Customer Reviews

Rachael Lampa

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was impressed with Rachael's debut CD and eagerly awaited her second. That one disappointed me greatly, and I almost wrote her off. Fortunately, a good review convinced me to give her another chance with this release.

While the first CD had an adult contemporary feel and the second had more teen pop/Latin, this CD manages to capture a rock/pop feel that works well for her. Possibly that's a result of her heavy involvement on every song on the disc.

Easily my two favorite songs are two of the ballads. "No Other One" is a beautiful tribute to God. Who is like Him? "The Art" was written solely by Rachael and is a surprisingly honest confession of human weakness and uncertainly relying on God. It has a haunting melody and is worth getting the CD for alone. If this song is any indication of what Rachael can do writing alone, I hope she does it more in the future.

There are some great upbeat moments as well. "When I Fall" and the opening track "All This Time" are highlights of these songs.

Frankly, the only two songs I don't like on here are right next to each other. "Rubberhouse" and "Outrageous" seem more like holdovers from the last project and I don't care for them musically. Personal taste, I'm sure, but they easily get skipped.

After a disappointing sophomore release, Rachael is back on my list of artists to keep an eye on. Hopefully future releases will continue to be as strong as this one.

When Rachael's "Live For You" debuted, I was THRILLED with this new female vocalist. She had an amazing voice and the songs were so touching and insightful. Kaleidescope came out a year or so later and it was also good - had a bit more of a "pop" feel to it, but I still really enjoyed it. So, when I heard she had a 3rd album out, self-titled "Rachael Lampa", I ran out and purchased it never having heard a song. When I first heard it I was surprised - it is VERY different from her past 2 albums. This one has more of a "rock" feel to it. I must admit, the first time I listened to it all the way through, I didn't really like several of the songs. But after listening to it more, the songs have grown on me - the lyrics are more personal and in-depth than previous albums (probably because Rachael had a hand in writing all of the songs) and the tunes are unique. I still don't particularly like the song "Being Alive", but there are several, including "No Other One", "You Never Know", "When I Fall" and "The Art" that are obviously heartfelt and show the growth in her Christian walk. Overall, this is a good album and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys contemporary music with a bit of a rock or punk edge to it. :-)

I'm a big Rachael Lampa fan and I own all of her albums, so of course I rushed out and bought this one the day it was released. After I had listened to it though, I was more than a bit dissappointed. The major reason I admire Rachael is because of her powerhouse vocals. On this album, she didn't showcase her voice very much at all. Her singing was very average in my opinion. I loved her other albums and can listen to each of them without skipping a track, but that isn't the case with this album. There are a couple good songs on here, but most of them are completely forgettable, some of them are even boring. With that said, let me focus on the positive aspects of the album.
Some standout songs are:
Rubberhouse - The music/melody reminds me alot of Beyonce's 'Crazy In Love'. It's a really catchy, fun uptempo about everyone learning to get along and live together.
Outrageous - This is another catchy uptempo song. It's about living your life to it's fullest.
No Other One - A beautiful love song Rachael wrote for God. It's sort of a softer ballad.
Being Alive - This is my favorite uptempo! It's got a touch of ska to it, and I love the horns in the background. It's really fast paced and I love the message. 'Being alive is breathing in and breathing out, being alive is knowing what you're gonna live for, it's knowing you got something you can't live without oh, love, love, love, love, love, love....So say you will don't say you won't give in when love comes, and when it does you're asking, where will it come from? You will live long enough to learn, long as you have some love, love, love, love...' I had this song on repeat for days!!
The Art - This song makes me cry everytime I hear it. It is a beautiful ballad, and Rachael does showcase her voice a little at the end. She sounds like an angel. My favorite part is the bridge: 'When life is in slow motion, and when the silence is deafening...hold on tight you're gonna cry, but there's always a reason why....'
This is one of my favorite songs of all time now...it's so inspirational. I would have bought the entire album just for this one song.
I would still recommend getting the album just for the songs I mentioned above.

