and wonder, and celebration. But this is not just a CD telling the story of a baby in a manger--it is the story of redemption, of God reaching down in time to rescue His people, of Jesus giving His life for His bride, of His return to rule and reign.

You can't listen to this CD without encountering God and experiencing a mixture of emotions that range from deep worship to grief and repentance to great joy and dancing, and anticipation of His return.

The music is absolutely beautiful, but what takes my breath away is the passionate love for God that comes through in each lyric and melody from the heart of Todd Agnew as he becomes the door for listeners to encounter "God with us" and respond in worship as we experience God's goodness and light in a world so full of darkness and evil.

Blessing and honor to God for the gift of His Son to us, His gift of music and creativity bestowed on Todd, and deep gratitude that he would share that with us.

In this CD, Todd Agnew has chosen to tell the Christmas Story from a unique angle - from the eyes of those who witnessed the event.

The Innkeeper - who we have no idea what he was going through - and his distractions.

Joseph and Mary....and how Joseph was blindsided by his betrothed and her news of her pregnancy. And Mary who is so brave, and yet still human...

To the wise men, the angels, the shepherds, and so on... Todd tells the Christmas Story in a unique and very touching (and blessing) way.

I was convinced to buy this CD by experiencing the live performance that included NewSong and others on their "Christmas Hope" tour. The power and energy of the live performance, although not quite captured in this recording, is still evident.

This would make a great Christmas production...or movie! Thank you Todd Agnew!

I'm speechless. If you don't have this CD, you MUST buy it for yourself and your friends and family. It is amazing!!! At first I was skeptical because it has a lot of songs that Todd isn't singing lead in...but the friends he has singing are amazing and his lyrics are true and purely God spoken. It is a true worship CD, which is rare in the "Jingle Bell" Christmas season. This is a wonderful addition to your Christian music library.

This is an utterly original Christmas album. With the exception of "Do you see what I see" (which is given a fresh interpretation), the compositions are all brand new, and tell the Christmas story from the perspective of the participants: Mary, Joseph, the Magi, the Shepards, etc.

As usual, the lyrics are very strong. The standout track for me is "Did you Know?", which asks the musical & theological question whether the all-knowing Christ knew, in his incarnation as a little baby, that he was God's gift to the world, and that he would ultimately be God's sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world ("did you know? did the cross cast a shadow across your cradle? did you shudder each time your hammer struck a nail? did you know how much heaven & how much earth were in this baby from your birth? did you know?"). Pretty strong, provocative stuff.

I can only give it 4 stars at most, though, because most of the songs DO NOT FEATURE TODD AGNEW singing. If you are expecting a "Todd Agnew album" (as I was, frankly), you may want to be aware of this fact. It is billed as "Todd Agnew & friends," but that did not alert me to the fact that Todd is not the featured vocalist on the majority of the songs on "his" album. Be forewarned.

OTOH, the overall album is so strong, fresh, such a completely unique concept, that I would still recommend it to anyone.

There are a multitude of Christmas CDs on the market....it's glutted, I know. But no matter how many you have, Todd Agnew and Friends' new "Do You See What I See?" should be the first on your list, for your own collection, or to share with friends.

He's bookended a "play" or "book" told through song (not a musical...this has a far different feel to it...semantics, I know) with "Do You Hear What I Hear?", and then written new songs from all perspectives of the Christmas story, interweaving pieces of old familiars within the new to bring the message more firmly home.

The Innkeeper sings "No Room", with Joseph saying "This is All I Have to Give", and Elizabeth singing a lullaby to the baby John the Baptist. All the players are hear, even Simeon singing "His Name is Jesus".

The one I can't get past (and if one can wear a groove in a CD...this is where the groove will be on mine), is "God With Us"...the Magi's song as they tell of following the star and what they found. Agnew's storytelling gift from God draws us into the Wise Men's possible thoughts and feelings as they brought their gifts to the infant King. The bridge leads to a choir singing the "Star of Wonder..." lines from We Three Kings, the Agnew's vocals join back in with "Westward leading, still proceding, guide us to thy perfect light". He then heads back to a final chorus, and the emotion the Magi could have felt that day resounds for me with his soaring "King of Israel abides with us" within that chorus.

Agnew even brings the joy of Easter into this CD with the listener's song "Did You Know?" questioning the Christ child if He knew what was to come, "What was this life like for You? Did you know? Did the cross cast its shadow o'er your cradle? Did you know? Did you shudder each time Your hammer struck a nail? Were you just a baby or were You as old as time?"

No matter which song catches your ear, or your heart, you can't miss the story of Christmas and God's touch on their lives and ours throughout every note and lyric.

Another great release from Todd Agnew. Not your typical Christmas album. I is all about experiencing the first Christmas through the eyes, and songs, of those who were there -- Mary, Joseph, the Magi, the innkeeper, etc. The only reason that I don't give it 5-stars is, that Todd Agnew only sings three songs himself. Don't get me wrong, the other artists do a great job, but I was really hoping to hear Todd a little more. Pick it up today, you won't regret it.

The first review listed by Brenda really nailed it and I agree 100% but I wanted to get my 5* review in here as well. I'm a big Todd Agnew fan and the only thing I'm disappointed in is that I waited too long to buy this album! If you like Todd you will love this, even with the guest singers. His voice is as powerful as I've heard and will bring tears to your eyes with the emotion he sings with. Its just an amazing album, when you listen to the words you will be moved.

Even if you're not a Todd Agnew fan but looking for Christmas music, definitely buy this, its the best Christmas album I've heard in many years, and can really be played year round. The message is great, it will lift you up, it will make you think, and will make you thankful, as all of Todd's music really does. If I could tell someone to buy one Christmas album this year, this would absolutely be it, I might have to buy several copies and give as presents, its honestly that good!!

This is one of the best Christmas CD's I have heard. Todd Agnew has written beautiful songs that tell the Christmas Story. It is unique, not just your standard Christmas CD. You will truly be blessed and inspired.

This is the most awesome Christmas album I have heard in years. I'm not a fan of Christmas albums because we hear them and then after Christmas forget them. I will play this album all the time. I'm a huge fan of Todd's but this is something different. He comes at it from the attitudes of the characters who really didn't know the hook of the Christmas Story and you will never look at these people the same again. If you can listen to "Did You Know?" and not shudder, you may not be human. This is the song that hooked me. What he has done is take Christian predicaments and journeys and applied them to characters in the Christmas story. These songs are not only great but spiritually thought-provoking. This is one of those concept albums that really has layer after layer. It's like a play with music but we really meet these people. The excitement of the Angels in "Glory to God" is so infectious that it is destined to be a Christmas classic but when you look at the excitement of Angels announcing the birth, it is just down right triumphant. AND if you think this album is something, you should see him perform it in concert. This is the REAL Christmas Story.

I was first intrigued by the premise of this CD; songs sung from the perspective of the participants of the first Christmas. The first time I listened to it I was blown away by the raw emotion in many of the tracks. Every Time I hear "This is all I have to give" (sung from Joseph's perspective) tears flow from my eyes. I can almost feel what he was going through at this time. This music would be the perfect basis of a Nativity rock musical/opera in the form of Jesus Christ Superstar. Tracks 3 and 4 rank right up there with "I Don't Know How to Love Him", and "Could We Start again, Please" as far as stirring emotion and devotion in me. This is NOT your typical Christmas CD, but I think it will quickly become your favorite like it has for me.