Without Words
by
Bethel Live Over the past few years, Bethel Music has exploded from a rather understated Northern California community to the corners of the earth, bringing worshipful choruses that invite and invoke the presence...
Revealing Jesus
by
Darlene You can't help but think of the golden years of Hillsong when you hear the name Darlene Zschech. During her tenure as the worship pastor of Hillsong Church, she saw the music of her local church become...
A Creation Liturgy
by
Gungor Translated literally, the Greek word from which we get "liturgy" means "the work of the people." And in that sense, it makes sense why Gungor calls their first live album, A Creation...
An Unexpected Cinematic Soundtrack | Posted March-21-2013
Over the past few years, Bethel Music has exploded from a rather understated Northern California community to the corners of the earth, bringing worshipful choruses that invite and invoke the presence of God.
Known for some profound and touching lyrics--my personal favorite is "You Know Me"--the Bethel team is trying to make a point that worship is more than words. It's an attitude of the heart; an expression of the soul.
To that end, Bethel Music has released Without Words, an album that takes some of its best-loved songs and instrumentalizes them.
It's only fitting that the first song should be "What Does it Sound Like," an ambient, otherworldly vibe that carries more electronic elements than one would realize at first listen. Violins, guitars and xylophonic tones launch the song, and driving electronic synths explode, telling a story of seeking and finding Heaven on earth.
"God I Look to You" has a lullaby feel to it, with a single soothing acoustic guitar providing much of the instrumentation. Wind-blowing sounds and short-lived vocalizations ("ohh") provide a dream-like atmosphere.
Those expecting an entirely instrumental album won't find it, as there definitely is singing from time to time on this album; the only thing is, nobody's singing intelligible words. We hear "ohh" and "ahh" vocalizations scattered throughout the closing credits soundtrack sound of "Forgiven," which add to the fact that hearts are being expressed, not mere words. These sounds almost signal a sense of relief by humanity, who has been forgiven by God through Jesus.
The sound of a rotary phone opens "For the Sake of the World," which lends us to believe that this song is a call--but to whom? Calling tones sound, and there's a part of the song that uses horns, that almost sounds like hold music. The story here is almost like someone is calling to the world with the Good News they have, encounters resistance and delay, but ultimately makes a connection that is profound and life-changing to others. This is illustrated as techno warbles and scratches transition the song from the "hold" sound into a childlike lullabye sound that erupts into a piano-techno symphony. The connection has been made.
Echoing, otherworldly vocalizations and acoustic guitar introduce "Angels." It almost sounds like a Gungor song, with the xylophones, oohs and acoustic guitar interplay. The lyrical version of this song is a call out to the angels to sing along with humanity in the praises of Jesus. This version carries that celebratory, invitational vibe.
"Come to Me" is a warm, inviting piece that really demonstrates the heart of Father God as kind, caring and available. It almost has a kingly, regal, processional kind of feeling to it, accentuated by a brass section that fades in. Driving drums add to a moment of dramatic, cinematic embrace from the Father.
A music box sound (complete with something that sounds like the winding knob) opens "To Our God," which gives way to simple, subdued, pulsating tones with vocals echoing in the background. The childlike wonder turns to mysterious sounds, with an "Inception"-like cello and strings propelling the song into surprising grinding synths. It seems that out of this mystery and belief comes a strong army of the Lord.
"One Thirst" begins with a lot of distorted radio frequency noise that gives way to a peaceful melody, much like how we have to tune out the noise of the world intentionally to find communion with God. One can almost hear the sounds of the ocean or even raindrops scattered throughout this track, illustrating the presence of God in the secret places of our hearts.
The original version of "Worthy is the Lamb" is a very repetitive refrain declaring the words of Revelation 5:12. This treatment has that same repetitive declaration of praise. A chorus of oohs and ahhs gives you the picture of what worship sounds like when language is stripped away. Video game sounds and distracting squeaking sounds tie the choruses together.
Sliding and slapping acoustic guitar sounds introduce "I Will Exalt," another track that could belong to Gungor, or even the soundtrack of the movie August Rush. The song starts out from a place of simple expectancy, and leads into an almost shy chorus. Fueled by a "verse" of electronic elements, the second chorus shows an increase in fervor, leading to a euphoric and declarative end.
