It's April, arguably the cruelest month. Spring has officially sprung, daffodils bravely struggle up from the still-chilly ground, the temperature's starting to hang around the fifties and sixties, and there's something else that signals spring in Kentucky...something rather large going on towards the end of the month...hmm, what was it now? Oh, yes, I remember: ICTHUS, the biggest, bestest, baddest CCM festival this region has to offer, especially for fans of alternative CCM. After two years of whining about not being able to attend the festival (have I really been writing this column that long?) I will finally be there this year, up close and personal with the whole experience. In fact, look for the May issue of Louisville Music News, in which I will be featuring this year's festival in Front and Center. The dates are April 22-25, the lineup is incredible, tickets are reasonable-`nuff said. You must go, and bring all your friends with you! (Oh, and gifts of food and money brought to the festival for your favorite local CCM writer will not be turned away, either...)

Okay, okay--enough fun and games. On to the serious stuff like new releases, upcoming concerts, and maybe a little industry news. This month, you can have your own ritual to welcome spring by spinning any or all of the tunes on these new CCM releases:

Anointed Anointed [Myrrh, April 20]
Anointed untitled [Myrrh Black Music, April 20]
Susan Ashton untitled [Sparrow, April 20]
Matt Beckler Drown EP [SMLxL, April 20]
Charles Billingsley Between The Now And Then [Pamplin, April 20]
The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir High & Lifted Up [Atlantic, April 20]
Ryan Brown The Life And Times Of Jesus The Christ [Gray Dot, April 28]
Caedmon's Call Forty Acres [Essential, April 13]
Rev. Andrew Cheairs & The Songbirds untitled [Air Gospel, April 28]
Christafari WordSound&Power [Lion of Zion, April 27]
Code Of Ethics Blaze [Word, April 20]
Cumberland Boys Greatest Hits [Daywind, April 1]
Archie Dale & The Tones Of Joy Try Jesus [Born Again, April 28]
Montrel Darrett Chronicles Of The Soul [EMI Gospel, April 6]
Disctronica Electric Hymns [Alarma, April 20]
Electronic Preachers untitled [Audio-X]
Fraidy Cats untitled [BulletProof, April 28]
Kirk Franklin From No to Then (video) [GospoCentric, April 20]
Geno V untitled [Graptetree Latin]
Jon Gibson untitled [B-Rite, April 20]
glisten Starlight Wishlist [KMG, April 6]
Gospel Gangstaz From Menace To Ministry [B-Rite, April 20]
Natalie Grant Natalie Grant [Benson, April 27]
Walter Hawkins & Love Center Choir 25th Anniversary Reunion Vol. 2 (video) [GospoCentric, April 20]
Jesse's Vineyard Unclear Near [Rustproof, April 6]
Joanna Looking Into Light (Celtic Hymns) [ForeFront, April 20]
Mike Knott Definitive Collection: The Best Of Mike Knott And LSU [Alarma, April 6]
Donnie McClurkin untitled [GospoCentric, April 20]
Mr. Real untitled [Grapetree]
Officer Negative Live At The Roxy [Screaming Giant, April 28]
Doug Oldham He Saw Me [Brentwood, April 13]
The Parachute Band You Alone [Here To Him, April 30]
Twila Paris Twila Paris Collector's Series [Benson, April 27]
Paynes Made New [Daywind, April 15]
Plumb Candycoatedwaterdrops [Essential, April 13]
Pocket Change untitled [Liquid Disc]
Priesthood Sprinkle Me Luv [Metro One, April 21]
David Robertson untitled [Discovery House]
Ruby Joe Hot Rod Deluxe [Sub-Lime, April 6]
Scarecrow & Tinmen No Place Like Home [Pamplin, April 6]
Richard Smallwood Healing--Live In Detroit [Verity, April 27]
Rev. Dreyfus Smith & the Wings of Faith Mass Choir untitled [Air Gospel, April 28]
Troy Sneed Call Jesus [Savoy]
Keith Staten Glory In The House [Hosanna! Music, April 20]
Matthew Ward Toward Eternity/Fade To White [Newport, April 28]
The Wednesdays Midnight Songs In Time Of War [Jackson Rubio, April 28]
Thomas Whitfield The Best Of Thomas Whitfield [Verity, April 15]

Just in case you might be interested in what one lowly music critic has to say, I've had the pleasure of checking out the new glisten and the new Caedmon's Call release. Both are quite tasty, If I do say so myself...for more news on upcoming releases do what I do: check out the excellent CCM e-zine The Lighthouse at http://tlem.netcentral.net. glisten, by the way, will be here in Louisville with Bleach and Viva Voce for a live show in May-more details will be passed on as I get them.

On to the fuzzy, crazy inside world of CCM: One of my favorite new bands, Delirious, will be releasing a follow-up to their very successful debut. The album, titled Mezzamorpis, is due in stores May 18. ongratulations are due for ForeFront/Virgin group dc Talk, who received RIAA gold-certified plaques commemorating sales in excess of 500,000 for their most recent hit album, Supernatural...

Philip and Natalie La Rue are finishing up their debut Reunion release Waiting Room which will be released in June. The brother/sister duo's first project is produced by Rick Elias (The Jesus Record, That Thing You Do), Mike Linney (Newsboys, Out of Eden, Raze) and Ken Mary...And in the "music's come a long way, baby" category, fans of Caedmon's Call will want to check out the live Internet concert on April 17. The band will be debuting their new release in a 2-hour show that will be broadcast from their home church, the Second Baptist Church of Houston, Texas. Go to www.musicforce.com and check out all the details.

Okay, that's enough information for one month-now it's time to get off your butts and start packin' for Icthus. See you there!!