Customer Reviews

Stories & Songs

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I had the pleasure of meeting Mark personally at a concert he gave at my church not too long ago. I'd heard many of his songs on our local Christian radio station and was eagerly awaiting hearing him sing in my place of worship. I volunteered for the event and while waiting with my fellow parishoners for folks to start arriving, down the hall walks Mark towards where I was standing. I made eye contact with him and when he came up I told him I loved his music, and could I please shake his hand. I reached for his pinky finger because he was carrying a bunch of stuff and his finger was sticking out. He immediately said, "No, how about a hug?" It was like hugging a friend. He didn't brush me off or act put out. The concert was absolutely amazing. I don't think I've ever heard someone sing live as well as Mark did. He did several songs from this album, including "Letters from War," "Running Just to Catch Myself" and "Child of Mine." He brings such a passion to his music and he is a brilliant songwriter. He talked in between songs about the meanings and how he came to write them. He talks to people like they are his friends. After the concert he signed autographs and I got another chance to talk to him. I told him his song "Remember Me" (on his self-titled album) always made me think of the two babies I lost. I thanked him for writing it because I felt like he wrote it for me. I was very emotional and thought I would cry. I think he was touched by what I said because for a minute he just looked at me like he didn't know what to say. He thanked me and shook my hand. I don't think he is the kind of person who would ever get used to folks telling him how much they appreciated his message. His music is simple yet powerful, and there are no arrogant or "in your face" lyrics. He's not an "act." Mark Schultz exemplifies Christian music and after meeting him I know that he is 100% genuine. This is his latest installment of musical greatness, but any of his albums are worth it.

I had to listen to this song at least 20 times before I could finally hear the words all the way through without crying. As a mother who has sent her only son off to war in Iraq, I found the song extremely moving. My son was injured and was shipped home. When I first laid eyes on him, I fell to my knees and cried just like the mother in Mark's song (who I think is actually Mark's grandmother). This song captures every single emotion with exquisite reality - the mother who in spite of her terror sends encouraging and comforting messages to her son, the gut-wrenching horror knowing her son was captured, the pride that he saved someone and the overwhelming joy she felt when he finally returned home. I am sure all listeners will be moved. And how uplifting it is to have a song about war with such a happy ending! It gives all mothers hope during this difficult time.

Mark Shultz has cut an amazing CD, in Stories and Songs. This album is a masterpiece, and I'm surprised there are so few reviews here.

The music is high-energy. The performances are great. The arrangements and mixing, by Brown Bannister, are terrific. They remind me of the old masterpiece, A Tramp Shining, by Richard Harris/Jimmy Webb, with its lyrical quality and fullness of sound.

But the star of the show here is the words. Mark is a rarely gifted songwriter who can bring out the meaning in stories of ordinary life. He devotes himself to three main themes and their interdependency: relationship, identity, and our use of time.

The album starts out with the themes of relationship and identity, in "You Are a Child of Mine". Mark writes that when he's "overcome with loneliness", God's voice reassures him that he is dearly loved. Identity is found in our relationship to God.

The second song, "Everywhere", describes that relationship as both being in the very depths of our being and found everywhere we go.

"Letters From War" is an amazingly powerful song, about relationship and the power of prayer. A widow's only son is captured in war. His letters to her end, but hers to him continue each night, for she is writing letters from the battlefront of her own "war", as she fights for her son's life in prayer: "Bring him home!", she repeatedly entreats. If you've ever had something you went to war for in prayer, this song will move you. (SPOILER ALERT: This song gripped me at first, when for a moment it quite seems that the son is lost.)

"Do You Even Know Me Anymore? Again about relationship, but this time that theme is mixed with the theme of how we use our time. A man has set his own worldly goals, but has neglected his family to the point that he doesn't know them anymore, nor they him. In a poignant turn, the man then discovers that he no longer knows himself. Finally he despairs that God might not even know him. This is powerful stuff.

"Time That Is Left" Our use of time is front and center here. "Will they say that we loved till our final breath?" We are given the key to victory in the repetitive refrain, which consists simply of the universal praise word, Hallelujah. If we devote ourselves to the Lord, we will succeed and our lives will work out.

"Running Just To Catch Myself" - an amazingly creative, frenetic song about life in the rat race. One of the funniest songs I've heard in a long time. Mark is spoofing the pressures this life brings us, and challenging us to live above them.

"It's Been A Long Time" About staying close to the Lord and not wasting our time on things that don't matter. This song had to grow on me a bit, but it is excellent. The arrangement, the instruments and background vocals, reminds me of some Phil Specter's lush work on the Beatles' Let It Be album.

"He Will Carry Me" Along with "Child" and "Letters", a contender for best song of the album. Though most of the songs here use it strongly, this one above the others exploits dynamic contrast. Low, painful brooding is set against a triumphant declaration that whatever we go through the Lord will be there with us. Relationship again.

