Happy Monday everyone! I wanted to start a new weekly column on here dedicated to one of the greatest treasures God has given us: MUSIC! I’m a giant audiophile who loves to collect music. And by collect music, I don’t mean subscribe to a streaming service, I’m one of those weirdos that still buys full albums and listens to them, cover-to-cover.

These new Music Monday posts won’t be reviews of new music, but mentions of music that I’m listening to, enjoying, and thinking about. Music, like most forms of media, is always more profound than just entertainment. I would even dare say, music, above other forms of media speaks to us more deeply. Seasons of our lives get marked by certain songs and albums. Putting on our headphones and playing something takes us back to a certain memory where we can tell you what the air smelled like and the emotion we felt–music is powerful!

For today’s Music Monday, I want to showcase CAIN‘s 2021 debut, “Rise Up”. CAIN is a trio of siblings originally a Country act with strong family ties to the County Music(CMA) industry. After things in country didn’t work out, they took a break from music and dedicated themselves to singing in their local church. A member of the congregation who is their now manager, asked them to consider moving away from CMA and into Christian Music (CCM).

One night I was making dinner for the fam and listening to Pandora. One of the songs that came on was CAIN’s “Yes He Can”– I couldn’t stop myself from humming the melody. This song was pure contagion, in a non-COVID kind of way. It’s fun, uplifting, and puts a smile on your face. After hearing that song, I decided to check out the entire album and let me tell you, I was pleasantly surprised.

The album starts off with a song called “Come Forth” which will more or less kick you into high gear, it’s an excellent song. Has a vibe that reminds me of old country; something Waylon Jennings or Hank Williams Jr. would put out. It’s a song that will give you a little swagger. From there, the album gets a little smoother and melodious with tracks like “I’m so Blessed” and “People Need People”. For me personally, I love every track and so does my family.

One of the tracks that stands out the most is called “The Commission”; a song from Jesus’ perspective as he’s sending out this disciples prior to ascension. It’s beautiful. It might just be the crown of the album. The band’s devotion to their faith is front and center on all their songs, but I think the intimacy this song creates with the listener gives even more strength and depth to their convictions.

This album made my Music Monday because it’s full of catchy, positive music. As a parent, that’s the kind of stuff I want my kid listening to and enjoying and the fact is, we get to enjoy it together and every now and then, spontaneous dance parties erupt in the kitchen. Thank you to the band for making this record, what a blessing!