Closing Thoughts:
When I first saw the concept of Without Words, I honestly expected an elevator music album of Bethel songs. I had no idea the depth of the artistry that would go into an album that doesn't have a single lyric.
Fans of Bethel will recognize some of the melody lines, but it's really not even possible to compare these cinematic tracks to the originals. They're two totally different experiences. This is, plain and simple, a soundtrack--an epic soundtrack of the life of faith and the pursuit of Christ. Well done, Bethel!
You can't help but think of the golden years of Hillsong when you hear the name Darlene Zschech. During her tenure as the worship pastor of Hillsong Church, she saw the music of her local church become a global phenomenon.
So after the rise and explosion of Hillsong United, the planting of several Hillsong churches across the globe, and her handing off worship pastoring to Reuben Morgan, what's left for Darlene Zschech?
It seems like her job is the same as it's always been: Declare Jesus in worship and bring people to His throne. She's doing what she does best in her latest live album, Revealing Jesus.
A spirited, victorious Celtic-like chant introduces the album on "God is Here." Darlene's signature voice sings, "Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see you... Jesus be revealed." The upbeat song appeals to all the senses, praying that the Lord would use our eyes, hearts and ears. "We draw near to see Jesus face to face," is the thesis declaration of this song, and for that matter, the whole album.
"Best For Me" begins with a triumphant guitar riff that sounds like early Hillsong United. The pogo-friendly song retells Jesus' triumph over death and declares believers' allegiance to Him. "I live to testify / I live because You died / And I give my all to You / You gave Your best for me!" It's funny how United has become so subdued and chill, and the older generation of Hillsong (of which Darlene is part) has the high-energy, rock-infused corporate worship songs.
Whistles and "ohs" introduce "All That We Are," another uptempo United-like tune that worshipers of many generations could sing. "What a sacrifice / You laid down your life / To save a sinner's heart like mine / I surrender all / All to You my God," Darlene sings in the subdued bridge.
The first "throwback"-sounding song is the funkier-than-expected groove-laden "In Jesus' Name." In this one, Darlene reflects on the supremacy of Jesus, declaring, "God is fighting for us / God is on our side / He has overcome, yes He has overcome / We will not be shaken / We will not be moved / Jesus You are here."
Revealing Jesus was produced by fellow worship-leading powerhouse Israel Houghton, whose songs and vocals make appearances on the album. Houghton lends his vocals on "All That We Are," and on the contemplative and beautiful "Your Presence is Heaven"--which he wrote. Both dramatic singers, Zschech's meat-and-potatoes worship leading meshes well with Houghton's Gospel-infused style, even on more meditative songs like "Your Presence is Heaven."
"Victor's Crown" is a multi-generational, unifying praise chorus that has more than a tip of the hat to ‘90s-era Hillsong. The song is passionate, building and congregational. The bridge is particularly inspiring and empowering, and bears one of the most powerful lines in the entire album: "Every high thing must come down / Every stronghold shall be broken / You wear the Victor's crown / You will overcome, You will overcome."
Kari Jobe's unmistakable voice leads out on "Yours Forever," marking a rather compelling, powerful pairing of praise powerhouses. (Enough onomatopoeia?) When Darlene takes over on the second verse, you immediately notice the contrast of voices, and it's a good one. In opera, singers are either classified as "lyric" or "dramatic." Both serve a purpose in music, and in this song, you quickly realize that the lighter "lyric" sound of Kari Jobe works well juxtaposed with Darlene's "dramatic" vocals.
But that doesn't even capture the worshipful experience the chorus provides: "You took my place / You took the fall / You too the nails that I may live forever / You rose again / You made a way / You broke the chains and now I'm Yours forever / I'm Yours forever."
"Magnificent" is one of those songs that you don't necessarily sing corporately in church. It's a subdued, violin-driven piece that is suited for private reflection or some kind of artistic expression, like a dance. "You are magnificent eternally / Wonderful, glorious / Jesus / No one ever will compare."