"Just To Know You" A challenge to live life first of all to know Christ, just as He lived and gave His all to know us. Relationship and use of time again. "I want to finish strong".

"Closer To You" A song of dedication to the Lord. We find not only all our answers in Him, we find who we are.

"Reprise: Time That Is Left" A rockin' jam on the earlier cut. At first I wondered why this was chosen to reprise, but then I saw that the album ends on a challenge to us. What will we do with the time that's left? We have a choice to make. We can strengthen our identity in Christ by feeding our relationship to Him. Or we can go our own way.

Few albums achieve the level of creativity and power of this one. The writing, the arrangements, the performances, the mixing, are all simply world-class. In the sea of mediocrity that is contemporary Christian music, this album shines. I don't think you will regret getting a copy. I can't tell you how many times I've listened to mine. Congrats to Mark and everyone for a work very well done.

I told friends that I could not stand Christian music. It all seems to be either acoustic guitar ramblings or rock bands trying really really hard to be another band with the words 'Jesus' tossed in for good measure.

A friend lent me his copy of this CD and I can say that I have officially changed my mind about Christian music. Excellent song writing. Album production that is clean and professional. Mark's voice can sound a bit like Dennis DeYoung from Styx, but his songs are 10 times better. Just a delightful album. Plain and simple.

Sick of the usual Christian music? Buy this and be refreshed.

I have just recently started listening to Mark and I really enjoy him. My oldest brother is in the Army and I find the song, "Letters from War" very powerful. It really describes the emotions that go through people's heads everyday when they are worrying about someone who is in the military overseas. It also was reassuring because it vividly described the power of prayer that really does work. I just found out recently that my brother will be stationed in Oklahoma for the next 2 and a half years and it is a non-deployable position which means he won't have to go to Iraq. That was a complete answer to prayed and uplifted all of my family to praise the Lord. He truly is amazing. I really feel that Mark knows first hand the power of the Lord and speaks about it strongly through his music. This CD is definitely worth buying!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

This is one great CD! I've always enjoyed Mark Schultz's music, and I think this is one of his best. Each cd gets better and better.

I don't think Mark could have picked a better title (Stories & Songs) for this album. Each "song" tells a "story" and pulls you in. If you listen to the words, you will come out of each song stronger, sadder, happier, more aware, depending on which song you are listening to.

In the song, "You Are A Child Of Mine", he sings about how the voice of God is more powerful than all the other "influences" of life and we are all children of God.

"Running just to catch myself" is HILARIOUS! What a fun song! I found this song "suprising" from Mark. It talks about the "hecktic day at work" and how we are all under-appreciated. I love this song! (I can relate...)

Everytime I listen to "Letters from War", I have a hard time keeping my eyes from watering. I think of those fighting for our country overseas. I find myself realizing that I get worried if the video store will still be open, or if someone will cut me off on the highway, but that there are soldiers worried if they will see their families again, or if there is an underground bomb in the road ahead. Kinda puts my "whining" into perspective... God bless our armed forces...

I could talk about every song here, but I won't come even close to sharing the "Stories & Songs" you will gain from this album. You will learn about a man who works so hard that he leaves his family behind and misses them growing up. You will learn about what matters most in your life, you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll learn about being closer to God.

Go buy this CD. You won't be disappointed!

I would like to start off saying that this is a wonderful C.D,but I'm going to write this review on one paticular song,"Letters From War".

This is the best song ever writen!!!My Language Arts teacher loves poetry.She prints out the words to songs she likes.She says they'll teach us a lesson and that they are a lot like poems.Anyways,she prints out the words to paticular songs and passes them out to the class and tells us to follow along while she plays the song.Oneday she brought in "letters From War" and she almost cried.

I love this song!!!Way to go Mark Schultz!!! Also,thanks to my Language Arts teacher or I probally would have never found it. Best song ever!!! Buy it!!!!!

Once again Mr. Schultz proves that he is a fantastic songwriter! Not only can the guy write a song, he then sings with emotion that many singers have difficulty conveying----probably because so many singers don't believe what they are singing. Also, when you read the CD liner, you get the sense that this is a real and genuine guy, who is moving through life, searching for meaning, just like the rest of us.

O.K. I only have one of his other albums but I listen to a lot of Christian music and this one ranks way up there as far as top albums. If you are a Mark Schultz fan you'll love it! And if you're not, the sound on this album is different than his past albums so you may like it if you give it a chance. I've purchased many CDs where I've found I've liked mainly the song I purchased it for and not many others on the album. This one is not like that. There are many great tunes!

I just got this CD...but it's already clear that it is amazing. Mark Schultz has a special way with words, and this CD lives up to its name: every song is more than just that, it's a story as well. If you have a shred of kindness in you, at least one song on this CD will bring tears to your eyes...wow, you can't go wrong purchasing this album.