40 Acres is a great CD, and a good followup to the self-titled release from Caedmon's Call in 1997. However, I must say that it isn't as good as the original, albeit well worth buying in its own right. Oh, and Track 5 is the best (shameless plug).

As a long term reformed Christian, I had pretty much gotten to where I felt virtually all CCM music was just second rate bands that couldn't get a contract without trading on the "religious" label. My favorite modern religious song had always been Eric Clapton's "Presence of the Lord". But then I read an article about the resurgance of Calvinism amoungst Christian youth and a few CCM rock bands and decided to try Caedmon's Call. I was pleasantly shocked. Derek Webb and company have managed to pull off the difficult task of bringing reformed theology into a modern context. I can't thank you guys enough. So far everything I've heard is first rate. Along with Jars of Clay, Derek Webb and Caedmon's Call are the best of what will hopefully be a coming flood of Christian alternative rock. I love it. Thank you!

What I like about Caedmon's Call and 40 Acres is their wonderful, lyrical honesty. With the rise in popularity of contemparary Christian music, we are swamped with airbrushed groups singing about a Christianity where nothing is difficult anymore. This is hardly the truth. It's hard to be a Christian in this world, and Caedmon's Call taps into that with their deep lyrics that showcase the educated and inspired minds that wrote them. Whether it's the difficulty of maintaining faith (Shifting Sand), struggling with materialism (Faith My Eyes), growing jaded (Pertified Heart), or fearing for the future (Table for Two - my theme song), Caedmon's Call shines. In the midst of the struggle is peace (Thankful), heartbreak (Somewhere North) and redemptation (40 Acres).

Once again I think that they have gotten away from melodies and other elements that would make this a good album. The lyrics are strong and they follow Jesus, but the music is lacking. I personally wouldn't purchase this album.

Caedmon's Call is very interesting. Half of their songs are written by a non-performing friend of theirs, and the rest by one of the musicians. The problem is, their writing styles are completely different. I really like the Derek Webb-penned stuff (especially Somewhere North - it is by far the best Caedmon's song yet). But the Aaron Tate stuff is just mainstream pop that not only sounds very undistinctive (ie. like many other comtemporary Christian bands), but sounds exactly like the Aaron Tate songs on the last albums. My verdict: The Derek songs are keepers, the others are throwaways. Nothing against the performers, it's the writing.

Yes, words do have meaning.....whether you like Caedmon's style of music or not, biblical evangelicals should find "Thankful" very disturbing. Caedmon's Call's Calvinistic roots and their veneration of Reformed traditions really come to the forefront in this tune and a closer look at the lyrics reveals the hyper-Calvinistic doctrine of deterministic predestination and reprobation: "I can't refuse,....Because I have no choice....Through faith that's not my own". I love CCM, but please go beyond the surface of the music and look at the substance of everything out there!