Customer Reviews

Stand

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Let me first start by saying that after Avalon's last album The Creed, I truly believed that the Avalon of old was through. Very difficult to handle as I have been a long time fan of Avalon litterally since their inception. However this album has made happy to know that the Avalon of Old is gone and the Avalon of New is here and believe me when I tell you that is a good thing. After The Creed, I was concerned with the addition of Greg Long. But after listening to Stand, it is apparent that the group has found themselves vocally and now Greg adds something positive and unique that Avalon has been missing for a while. Perfect example of this, see "Slowly." I truly can say that this is Avalon's best album to date. This is coming from a real person and not an Avalon Fanatic. From the ballads, to the upbeat tunes, this album truly is great from start to finish. Very impressive album! I hope you enjoy this album as much as I have... =)

After "The Creed" many of Avalon's fans were concerned about the direction in which the group was going. While it was an excellent album, it lacked the personal feel of their previous albums such as "Oxygen" and "In a Different Light". With "Stand" I am pleased to announce that Avalon's unique personality is back and so is their amazing sound.

Song by song:

1. The Other Side

"Wonder Why" meets "Take You at Your Word". Great way to begin any album.

2. Love Won't Leave You

A fairly strong song. There are better singles on this album, but it's still a strong tune.

3. Orphans of God

Amazing song. Not quite as powerful as "The Glory", but it's probably as good as "I Don't Wanna Go".

4. Somehow You Are

Nice upbeat tune.

5. Slowly

I have to agree with the other person who just posted a review. Greg really did a good job on this song after messing up "I Wanna Be With You"

6. We Will Stand

Typical Avalong title track, very good.

7. Jesus

Nice medium pace song.

8. I Survive

Good upbeat song which adds a nice variety to the back end of the album.

9. When the Time Comes

This one really reminds me "Come and Fill My Heart" which is an excellent track.

10. Where Joy and Sorrow Meet

Another one that reminds me of the back half of "Oxygen". Excellent.

Avalon is off to a GREAT comeback, and I hope that they do well. Amazing album. Highly recommended.

I have only been listening to Avalon for about 2 years now and from what i have heard this is the best one yet!!! I first listened to them on the "Oxygen" album. I intstantly liked it and decided i wanted to check out more from them. I Bought the greatest hits album and again, was no disappointed!!...it was cool to see where they had come from as artist and to see the direction they were headed in. Then came "The Creed". I am so irritated to read reviews on here from people complaining about the departure of Cherri and Michael. If they truly felt God was leading them in a new direction, then as Christians and fans we should support that. On top of that, the sound of Janna, Jody, Melissa, and Greg is th strongest they have ever had. Janna and Jody are both powerhouse vocalist. With Cherri and Michael their voices were not that strong and so they blended into the background. Melissa and Greg both have powerful voices that match Janna and Jody, giving a full, and strong sound. The creed was a great album that deserved to be listened to without people whining over the loss of two members. Now stand is out and we find t his group topping themselves yet again. The sound on this record follows that of what you might hear on mainstream radio today. It has more of a Pop/rock vibe than a plain pop or dance sound as some of their previous music had. The vocals are amazing and the music is great. Anyone who says this is a bad cd purely because michael and cherri are gone is not really listening to the music!!....This album has by far the best vocal and instrumental sound of any of their albums to date!!!

Avalon was one of the first groups I heared as a new chistian and I was Touched by there music. The Creed was a let down I realize that they were dealing with a new memebor. But however, this cd is great each song has soul,heart, and the passion for Christ! There where time I wanted to cry and times I wanted to laugh with joy. They are back and stronger than ever, they have a new sound that juts rocks!

Avalon has been the end all be all of christian music since I heard of them, shortly after the creation of the group. I have collected every one of their CDs, and have been through the departure of the girls (Niki Hassman and Cherie Adams-powerhouse voice in "The Glory"). I too was upset by the departure of Michael Passons, just could not imagine songs like "Take You at Your Word" and "Testify to Love" without him. I have listened to Greg Long, since his CD "Now" was released, and have loved songs like "Sufficiency of Grace" and "Face of Love", but was a little worried about how his sound would fill the shoes of Michael. I have been totally blown away by "Stand", its lyrics and tunes. I now see that Greg's voice has transformed Avalon into the "New Avalon". This CD is a must for any Avalon fan, and a CD definitley worth the money if you would like to check out this group for the first time!!

