Let the Christian duo of Shane Barnard and Shane Everett Carry Away your troubles with uplifting and inspirational songs from their sophomore album, which recently debuted at number nine on SoundScan’s “Top Christian Albums” chart.

The pair got their start at Texas A&M University where they met through circumstances only God could create. Everett saw Barnard perform at a musical festival, and they became fast friends.

Everett decided to join Barnard for several concert dates during the summer. And from then on, they were Shane and Shane.

Barnard contributes lead vocals and acoustic guitar, while Everett supplies vocals and electric guitar. They signed with Inpop Records in 2002 and released their debut album, Psalms.

Carry Away is a powerful worship album filled with beautiful songs that will help to bring you closer to God. All of the songs on the album are taken from Scripture, a fact that helps the songs encourage listeners to learn more about God by diving deeper into His Word.

Be Near, produced by the Newsboy’s Peter Furler, is the first radio single off the album. The song, which is inspired by Psalm 73:28, 139, speaks about a person’s search and longing for a closer relationship with God.

Written by Shane Barnard, the song proclaims that God is “all, big and small, beautiful and wonderful” and then implores God to “be near…to us.”

For me, the most inspirational song on the album is When I Think About the Lord. The chorus of the song says it all: “When I think about the Lord…It makes me want to shout…Hallelujah, thank you, Jesus. Lord, You’re worthy of all the glory, and all the honor and all the praise!”

The message is to take time and think about all of the blessings that the Lord has given you and then PRAISE HIM!

The main motivation for Barnard and Everett’s musical ministry is to be faithful to God because they know that “all blessings are initiated by God and come from Him.” All of the songs on the album echo that desire to draw nearer to God.

For more information on Shane Barnard and Shane Everett, visit their Web site at www.waitingroomministries.com or their record label’s Web site at www.inpoprecords.com.