From the first flourish of "Spanish Gold" to the final, gospel-tinged reprise, the orchestral score is ambitiously grand. It has to be ambitious; transforming one of the most infamous criminal factions in history and the world's least favorite food group into lovable heroes with spiritual clout isn't the easiest thing to do. Ultimately, there are only two possible trajectoriesfor The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything-hilarious or ridiculous. Though we won't know the final verdict on the veggies for another month or so, we can hope for a glimpse of greatness in the music.

Man, I can't wait until a good release date.  It's another week of few and far between but, in the meantime, here are a few to keep your eye on:

I Belong - Kathryn Scott: From the songwriter who brought us worship classics like "Hungry" and "At the Foot of the Cross" comes a fresh album full of eleven new songs.  Could be interesting.

Live at Piedmont Park - Dave Matthews Band: I'm a sucker for a great live show and nobody does it as well as the DMB.  Sure, you've heard these songs before but they're just that much more amped up live.

I told you it was slim.  I think we're gonna have to ask Santa for some great releases for Christmas...

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Christian superstars Toby Mac and Jeremy Camp are set to hit the road this spring with special guest Matthew West on their "Boomin' Beyond Measure Tour."  With all three artists boasting a sizeable fan base, this one looks to sell out quick.  Here are the tour dates:

2/6 San Antonio, TX/ San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo  (TobyMac & Jeremy Camp
only) 
2/7 Las Cruces, NM/ New Mexico State Univeristy Pan America Center
2/8 Phoenix, AZ/ Dodge Theatre
2/9 Los Angeles, CA/ Gibson Amp
2/11 Sacramento, CA/ UC Davis
2/12 Fresno, CA/ Warnor's Theatre
2/14 Medford, OR/ Jackson County Expo
2/15 Salem, OR/ OR State Fair Pavilion
2/16 Seattle, WA/ Overlake Christian Center
2/17 Kennewick, WA/ Toyota Center
2/21 Denver, CO/ Wells Fargo Theater
2/22 Omaha, NE/Quest Center
2/23 Moline, IL/ i wireless Center
2/24 Canton, OH/ Canton Civic Center
2/28 Indianapolis, IN/ Conseco Fieldhouse
2/29 Chicago, IL/ Congress Theater
3/1 Minneapolis, MN/ Target Center
3/2 Grand Forks, ND/Alerius Center
3/6 Hershey, PA/ Hershey Arena
3/7 Lowell, MA/Lowell Auditorium
3/8 Elmira, NY/ First Arena
3/13 Fairfax, VA/ Patriot Center
3/14 Columbia, SC/Colonial Center
3/15 Valdosta, GA/ Wild Adventure Theme Park
3/16 Tampa, FL/ Ford Amphitheatre
3/20 Baton Rouge, LA/Baton Rouge River Center
3/21 Arlington, TX/ Six Flags Over TX

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While for several years there has been a line of division between mainstream outlets and the Christian industry, with some perceiving the latter's music to be of lesser quality, there seems to be a progressive breakdown of that line of thinking.  Case in point: Derek Webb's latest album, The Ringing Bell, has garnered the #11 spot on Christianity Today's top album list for the year (not a surprise there) but has also clocked in at #27 on Paste's Top 100.  It's great press for Webb and a great sign for the industry all around.  And for those blessed with XM Satellite Radio, next week Webb will be featured on an exclusive edition of XM Satellite Loft Sessions, which will run both an interview and intimate performance with the eclectic artist.

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Energetic pop-rockers Hawk Nelson have been busy the past couple of months with the recording of their latest album, Hawk Nelson is My Friend.  Joining up with producer David Bendeth (Paramore, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus) as well as songwriters such as Thousand Foot Krutch's Trevor McNevan and none other than 80's superstar Richard Marx among others, the album promises to be top-notch.  Though the official release date is not until April 1st, the band will be releasing the first single, "Friend Like That," to digital outlets as well as hitting the touring trail, headling the "Hawk Nelson Green T Tour."  Sounds like a promising year for the four kids from Canada.

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This year's Grammy nominations were released yesterday with few surprises.  Kanye West led the pack with eight nods while troubled songstress Amy Winehouse clocked in with six.  Surprising nominees included Vince Gill in the album of the year category for his expansive four-disc adventure These Days as well as a surprise nod for the Plain White T's for their song, "Hey There Delilah."  The gospel categories are littered with familiar names, among them Casting Crowns, Michael W. Smith, and a nice nomination for American Idol alum Mandisa for her debut True Beauty.  To view the full list, head on over to the Grammy's official site.  So how do you think they stack up?  Who got robbed?

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For those hardcore fans of P.O.D, the true warriors, this comes as no news to you.  Yet, for the rest of us who are interested, the band is launching contest in conjunction with the album cover reveal of it's latest album, When Angels and Serpents Dance, due to release sometime next year.  The band is making things interesting, revealing bit by bit over the course of several days.  Along with that, fans can play along and enter into a contest to win no small amount of coveted P.O.D. swag.  Head on over to the secret location and check it out!

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It's not necessary to describe the music here. Anyone who reads this will have likely heard it already. But what most have probably not heard are these songs enhanced, remixed, and remastered. Sound technology has come a long way since 1965, and with producer Cheryl Pawelski having access to the original analog multi-track masters, the result is a crisper, cleaner, and greater amplified, high-fidelity recording. Also included on the CD are bonus tracks featuring alternative takes on four of the originals.

Remember when you were a kid, hanging out in the neighborhood and growing tired of your old toys?  Remember looking over to Little Billy Wilson's house and watching him play (although he was secretly bored too!) with his way-cool Transformers?  Well, some things never change.  Let's face it.  We all have toys sitting around our house that we're way tired of; things like one-hit wonder albums, movies we thought were going to be great, or even that book that just doesn't warrant a second read and is now coated with a fine layer of dust on it's shelf.  Enter the world of technology.  Adding itself to a growing list of sites along the lines of ebay and Freecycle is Swaptree, a site designed to resolve with ease the problem of these old things.  With very user-friendly features and a nifty price (free!), Swaptree is the place to trade in the old for the new.  Come to think of it, this is a great time of year for that sort of thing!

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While some will argue that Storm the Gates of Hell doesn't take any chances and falls into the formulaic Demon Hunter sound, I'll have to disagree. Believe me; no one is more surprised at that than I am. I have felt that all of Demon Hunter's work prior to this was overly formulaic and it never really moved me at all. Storm the Gates of Hell is altogether different however. This album fits nicely alongside bands like As I Lay Dying, Himsa, Killswitch Engage, and the like but the band let their melodic side shine a bit more on this one, bringing to mind bands like Nonpoint, Staind, and In This Moment. Now that's not to say that they sound like any of those bands, but there are certainly elements of all of them in these songs.