I have almost every Avalon CD and I was eagerly waiting for this new one. I like the lyrics, the musical arrangements and the message. It is different than previous releases because it seems a bit more powerful and serious. I enjoy every track on the CD. Thanks for the inspiration, Avalon!

San Diego, CA

I've been a huge Avalon fan ever since "A Maze of Grace" was released, and, in my opinion, they progressively got better all the way through "Oxygen." With the group changes that came after that, I was a bit worried about the direction they would take. I have to say Melissa was an AWESOME addition to the group, but it has taken me a bit longer to warm up to Greg. He tanked on "I Wanna Be With You"....but he sold me on "Slowly" from this album. This group took some time to find their bearings again, and it really shows in this quality album. No more AC Avalon with no harmonies....this album probably has some of the best vocal arrangements out of them all.

1. "The Other Side"- GREAT way to start off the album. The harmonies are classic Avalon, and the song is their strongest upbeat song since "Wonder Why." Would make a great single.

2. "Love Won't Leave You"- I'm not sure why this was picked as the first single...I personally think it's one of the weaker tracks on the album. It's good, but not great. The chorus is a lot better than the verses, and the Greg's vocas are better.

3. "Orphans of God"- This is the BEST song on this album, and the best song to come from Avalon, in my opinion, since "The Glory." It has such a strong, true meaning. The harmonies are spectacular, and Janna does a great job leading it. This deserves to go to #1. I was truly blessed by this song.

4. "Somehow You Are"- GREAT! Probably the best upbeat song on the CD, and it conveys a since of awe of all that God has done. I really like the intricate vocal arrangement, and the song has a great hook. This would make a great single.

5. "Slowly"- The first song from Greg that I really have enjoyed. It has a great meaning, and it's pretty catchy.

6. "We Will Stand"- Awesome vocals! Sure, the song is a remake, but the arrangement of the song is amazing, and they sing their hearts out. Russ Taff (the original artist) makes a great addition too.

7. "Jesus"- A great praise and worship song. The message is obvious, and not every song needs to be deep to be great. This is just a simple declaration of love for Christ, and it works great. Jody's voice is always great.

8. "I Survive"- Probably the weakest on the album. Melissa and Greg do a good job on the vocals, but the song just isn't very Avalon-like at all.

9. "When the Time Comes"- Amazing. The message of salvation and sanctification is so poignant and powerful. I think this is Janna's finest moment since "Can't Live A Day." I would love to see this as a single further down the line.

10. "Where Joy and Sorrow Meet"- A modern-day hymn about finding joy in the midst of pain. Beautiful lyrics, and a very expressive, yet reserved, vocal by Melissa. This could be a classic in the church....something different that works for Avalon very well.

I personally think this album redeems Avalon after their transition period of "The Creed." The vocals are stellar, and only two of the songs are mediocre. I have been truly blessed by this group in my life, and I look forward to many more years of great music from them. Give this album a chance and you won't be disappointed. God Bless!

Avalon has been around a while and pretty much any Christian music listener has heard at least one of their songs. I am a HUGE music fan, Christina included, and this album is actually good enough to possibly push Avalon into crossover status. While I don't see them receiving as much crossover as Switchfoot, Relinet K, or Third Day, anytime soon, they could possibly get there eventually. This album is pretty darn good, especially compared to their last albums. Now, don't get me wrong, those albums were good too....at the time and to certain people. This album reaches out to a broader audience and is also a sound more in-tune with music of today, and not of the 90s (which I've felt some of their music has been limited to). Avalon has really done an AMAZING job with this album. Oh, and, if you haven't seen them in concert, they're pretty cool too.

Right up there with the rest of the Avalon collection. I love this group so much. This CD is jsut as good as it was raved about on the radio. So glad I got it right away!

I was pleased with Avalon's efforts to pull together in "Stand." They've chosen a nice variety of songs on this album, all of which I found worthy of repeated listening, and some of which give us a glimpse of their real talents. Each song has lyrics of spiritual benefit. I've been an Avalon fan for a long time, but have been disappointed by a move toward the "forced" and "louder is better" style that seems be more and more common in CCM as it is in mainstream secular music. I was particulary pleased to hear more focus on good vocal sound, as we hear in Orphans of God. God has given all members Avalon (past and present) beautiful voices and tremendous talent to use for praise and encouragement. We want to hear them SING, not scream, the wonderful music and lyrics they bring us!