Anybody Out There? (CD - 1998)

Burlap To Cashmere: Steven Delopoulos, John Philippidis (vocals, guitar); Mike Ernest (guitar, background vocals); Josh Zandman (keyboards); Roby Guarnera (bass, background vocals); Theodore Pagano (drums); Scott Barksdale (percussion).

Additional personnel: David Rolfe (acoustic & electric guitars, keyboards, loops, programming, background vocals); Doug Petty (Hammond B-3 organ).

Recorded at The Hit Factory, New York, New York.

Anybody Out There? is Burlap to Cashmere's first full-length release, following Live at the Bitter End. Anybody Out There? is difficult to pigeonhole. The percussion is innovative, the guitar work outstanding. Sometimes considered the bad boys of Christian music, their lyrics are alternately poignant, passionate, light hearted, and always original. "Digee Dime," their signature song, is contagiously fun. "Eileen's Song" is soft and sweet, and "Basic Instructions," their Dove Award-nominated song, has point-blank lyrics with a Latin feel. The album slows a bit with the last few numbers, but overall, Anybody Out There? is one of the best alternative CCM albums of the '90s. ~ Melinda Hill minimize