Generation Radio – Take Two

Full Album Review

There’s something refreshing about hearing veteran musicians make music without chasing trends. No forced relevance. No trend-hopping production. No need to prove anything. Just seasoned artists leaning into melody, musicianship, harmony, and songs built to last.

That’s exactly what you get on Take Two, the newest release from Generation Radio.

Built around the pairing of Jason Scheff and Jay DeMarcus, this group blends classic melodic rock, polished adult contemporary, and country-pop songwriting instincts into one cohesive sound. The result is an album that feels warm, confident, and highly musical.

Why Jason Scheff Matters to Gen X Listeners

For many Gen X listeners around my age, Jason Scheff is the voice of Chicago.

While the band’s early era is legendary, Scheff fronted Chicago during the years many of us grew up with—when songs like Will You Still Love Me?, Look Away, What Kind of Man Would I Be?, and I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love were on the radio constantly. For a generation raised in the 80s and early 90s, his voice became the sound of Chicago in our everyday lives.

That connection matters, and it gives Take Two an immediate sense of familiarity and credibility.

A Record Built on Strengths

Jason Scheff still possesses one of the most recognizable voices in melodic music. His tone remains smooth, emotional, and expressive, bringing instant class to every track. Meanwhile, Jay DeMarcus adds the vocal layering, precision production, and hook sense that helped make Rascal Flatts one of the biggest harmony groups of their generation.

Together, they make music that values craft over hype.

Sound & Style

Take Two sits in a sweet spot between west coast rock, classic Chicago sophistication, Nashville polish, and timeless adult pop. You’ll hear tasteful guitars, lush keyboards, strong rhythm work, and harmonies arranged with purpose.

This isn’t an aggressive album. It’s a melodic one. It leans into emotional resonance rather than volume.

Best Songs on the Album

1. Montana Sky

A standout track with soaring melodies and a polished, cinematic feel. Strong chorus, excellent vocals, and one of the most immediate songs on the record.

2. The Melody

Heartfelt and warm, this track showcases the group’s songwriting strengths. Reflective lyrics and rich harmonies make it one of the emotional centerpieces of the album.

3. Grass Is Greener

One of the smoothest cuts on the album. It carries that west coast sophistication with a relaxed groove and mature lyrical perspective.

4. You're the Inspiration

Revisiting a Chicago classic is always risky, but this remake works because Jason Scheff doesn’t force it—he owns it naturally. His vocal performance is one of the strongest moments on the album, blending reverence for the original with the confidence of someone who understands the Chicago legacy from the inside. Scheff truly excels here, delivering warmth, control, and emotional sincerity.

Strengths

Vocals & Harmonies

This is where the album shines brightest. Scheff and DeMarcus understand how to blend voices, build choruses, and let songs breathe.

Songwriting

These songs come from life experience. Relationships, gratitude, perspective, perseverance—it all feels lived-in rather than manufactured.

Production

Clean, polished, professional. Nothing cluttered, nothing overdone.

Potential Criticisms

Listeners wanting heavier rock energy may find the album a little restrained. Those looking for edgy experimentation may see it as safe.

But for listeners who appreciate craftsmanship, those same qualities become strengths.

Final Verdict

Take Two is an album made by musicians who know exactly who they are. It doesn’t chase the moment—it trusts timeless strengths like melody, harmony, and emotional honesty.

For Gen X listeners especially, hearing Jason Scheff front a modern project is a reminder of an era when songs mattered, vocals mattered, and melody ruled radio.

Rating: 8.5 / 10

Recommended Tracks: Montana Sky, The Melody, Grass Is Greener, You're the Inspiration

Best For Fans Of: Chicago, Rascal Flatts, Richard Marx, Toto, and anyone who still values real songwriting.

Grace Notes

When They Tried to Throw Him Off the Cliff

By Jimmy Reno

In Luke chapter 4, Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth.
The people knew Him there. They had watched Him grow up. They had seen Him working in Joseph’s shop. They knew His family. To them, He was familiar… ordinary… one of their own.

At first, they listened with amazement as He spoke in the synagogue.
But that amazement quickly turned to anger.

Jesus said,
“Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.”

Then He reminded them of something they didn’t want to hear.
In the days of Elijah, there were many widows in Israel, yet God sent the prophet to help a widow in Sidon — a foreign land.
In the days of Elisha, there were many lepers in Israel, yet only Naaman the Syrian was healed.

The message was clear.
God’s grace is not limited by hometown pride, family history, or religious familiarity.
Grace goes where faith is found.

When the people realized what He was saying, the Bible tells us they were filled with fury.
They drove Him out of the town and took Him to the edge of a hill, intending to throw Him off.

Think about that.

The same people who had known Him since childhood
the same people who had heard Him speak in their synagogue
the same people who had just moments before admired His words
now wanted Him dead.

Why?

Because truth can feel offensive when it exposes our pride.
Because we sometimes want God to belong to us instead of surrendering ourselves to Him.
Because it is easier to reject the messenger than to receive the message.

But the story does not end at the cliff.

Scripture says,
“But He passed through the midst of them and went away.”

