It's finally here! Lifehouse have released Almeria on iTunes & Spotify and it's GOOOOOOOOOD!!!! If the mayans are right and this is the last album we get ever, I'm okay with that. Make sure you pick this up.

Want a little more free music to add to the collection? Chris August has released a 16-track album of some independantly released tunes.

If you like what you here, make sure you pick up The Upside Of Down - his latest album from earlier this year.

With a new song "Words" hitting radio pretty soon, I'm stoked to hear that Hawk Nelson are going to release their new album Made on April 2 next year. 

"We're still that high energy band that a church or youth group would book if they want to have a fun youth night," says new lead singer Jonathan Steingard. "We want to take what we've been and not leave it behind, but grow it a little bit and hopefully be a lot more intentional about what we're saying."

Once Parachute Festival 2013 is done and dusted (and we are serious about the dust - have a shower after) the live music summer continues with The Ember Days and Saving Grace taking Sleeping Giant around New Zealand. 

Jan 30 Zeal in West Auckland (Come & Live! New Zealand Conference 2013)
Jan 31 Capital Vineyard Church in Wellington
Feb 01 Void in Hamilton
Feb 02 Ohope Christian Fellowship in Ohope
Feb 03 Lifezone Church in Tauranga

Oh heck yes!

Luke Thomspson has released the music video for "On A Slow Boat To China" from his free album To The Common Dark. Check out the video and download the album from his website.

Seven music teachers all together making music - this is the most awesome idea ever. Head to the Sound The Ocean website to check details of shows they're playing this summer (including Parachute Festival!) and download their song "Understood" for free!

Our friends over at jesusfreakhideout.com have released the second in a series of free album samplers called Songs We've Been Trying To Tell You About (And Others We Haven't). Volume Two features 38 songs from a bunch of different genres, and includes Life FM artists like Andy Hunter, The Digital Age, Jason Dunn (formerly from Hawk Nelson), and Parachute 2013 artists White Collar Sideshow.

Start of the summer playlist = sorted.

PS If you didn't get the first volume, it's still free here. 

The 55th Grammy Award Nominations were announced yesterday. Mumford & Sons landed six nominations, including Album of the Year and Rock Song of the Year.

Alabama Shakes' tune "Hold On" is in (with Mumford) for Best Rock Song... somehow... and T-Swifty is in a couple of times for songs featuring on The Hunger Games soundtrack.

Lecrae's in for Best Gospel Album, Rhett Walker Band's "When Mercy Found Me" is in for Best Contemporary Christian Music Song, and both Tobymac and Britt Nicole are in for Best CCM Album.

Perhaps my favourite news of the night though, is that Justin Bieber, One Direction, & Nicki Minaj all missed out on Grammy nominations. Like none. At all.

Even Michelle Obama got a nomination (Spoken Word) and Bieber didn't!! Oh man... Christmas has come early.

If you're loving the new song "Am I The Enemy" from The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, make sure you pick up the album that came out last year (completely went past me but it's AWESOME!) and now, there's a video so you're face can get ripped off with pictures.

Lights Go Down, the new solo project from former Hawk Nelson frontman Jason Dunn, is looking for you to help out with the new music video for the song "My First Biggest Mistake".

Please learn this song and sing it back to me so I can use it for a video:) My First Biggest Mistake soundcloud.com/jason-dunn-3/m… on #SoundCloud

— Jason Dunn (@thejasondunn) December 6, 2012