Audio Mixers: Chris Lord-Alge; Chris Shaw ; David Thoener; Jerry Finn; Justin Niebank; Ron Saint Germain; Tom Lord-Alge.
Unlike the actual soundtrack and the other song collections that were issued as part of the marketing muscle for Mel Gibson's mega-successful Passion of the Christ film, this volume of tunes were allegedly inspired by the cinematic narrative after being commissioned from Icon Productions. As such, this is a mixed bag made up of mostly CCM and contemporary gospel artists. Tracks by Kirk Franklin, Bebe Winans and Lauryn Hill work best, while selections by P.O.D. and MXPX add a wonderfully angular dimension. This is the most awkward volume in the series, however, and it is very uneven. ~ Thom Jurek
One of the most controversial films of the early 2000s, Mel Gibson's THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST inspired both kudos and outrage among a wide cross-section of the viewing public. As musicians are often directly influenced by other art forms, it comes as no surprise that several top stars were inspired to compose music after seeing the movie. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST: SONGS is a collection of these works and stands as a fascinating document of the impassioned reactions evoked by Gibson's film. Many of the songs here seem to be back-to-basics re-affirmations of faith, couched in the artists' trademark styles.
Ex-Creed frontman Scott Stapp brings a mixture of neo-grunge and bluesy classic rock to his poignant "Relearn Love," while MxPx delivers a joyful slice of melodic, harmony-laden California Christian pop-punk. Other highlights include Charlotte Church's moody "Finding My Own Way," and Brad Paisley & Sara Evans's gently rootsy "New Again," which puts a distinctly human face on the ancient story of Jesus by presenting the narrative as a heartbreaking conversation between mother and son. minimize