Rachael really steps out with her latest album. She co-wrote all of the tracks, and I find the songs to be more meaningful than ever before. While you can hear a bit of Rachael's older sound in the songs, her music is going in a slightly different direction with new pop/rock sounds and even more beautiful vocals. There are a couple of groovy R&B tracks (Rubberhouse, Outrageous), guitar-driven tunes (All This Time, When I Fall), and smooth ballads (No Other One, The Art) with other tracks showcasing a mixture of sounds. Instead of focusing on her powerhouse vocals like her past albums do, "Rachael Lampa" gives Rachael more creative freedom with her voice, and many of the songs feel more emotional than her previous ones. It's hard to compare this album to anything else, but even if you didn't like Rachael's older music, chances are you'll enjoy this one!

I bought this album even after reading some negative reviews on this site. Those negative reviews impacted my opinions of the album for a while. However, over time, I came to my own personal conclusion that I LOVE THIS ALBUM! It took some getting used to for me because it's so different than her first (which is the only other one I have of hers), but I have come to like every song on the album. Favorites are Rubber House and When I Fall (as well as others).

I have been planning to write a positive review here for months to refute the negative ones and now I'm finally doing it. I was so glad to find that there are many other positive reviews now.

Way to go Rachel!

Initial online clips of this new album spark a tinge of disapproval that Rachael Lampa took a sharp left turn into other musical genres from both her debut pop-oriented album and follow-up disc. She did not stray far, however. After two more completed listens to the entire album, I am now spinning all the tracks in repeat mode. The Art is the standout. Quite lovely lyrically and vocally, as Rachael has a flair for over the top ballads that bow to God's plan so masterfully (like her previous No Greater Love). Worried with the slight rap interjection on Rubberhouse featuring T-Bone, it works with the funky feel of the track. Kelly Clarkson-ish When I Fall and Being Alive have the rock edge-plus going for them. Rachael has this need to explore other melodic atmospheres in her songs instead of the cookie-cutter pop she first introduced - and she does so quite successfully on this latest endeavor. The Room may be a tad too lengthy (i.e. All The Time) but Rachael's gospel-like acapella improvisation at track's conclusion seems to justify the added seconds. One is reminded of a Sheryl Crow party song on The Good Life and Honest proving Rachael's versatile vocal stylings can groove as well as haunt the listener. Make room for Ms Lampa - a truly talented Christian artist who can sing like no other one can.

Reviews are opinions...everybody has got one. So let me give you mine. Several years ago I bought Rachael's freshman CD: Live For You. The songs were unique and different but it's her voice that grabbed me. I loved her incredible vocalization and expression of praise to One worthy. I of course couldn't wait for Rachael's sophmore album Kaleidoscope and bought it immediately. This album did not grab my attention like the first one. I put it in a CD case and pulled it out occasionally while driving. What you find on this CD is a genuine worshipful expression. If the vocals or music didn't grab me, the lyrics did. I cannot review Rachael Lampa without talking about lyrics. I would simply say that you can buy music to entertain and then again you can buy it to pour something into your life.
A quick sampling of Kaleidoscope:
"There was a time I was lost I was blind,
I was searching for something that I could not find...
That's when He came....that's the day His love set me free" (Savior's Song)
"If I fix my eyes on you, Will You show me what to do?
I lay down my sorrows, I'm all Your's,
If I can make the world fade away for just a moment just to be with You....."(Giving it All)
"I would climb up an endless mountain for Your love, I'd crawl across a mighty desert for Your love, No one can know me no one could hold me the way You do.....I cannot imagine a world without You...(For Your Love)
"The Beauty of Heaven is here in my heart and I know there can be no greater love than this" (No Greater Love)
"So this is how it feels to be forgiven, so this is how it is to be really living.....thank You for my brand new life" (Brand New Life).
There was another CD that came out after this one with remixes called Blur which I haven't bought as yet (I usually don't buy remixes) and also credits on A Walk To Remember: which leads us to Rachael's Junior (or Senior album depending on how you look at it) simply titled: Rachael Lampa.
Agreeing with the previous reviews (opinions) this Album takes a different approach on the music styles of the previous.
It's edgy and has more synthesized sounds. It has some traditional black gospel renditions among other contemporary offerings. In addition are some soulful softer offerings that are reminiscent of the previous Albums. The lyrics here are more edgy as well and express advice to the listener for successful living: (Rubberhous,Outrageous, Being Alive)
"It's taken me all this time to see the Son, It's taken me all these roads to learn how to run. After the rain has washed away the stuff I thought I knew, all that's left for me is You."
(All This Time)
"No other One, there is just no one else like You, No other one, There is no one else but You. It's in the way You
will the wind to calm the ocean, it's who You are to me and there can never be another One." (No Other One)
"How can I find You? Are You hiding or am I? Should I go or should I wait for the sign? I'm following Your voice walking in a desert storm....I know I'm not forsaken and I'll never be alone. When I fall.. You will still be standing....(When I fall).
Those who've bought the previous CD's will find the lyrics of "Rachael Lampa" differs in the amount of praise to worship encouragement: There is more emphasis on the latter (worship encouragement here meaning there are more songs on this CD encouraging worshipful living).
My preference is more for worship rather than songs that call us to worship. Because of this I listen to Rachael's final CD less than the others but if you are a Rachael Lampa fan you'll appreciate this CD both because it covers familiar territory and also because it reaches into new areas musically and lyrically.
That's my review from a different perspective.