The old hymn "My Jesus I Love Thee" gets a Zschech-up, with a new guitar riff, piano accents and violin ambiance dusting off the 19th century refrain. Most of the song is in the soft, quieter realm, but in typical Darlene fashion, it crescendos to a fever pitch of passion and praise.
"Your Name / Cry of the Broken" is a medley that weaves in and out between Paul Baloche's "Your Name" with Hillsong's "Cry of the Broken," painting a picture of God's love and saving power for those in direst need.
The anthemic and choral "I Am Yours" reunites Darlene with Michael W. Smith, as they sing, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away my sin / Lord Jesus crucified for me / This love that knows no end / Your love has set me free / To You I give my all, I am Yours!" It's a powerful declaration, especially in the bridge as they sing the words of Revelation 5:13: "Blessing and honor / Glory and power / Be unto Him."
Houghton's "Jesus Be the Center" ends the album with a more delicate--yet equally powerful--Zschech treatment of the song. Houghton provides accenting background vocals, but here Darlene's voice really shines and produces the kinds of spine-tingling moments we all remember from her early days in Hillsong.
Closing Thoughts:
Darlene Zschech isn't here to reinvent worship. She's just here to worship. And she isn't just talented at it; she's anointed. There's a distinction there, isn't there?
The words of Revealing Jesus are simple; there's not really anything new, lyrically speaking. But can we ever really get tired of singing of what Jesus did for us? Should we ever tire of singing about the love of God and the hope we have? Darlene doesn't think so, either. So while lyrically things are kept pretty simple, Darlene's passionate delivery proves that there's nothing else worth singing about that could compare with the simple truth of the Gospel.
In an age where sometimes in Christian music--and even in worship songs--it's hard to find the name of Jesus, Darlene delivers unabashed, unhindered praise to the King of Kings in profound, relevant fashion.
Darlene has proved that she's still relevant in worship music--and not just to the generation who first was introduced to her at Hillsong.
Yes, They Can Pull It Off Live | Posted October-19-2012
Translated literally, the Greek word from which we get "liturgy" means "the work of the people." And in that sense, it makes sense why Gungor calls their first live album, A Creation Liturgy. Some people have been working awfully hard to pull this off.
Largely comprised of songs from the collective's two most recent releases--Beautiful Things and Ghosts Upon the Earth--A Creation Liturgy boasts more than an hour of some of the best musicality captured live in Christian music. These tracks were captured during live sets throughout Gungor's 2012 spring tour, in venues large and small.
The "work of the people" in this project paints a picture that starts with the love and beauty of God, moves into the creation of the world (and us), falls into the desperation and darkness of our own depravity, and concludes with the redemption Christ brings, and our celebration of His goodness.
Opener "You Are the Beauty" begins with faded-in a cappella vocals singing the chorus before a strong acoustic guitar riff ushers in the knee-slapping hoedown-style worship. Shouts and audience handclaps add to an already upbeat and energetic song. I easily can picture a room full of people dancing and swinging their partners round-and-round as they sing, "You are the love, love of mine!"
The live vibe gives extra oomph to the fantastic musicianship of the Gungor collective. It's not like Michael was restrained by commercial time limitations on Ghosts Upon the Earth, but on this album, you can tell things are stretched out even a little more.
A funky, bluesy, John Mayer-sounding track follows with "Heaven." We hear the higher range of Michael's vocals here, complete with amazing blues-rock raspiness as he sings, "I don't know what you've been told, but Heaven is comin' down to the world!" The track--originally introduced on the Beautiful Things studio album--hardly misses the soulful vocals of Israel Houghton, as Michael Gungor more than represents.
There's another fantastic, pregnant solo section in this piece, where the Gungor band is clicking on all cylinders. Electric guitar riffs, organ blasts and inventive percussion all share the spotlight. Musically speaking, listeners are treated to excellence and artistry frankly uncommon to projects in the Christian music genre.
"Let There Be," the intro song to Ghosts Upon the Earth, begins with lots of impassioned screams from the audience, as a gentle guitar ushers in the soft, sweet vocals of Lisa Gungor. The musical storytelling of God creating and bringing light into the world and into hearts is evident as ethereal, ambiguous tones give way to a glorious, power-punching finish (preceded by a foreboding, thunderous rumble): "Where there is darkness / Let there be light!"
