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When three of the rock gospel album of the year Grammy nominees are by rap acts (The Cross Movement, Grits and the sophomore album by OK Native American M.C. Fresh I.E.), might it be time for the National Association of Recording Arts And Sciences to initiate a new category for one of its cool little miniature record player trophies? Methinks so.

By the way, of the two rock acts nominated, I'm genuinely torn between rooting for Audio Adrenaline and Day Of Fire. Or one of the great hip-hop acts doesn't win, that is. 

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How cool was it to find (and buy!) promotional 12-inch singles of remixes of Natasha Bedingfield's "These Words" (co-issued by her label for CD's, Epic and hipster jazz/soul funk specialist Giant Step) and Mavis Staples' "Jaguar" (from her first album for Prince's now-defunct Paisley Park label) at the R&B speciality record shop probably closest to me. More than very. No complaint on the price, but 'twas a mite weird to not have been charged tax with my debut card...
 
For anyone wondering, yes, I still own and use a turntable (but if any readers can point me to a reasonably priced newer model that plays 78's, too, please email me).    

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Is it worth the bother to kvetch how one CCM FM near me will play Perry Como, Nat "King Cole, Dean Martin, Andy Williams and Jose Feliciano, but only their Christmas songs? Maybe not, but it still strikes me as programmatically disjointed. And yes, I do like music by all the aforementioned. 

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What would a Christian market response/rip-off of the Pussycat Dolls look and sound like? And could any label in that market afford to get Cee-Lo Green to produce (the former Goodie Mob rapper with the under appreicated solo albums helmed PCD's catchy/trashy "Don'tcha")?

Even if the suits at whatever label would get Green or anyone else comparably appropriate, I'd be fearful of the whole enterprise. Don't put it past the industry, though!

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Do you think the members of Lifehouse had any say in the use of their "You And Me" in Piper Perabo's bisexual love triangle comedy Imagine Me & You? If so, why ever did they approve?

By the way, I've been a fan of Perabo's since her part in the live action  Bullwinkle and Rocky movie a few years back. And she did her best to make a silk purse out of the sow's ear that is the craptastic Coyote Ugly. Now  I'm not sure what's worse:her deigning to appear in the picture mentioned in the above paragraph or her participation in the sequel to the remake of Cheaper By The Dozen. 

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I have plenty use for Joy Williams, especially after having seen her genuinely rock out some in concert last summer, but ...
   ...what's the deal with a song of hers purportedly being used to hype VH1's CelebReality line-up? I'd like to say that I can understand it in the context of Flavor Flav's Bachelor spoof, but that would just be my enjoyment of Public Enemy getting in the way of the analysis. Has it gotten to the point in major general market corporations' ownership of major Christian labels where Williams would be woo'ed to record songs so spiritually ambiguous to be used to such suspicious ends, or was it just (happy?) coincidence this time around?
   ...shouldn't she be careful what ministries she tacitly endorses with her own musical ministering? Am thinking of a TV show hosted by a bespectacled geezer with serious New Age and seeker-sensitive tendencies. Even if there are no other such miscues, that one alone is bad enough. 

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Wouldn't it be reasonable to expect a killer remix or three of the David Crowder Band's contribution to the recent The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe tie-in album, since said contribution, "Turkish Delight," is a slice of mighty fine disco? Why, then, am I not holding my breath on such a delicious prospect?  

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What radio format is most apt to embrace singles released from the latest album by Take 6, who have thankfully returned to their a cappella roots? The good money would say smooth jazz and adult r&b, the latter of which has been good to Smokie Norful, Kirk Franklin and Yolanda Adams in recent  months. I'm not all that sure about their chance on soul gospel radio these days, and as for CCM stations? They have about as much of a chance there as Mortification do on a Lawrence Welk Show reunion, don'tcha think? Sadly, methinks so.

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From the trickle of holy hip-hop movies now seeing DVD release nowadays will there emerge any actors as sparkling as 2Pac, Luda-Cris or Queen Latifah? One example called Pain gives an appropriately succinct review, so don't color me hopeful just yet.   

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How does a one-time recipient of Christian market press such as Haylie Duff reconcile her lingerie-clad appearance in the pages of Maxim? Maybe because she's not showing any belly? Yeah, I snagged a free subscription, so it's not like they're getting my money.

Here's hoping she doesn't have a dad who talks up his daughter's, ahem, mammalian assets as former pastor Joe Simpson has said of his dear Jessica, anyway.

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Why do I keep listening to Ken Davis's Lighten Up radio spots, hoping that sometime before the Second Coming the guy's going to actually crack me up in uproarious laughter akin to the chortles I erupt when taking in my favorite general market stand-up's? Perhaps because I recall enjoying the video of his I reviewed back in the '90s, where his family schtick reminded me of a latterday Caucasian Bill Cosby. Or was I just being soft back then?

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Is it me, or does Rebecca St. James sound to be sublimating her dormant libido on "Love Being Loved By You" on her current album? Jesus is her boyfriend, right? That said, could her cover of "In The Garden" be soon forthcoming? 

For as much grief as I give the gal in this column, it's good to hear her back in the prime rocky dance-pop form that endeared me to her after she got that dreadful first album out of her system.

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I've gone over some of my beef with Wendy and Rory Alec's word o' faith TV goof fest, but do you know the one thing it's good for?

The music. Where else on U.S. TV is a body going to see international acts including Phatfish, Y Friday and The Band With No Name (not that their retro-rave take on "Amazing Grace" made me  forget about any other version I've ever heard), not to mention the host couple devoting the bulk of an hour to d.c. Talk's strangest third, Kevin Smith, singing his own songs and "Greensleeves" accompanying himself on piano?

Considering what I've said above about Joy Williams, I'm conflicted. But I can at least watch the Alecs and their prosperity gospel-spouting guests without the needle on my HomelyMeter going into the red very often.
 
Jamie Lee Rake, 
Your Questioner of the (Sub-)Cultural Status Quo