Rachael Lampa's sophomore CD Kaliedoscope was quite a let down-especially because she showed her voice off way to much! Her third album is much better-too much electric guitar though. Well done Rachael on co-writing all the lyrics!

The album starts off with the upbeat "All this time". The chorus isn't that exciting but it's a good song. "Rubberhouse" has a good message and a pulsing beat! Better than "all this time"-really cool. I don't like "Outrageous" though-skip that one. "No Other One" is very cool..a ncie ballad that ahs a worshipful spirit and a contemporary sound. "When I fall" is nice but the electric guitars are a bit annoying. The song addresses Christians making mistakes. "Being Alive" is about how we all have days when we feel like we are barely surviving. it's fast and cool to jump around to!! I really like the ballad "You Never Know". It has good lyrics and a good sound. I particulary like the lyric "If you wanna spend your life/in your design your only wasting time". It's a really good song. "The good life" swings back into the upbeat sound-it's cool but not a favourite. it's sort of a "salvation song"-about turning toward Christ. songs like that are better as ballads though. "Hnnest" is probably the ebst upbeat song ont he CD-not so electric guitarish too. I like it-cooL!!! Rachael penned "The Art" by herself-it's a personal song about the love of God. A GREAT ballad! The album closes in an upbeat song called "Room" which thankfully isn't too upbeat.

Good album-good effort-much betetr than Kaliadoscope! and the songs have good messages too.

Firstly, I am so happy that Rachael Lampa hasn't crossed over to mainstream pop like Stacie Orrico!!

Secondly, and more importantly, I see Rachael as being in a league of her own. I have all three of her albums and each one of them has a number of amazing songs. Her vocals are incredible, unmatched by any other female singer in her age group whether in Christian or Secular music. From album to album, she makes me a believer in her growing talents as singer and songwriter.

I fell in love with her voice ever sing hearing "Always Be My Home" off her debut album, "Live For You," I was so impressed by her range and control and rendered speechless when I found out that she was only 16 years old when she recorded that song, so from that point forward, I made a vow to continually support her; three albums later ("Live For You," "Kaleidoscope" "Rachael Lampa"), my respect and support for her has only strengthened.

My favorites on this album are power ballads, such as "No Other One," and "The Art"... but the uptempo songs "Honest" and "When I Fall" are fun and endearing. Any Rachael Lampa album is worth your patronage, please get this and her other two previous albums to see why she's so fantastic. It is truly a privilege to hear her sing.

Other recommended albums:
Chris Tomlin -- Arriving
The Afters -- I Wish We All Could Win
Jeremy Camp -- Restored

I was reading Campus LIfe magazine's "We recommend:Christian alternatives", where they suggest Christian alternatives to your faviorite secular artists,and they suggested this album. They compared Rachel to Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Mandy Moore, and Pink. So I felt that I would give her a try considering that I liked all of those artists and I must say I am very happy that I did. I love this album!!! Rachel has a wonderful voice and she does a great job of not letting the powerful music overpower it. I would say that my favorite songs on this album would have to be "All This Time" and "When I Fall". But you will enjoy the whole album I think.

Great Job Rachel!!!!!