As is the case in Ghosts Upon the Earth, "Let There Be" is immediately followed by the peppy and bouncy "Brother Moon"--a song about how God blesses us and reveals Himself in Creation. Gungor takes the safe route on some of the high notes here, opting to switch into a lighter falsetto voice, rather than hit the phrase, "Maker of it all / You provide it all" full-voice. Other than that, though, the track is a carbon copy of the studio version--a real testament to the musicians.
One of the most unexpected and powerful moments on the album is an acoustic and violin-led rendition of the classic hymn, "This is My Father's World." A bit slower in tempo than most renditions, this version allows the words and the instruments to breathe, so to speak, with passionate declaration. Lisa Gungor's voice is at peak performance here, putting a fresh coat on a timeless melody.
"Dry Bones"--from Beautiful Things--is a thick, poignant, minor-key dirge of sorts that translates well to the stage, helped in large part by the fact that the recorded audience likes to sing along. "Spotless/You Have Me" is a sincere, cello-immersed cry of thankfulness for salvation that's a nice, easy listen.
"This is Not the End" begins with a forceful spoken-word declaration by Amena Brown--a poetic and powerful lead-in to the strongest track from Ghosts Upon the Earth. "This… is NOT… the end!" she shouts as the song's familiar xylophonic tones begin. "This bride, you and I will rise, come alive like third day morning first breaths of Christ!" The Gungors' vocal harmonies are especially rich here, and it's great to hear the crowd and the band sing loudly together in unison the final "This is not the end!"
Amena returns to the spoken-word vibe with even more gusto and passion in the largely instrumental "We Will Run/He is Here."
The xylophones and bells and other assorted percussive instruments create such a dance of sounds in "The Earth is Yours." It really is magical, and amazing how these tones could be captured so precisely and clearly. One of the best audience-as-choir moments occurs when the instruments drop out and we hear, "Holy, holy, holy, holy, God, the Earth is Yours…"
Perhaps the most well-known of Gungor songs, "Beautiful Things," doesn't deviate much from the original, save a more prominent cello part and the constant presence of background singers (the audience).
As many churches end their services, Gungor concludes the album with a crowd-as-choir, multi-harmony chorus of "Doxology." The only traditional liturgical moment of the album, it concludes with a subdued "Amen," and Michael's blessing--"Grace and peace be with you always"--followed by the crowd's response: "And also with you."
Closing Thoughts:
For some Gungor fans, A Creation Liturgy may seem a bit puzzling, as it's not tremendously different from the previously recorded works represented. But in a sense, Gungor fans are spoiled. They've found the crown jewel of musicianship and songwriting in Christian music, and so when they get a live album, they expect something that goes beyond the mind-blowing material they've already heard.
Here's the deal: The fact that the Gungor collective is able to pull off the complicated musical arrangements, time signatures, instrumental gymnastics and ambiance that was originally sewn into a studio project is nothing short of jaw-dropping. This is as good of a live album as one will hear this year (or even this decade?). I can't wait to watch the forthcoming DVD that is currently in production. I'd love to see how the magic is made.
The Worship Well is Deep at Bethel | Posted September-09-2012
Bethel Church in Redding, Calif. has, in the last half-decade, become a veritable factory of worship artists and passionate, anointed worship music. The folks who brought us Kim Walker-Smith, Brian & Jenn Johnson, and (these days) Jeremy Riddle seem to have a rather stacked stable of psalmists and visionaries.
But with the new album Emerging Voices, Jesus Culture--the youth wing of Bethel's worship ministry--shows that the pool of praise warriors is deep in Redding, as 11 powerful, fresh tracks invoke the truth and presence of God, led by four new worshippers.
"Who has made the world turn? Who has made the heavens shine at night? Who has set my heart on fire?" These are the triumphant questions asked amidst the mid-tempo opener, "Here We Are," led by the unique-sounding voice of Justin Jarvis.
