Customer Reviews

Where the Past Meets Today

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you have listened to S. Kelly's 1st self-titled alblum there is no need to tell you what a great singer-songwriter she truely is. This 2nd CD is great but it does not have the overall appeal of her first CD. Kelly has taked this CD and put a much harder edge on all the music within. It's OK, I like hard rock, but it's a lot less mellow than her 1st disc. However, if your're a fan of her style and vocals you should really pick this up. The music does grow on you about the 2nd or 3rd time you listen to the whole disc (it's about 44 minutes long). Buy this disc! Just make sure you have the fist one B4 you do, OK?

Listening to this CD touched a chord somewhere inside me that caused my emotions to stir in a way that no other music had done before...and that was before I even knew what the lyrics were or what they were about.

The music is powerful on it's own but when you add the EXTREMELY powerful and raw emotion filled vocals of Miss Kelly, you end up with something that moves the soul. When you add lyrics that are about past abuses and pains, about awakenings and self honesty, and about healing and inner peace, you end up with something so much more powerful than I could ever describe in words.

Do yourself a favor, get this CD.

Sarah has done it again. She has created one of the most beautiful albums of the year. Her lyrics showcase her abiltity to be honest and open about her personal tribulations without being too generic. Unlike her peers, Sarah is authentic enough to stand on her own. And her voice, lets not even go there; this girl can sing! If you like to hear the voice of a confident woman who knows to say the things that begs to be said, then Sarah is your girl.

I had not heard any of Sarah Kelly's music until a couple of months ago. At that time I got her 'Take Me Away' CD and was very impressed. It was so good that I decided to buy 'Where The Past Meets Today'. It is another good find.

Ms. Kelly has a powerful, unique voice that is really amazing. She combines it with high energy rock music and the result is extraordinary in terms of sound. On top of that, her lyrics address real issues dealing with life problems as well as the ultimate issues of spirituality.

Her song, 'Still Breathing' is a good example of her message. In this song she talks about the hope of things to come. Here are some of the words:

Lift up your head, eyes off the floor
Your time is coming, right after this storm
Don't be afraid of what lies ahead

She goes on to point out that one can always change and choose Christ. She says:

It's never too late
While we're still breathing
It's never too late
Don't close your eyes, the best part is coming

This is a great CD. Highly recommended.

Sarah Kelly's "Where the Past Meets Today" takes us deep into her private emotions and personal life, more than any Christian artist has ever done (much more so than Amy Grant's "Behind the Eyes.") Those familiar with Sarah's testimony know that she has suffered from being involved in an addiction to abusive relationships from her early teenage years and continued into her recently dissolved marriage. Sarah is also using this album as a ministry tool to reach out to others in with a similar need. Kudos also goes to Gotee for allowing Sarah the artist freedom to undertake this wonderful project. You won't find these songs on normal Christian radio, but I believe several of these songs could have great cross-over appeal if Gotee markets them in that direction.

"The Beauty of It All" starts out with a hopeful and determined tone and is a "marriage seminar" wrapped up in a single song. In "About Midnight" (based on Acts 19:25) Sarah learns to praise God in her difficult circumstances. Sarah grieves in "What You Leave Behind" and "Believe Again" and finds strength in "Out of Reach" and "In Your Eyes". Finally, she is at peace with "Remember Me Well."

Sarah has a good combination of rock and ballad songs on this album. The words are great and the music is engaging, though several songs do have similarities. It is the emotion in her unique voice that carries the album.

Almost anyone that has suffered the trauma of a difficult and strained relationship will relate to these songs. You cry along with her, and perhaps find yourself lifting her up with real prayers to our God. Along the way you feel like you are holding Sarah's hand as she goes through her struggles and finally cheer with her as she gets strength to break free of her addiction. And also along the way you might find the person helped the most is yourself.

I know that Sarah Kelly is a Christian singer but I found this CD to be for anyone - reguardless of religion. I am not Christian but found her music to be uplifting and very positive to listen to. There were no heavy overtones about God in spite of some of the other reviews listed here and her voice is truely beautiful.

This is not a CD for anyone looking for "Christian Lite" music - Sarah Kelly has been through dark times and her raw emotion shows through. Which is why I like this CD even more than her first one. Although the lyrics are not blatantly religious, it is evident that her Christian faith has sustained her. Bravo to Sarah Kelly, and to Gotee Records for allowing an artist to be truthful instead of just trying to please the target audience. I look forward to Sarah's next album.
Rating - 4+ stars

I recently meet Sarah at my church and believe me the spoken words of Sarah do not reflect the magnitide behind her voice. This women of God has a huge awesome voice, the emotion in this cd is evident! more precise she kind of sound like alanis, but is a women of God with is better!

I was blown away by Sarah Kelly's first project. Musically, this one was just as good. However, when I listen to a project by a Christian artist, I want lyrics that get my attention spiritually. On this one, the witness is not obvious.

Sarah wrote most of the songs with various co-writers. The one exception was "What You Leave Behind."

My favorite songs on this project are "Hold On Love", "Between The Lines", "In Your Eyes", and "Believe Again."

The amazing fact about Sarah Kelly is that not only did she get Slash to play on her album, but that she is open about the physically abusive relationship and self harm that haunted her life previously. "I hated myself from an early age. I started cutting myself and dating these older guys who would mistreat me. You have to find your way out of it just like any other pattern you want to drop. In order for me to drop it I really had to come to this bottom. I had to come to a place where it was either drawing this line or suicide. I finally let God in that room in my heart and finally experienced peace for the very first time."

Sarah picked Mike Clink (Guns N' Roses) to produce her album and through his connections she ended up with Chris Chaney (Jane's Addiction), Slash (Guns N' Roses), Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon), Jeff Beck, Denny Fongheiser (Heart), Lincoln Brewster and Nick Lashley (Alanis Morisette). The songwriters include James Michael (Alanis Morisette, Meatloaf, and Motley Crue) and Marti Fredrickson.

Now Slash doesn't appear on just any old album. Apparently he took her record home for two weeks and listened to it and decided he really liked it. Slash chose the songs "Out of Reach" and "Still Breathing" and did both of those solos sections.

The album starts off with the thoughtful "The Beauty Of It All", which lulls you into thinking that this is going to be a mellow album. Then the serious riffing takes control of "Still Breathing" for the hardest rockin' song and one of Slash's trademark solos (remember November Rain). There are some powerful words in the piano-driven "About Midnight" with the reassurance of keeping faith in dark times. The other hard rocking songs are "Between The Lines" and "Believe Again" and Sarah's vocal style reminds you of Janis Joplin and Norah Jones. So whilst this isn't a fully fledged metal album, it does contain some seriously impressive hard rock and blues.