His time had not yet come.
No crowd could stop the plan of God.
No anger could cancel the mission of grace.

There is a lesson here for all of us.

Sometimes the people closest to us will not understand what God is doing in our lives.
Sometimes the place that should feel most comfortable becomes the place where faith is tested the most.
Sometimes standing for truth means standing alone.

But the same Jesus who walked through that angry crowd still walks with us today.

He still makes a way where there seems to be no way.
He still protects when the road gets dangerous.
He still calls us to trust Him even when the world doesn’t understand.

And just like in Nazareth, grace is still reaching for anyone willing to believe.

No matter where you come from.
No matter what you’ve done.
No matter who has rejected you.

Grace still makes a way.

✝️ The Cross We Carry

Losing to Live

(Grace Notes – Weekly Devotional)

When Jesus spoke to His disciples about what lay ahead, His words must have sounded unthinkable:

“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Nothing in their expectations of the Messiah matched this.
No political victory.
No earthly throne.

Instead — suffering, rejection, death… and resurrection.

At the center of Christ’s statement is a striking Greek word:

δεῖ (dei) — “must.”

This was not tragic fate.
This was divine necessity.

Jesus was not a victim of events.
He was the obedient Son walking deliberately toward the Cross.

💔 The Necessity of Suffering

The Greek verb translated “suffer” is:

παθεῖν (pathein) — to endure, to experience pain

Christ’s suffering is inseparable from redemption.
His pain is not meaningless agony — it is love poured out for the salvation of the world.

In God’s hands, suffering becomes not merely something to survive — but something that can purify, heal, and transform.

✨ “Loss in Christ is never loss.”

🚫 Rejected by the Religious

Jesus foretells His rejection:

ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι (apodokimasthēnai) — tested and deemed unworthy

Rejected not by outsiders —
but by those who knew Scripture.

Truth stood before them, and they refused Him.

The warning remains sobering:
Familiarity with religion does not always produce openness to God.

🙏 Deny Yourself

Jesus commands:

ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτόν (aparnēsasthō heauton)

Not self-hatred.
But surrendering self-rule.

It is the daily dethroning of pride:

Not my will
Not my control
Not my way

But:

Lord, reign in me.

🪵 Take Up Your Cross Daily

καθ’ ἡμέραν (kath’ hēmeran) — daily

Not once.
Not occasionally.

Daily.

Most crosses are quietly woven into ordinary life:

• Forgiveness when it hurts
• Patience when it’s exhausting
• Faithfulness when unnoticed
• Trust when it feels risky

The daily Cross is often invisible —
but eternally weighty.

🔥 The Gospel Paradox

The word for “life” here is:

ψυχή (psychē) — soul, identity

Clinging to the false self leads to loss.
Surrendering it to Christ leads to life.

Lose → Gain
Die → Live
Surrender → Freedom

🌍 Gaining the World, Losing the Soul

κόσμος (kosmos) — the world system, temporary glory

You may gain success, wealth, recognition —
yet suffer spiritual loss.

No earthly victory is worth eternal ruin.

❤️ Losing to Live

Christ’s call is not an invitation to misery.

It is an invitation to freedom:

Freedom from self-tyranny
Freedom from illusion
Freedom from the exhausting burden of being our own savior

The Cross is not punishment.

It is participation in divine love.

Every surrender whispers:

Jesus, I trust You more than myself.
Jesus, Your way is life.

🙏 Prayer

Lord Jesus,

Teach me the courage of self-denial.
Teach me the strength to carry my daily cross.
Teach me the wisdom to see beyond the illusions of this world.

When I cling, loosen my grip.
When I resist, soften my heart.
When I fear, remind me:

Loss in You is never loss.

Amen.

GRACE NOTES DEVOTIONAL: “A Light in Your Arms” (Luke 2:22–40) 🕯️✝️

There are moments in Scripture that feel quiet, almost hidden. No crowds. No miracles in the streets. No thunder. No angels singing in the sky.

Just a young mother, a faithful husband, a baby boy, and an ordinary trip to the Temple.

But in Luke 2, that ordinary moment becomes a holy collision between heaven and earth.

Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to Jerusalem “to present Him to the Lord,” obeying the Law of Moses. This matters more than many people realize. They were not rebelling against God’s commands. They were living them. They were teaching us something important.

Real holiness is often quiet obedience.

And the sacrifice they offer says a lot. The Law allowed a lamb, but for the poor it allowed “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” That means the Holy Family came in humility. The King of Kings entered the world not surrounded by wealth, but surrounded by poverty, purity, and faith.

God did not come to impress the world.

He came to save it.

Then we meet Simeon.

Luke says Simeon was righteous and devout, “awaiting the consolation of Israel.” That phrase is deeply emotional. It means he was waiting for God to comfort His people, waiting for the fulfillment of every promise, waiting for redemption to finally arrive.

And Scripture says, “the Holy Spirit was upon him.”

The Spirit had promised Simeon something astonishing.

He would not die until he had seen “the Christ of the Lord.”

In Greek, “Christ” is christos, meaning the Anointed One, the promised Messiah. Simeon had lived his whole life looking toward this moment, and he did not know the date or the hour, only that God would keep His word.

And then it happens.

Simeon comes “in the Spirit” into the Temple at the exact moment Mary and Joseph enter with Jesus.

This is not coincidence.

This is providence.

Simeon takes Jesus into his arms and blesses God with a prayer that the Church has treasured for centuries. It is called the Nunc Dimittis, because the Latin begins with “Now you dismiss.”

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word.”

In Greek, Simeon calls God “Master” using the word despota. That word means sovereign Lord, the One with authority over life and death. Simeon is saying, Lord, You are in control. You are faithful. You have completed what You promised.

Then Simeon says one of the most breathtaking lines ever spoken by human lips.

“My eyes have seen Your salvation.”

Notice what he does not say.

He does not say, “My eyes have seen salvation.”

He says, “My eyes have seen YOUR salvation.”

Salvation is not a theory. It is not a philosophy. It is not a self improvement plan.

Salvation is a Person.

Jesus.

Simeon is literally holding salvation in his arms.

Then Simeon prophesies something that shatters every narrow view of who the Messiah came for.

“A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for Your people Israel.”

This is the universal mission of Christ.

He is Israel’s glory.

He is the Gentiles’ light.

He is not only the Savior of one tribe, one nation, one people, or one background.

He is the Savior of the world.

The Greek word used for “revelation” is apokalypsin. It is where we get “apocalypse,” not meaning destruction, but unveiling. Jesus unveils God. He reveals what the human heart could never discover on its own.

Then comes the harder part.

Simeon blesses Mary and speaks a prophecy over her that every Catholic heart understands in a deep way.

“This child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted.”

Jesus will not be received neutrally.

He will divide hearts.

Not because He is cruel, but because truth demands a response.

Some will fall because they cling to pride.

Some will rise because they cling to faith.

And then Simeon looks at Mary and says,

“And you yourself a sword will pierce.”

This is not poetic exaggeration.

This is prophecy.

Mary is not only the Mother of Jesus.

She is the first disciple who will suffer with Him.

The sword is not steel.

The sword is grief.

The sword is standing at the foot of the Cross, watching the Son she loves become the sacrifice for the world.

Simeon reveals something most people do not want to hear.

You cannot follow Jesus without also facing the cost of loving Him.

Then Luke gives us another witness.

Anna.

A prophetess.

A woman of prayer.

A widow who has spent decades worshiping, fasting, and waiting.

Anna is proof that the hidden life is not wasted.

The world celebrates loud success.

But heaven honors faithful persistence.

Anna sees the child and immediately gives thanks to God and speaks about Him to all who were awaiting redemption.

This is how revival begins.

Not with celebrities.

Not with trends.

But with faithful people who have been praying in the shadows for years.

Mary and Joseph then return to Nazareth, and Luke closes with this beautiful line.

“The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.”

God came close.

God became small.

God entered family life.

So that your life and your home could never be considered insignificant again.

Brother, here is the Grace Note for today.

You may feel like you are waiting.

You may feel like the promises are taking too long.

You may feel like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling.

But Simeon and Anna remind us of this truth.

God is never late.

He fulfills His word in His time.

And when He does, the peace you receive is worth every year of waiting.

So keep praying.

Keep obeying.

Keep showing up to the Temple.

Keep trusting the Lord.

Because one day, you will look back and say what Simeon said.

My eyes have seen Your salvation.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, make me faithful in the waiting. Give me the patience of Simeon and the prayer life of Anna. Help me obey like Mary and Joseph, even when no one is watching. Let Your light reveal what needs healing in me. And give me peace, because You always keep Your promises. Amen. 🕯️✝️

DEVOTIONAL: “Lord, Make Me Good Soil” (Mark 4:1–20) 🌱✝️

One of the most powerful things about Jesus’ teaching is how simple it sounds, yet how deep it goes. In Mark 4, Jesus sits in a boat and teaches the crowd using a parable that’s familiar to anyone who’s ever planted anything: the Parable of the Sower.

A farmer scatters seed. Same seed. Same hand. Same intention.

Yet the results are totally different.

That’s the point.

Jesus reveals something that should humble every one of us:
The Word of God is perfect, but the heart receiving it isn’t always ready.

The seed is the Word

Jesus says plainly, “The sower sows the word.”
In Greek, “word” here is λόγος (logos). This is not just random speech, but God’s message, His truth, His voice calling the soul.

The farmer isn’t planting opinions. He’s planting life.

1) The Seed on the Path: A Hardened Heart

Jesus says some seed falls on the path, and the birds eat it up. He explains that this is the person who hears the Word, and immediately Satan steals it.

In Greek, Jesus says Satan “takes away” the Word: αἴρει (airei), meaning to lift up and carry off, like snatching something before it can sink in.

That’s what the enemy does. He doesn’t always fight you with obvious evil.

Sometimes he fights you with distraction, cynicism, spiritual numbness, and pride that refuses to be taught.

A heart can get packed down over time.

Wounds can harden you.
Sin can harden you.
Bitterness can harden you.

And the Word sits on top, never penetrating.

Prayer: Lord, break up my hardened places.