In this reviewer's opinion, the highlight track from this album is the second track, "I Belong to You." Led by the resonant baritone of Derek Johnson (no relation to Bethel Senior Pastor Bill Johnson), the song is a declaration of allegiance and adoration to the Lord. A high-flying, Coldplay-like bridge beautifully expounds upon the theme: "You have set my heart on fire / My love and my desire are only for You / And as Your glory fills this place / Your love we will embrace / It's only for You, and I belong to You."
Although the third song is called "Mighty Fortress," the references to God's strength give way to the central theme of this song: "He rejoices over us!" Worship leader Mary Kat Ehrenzeller provides powerful-yet-beautiful vocals that are a mix of IHOP's Misty Edwards and Hillsong's Darlene Zschech.
With "Let It Go," Johnson returns with Hillsong United-like guitar riffs and melody line. "There's no way we'll ever quiet down / Our God is alive," the second verse exclaims. There's a metaphor throughout this climactic song that compares singing to living the radical life of a follower of Jesus. To that end, the chorus states, "We are never gonna let this song die out!"
It seems as if an album's worth of a musical/worship journey already has taken place, but we're only to song No. 5. With "Be My Love," a Coldplay-like riff separates the choruses and the verses. "I can't find anyone like you who satisfies quite like You do / And my heart is burning for You," rings Jarvis in the simple-yet-sincere refrain. There's a great moment--well, three-and-a-half minutes--of free worship following that song with, "We Just Love You (Be My Love Reprise)," where, in varying levels of intensity, the live crowd repeats, "and my heart is burning for you."
"We love your presence, God," Ehrenzeller delicately whispers to start the passionate, acoustic guitar-driven worship ballad, "Who Can Compare." The song touts the holiness and otherness of God. "And You take my hand / And You guide me on / You show me the way to life / And You lift my head / And You give me hope / And You show me the way to life." It's a calming, powerful worship moment that features some great lower harmonies accompaning Ehrenzeller.
On the one hand, the lyrics of "You Are My God" aren't particularly unique or inventive. On the other, can we ever get tired of telling the Lord that He is our King, He is faithful, and that He's everything we've ever wanted and needed? Johnson's whispery lead vocals paint an ambient musical crowning of the King, particularly when the octave raises at the bridge: "All my days I will live to seek Your face, to know Your heart!"
The tempo kicks back up with "Where You Are," which for me, smacks of what an Anberlin worship song would sound like. Nate Ward II has definite Stephen Christian moments as he sings, "I have seen the fire in Your eyes / In Your love I finally am alive / I wanna be where you are."
Another synth-and-acoustic song, "Glory Come Down," features more whispery, peaceful vocals by Johnson that invite the invasion of the Holy Spirit: "Open the heavens, let Your glory come down / My heart burns for you, Jesus / For Your presence, for Your holy fire." It's a song that would easily find a home on Hillsong United's Aftermath, or perhaps an earlier release with Marty Sampson. It's a slow jam, to be sure, but another octave jump mid-way through the song pumps up the passion.
"I Won't Settle" closes the album with Ward guiding a mid-tempo declarative song about an unwillingness to compromise in life, rejecting the typical for the supernatural. "I won't settle for anything less / And I will hold on for greater things!" resolves the chorus, and the bridge sings, "Mark me as Yours / Set me apart / I want everything / All that You are!"
Closing Thoughts:
There are a lot of powerful moments on this collection of Emerging Voices. This round-up of new talent out of Redding, Calif. hardly sounds like that of green newbies to the worship scene; rather, their tunes easily keep up with many of the aforementioned anointed leaders from around the globe (Darlene Zschech, Misty Edwards, Marty Sampson, etc.).
There's a certain sort of raw, spontaneous energy that is characteristic of a Bethel release, and that is strangely missing from this album. If you were to listen to this without knowing from where it came, one might assume the "emerging voices" were from one of the global Hillsong Church campuses. That's not a negative; those are all strong, anointed artists. It's just a different sound for Bethel.
The talent and passion coming out of Bethel is strong, as evidenced on Emerging Voices, and it's encouraging to see that we'll have a steady stream of powerful worship anthems coming for years to come.
A Connection Between Spirit and Sound | Posted July-24-2012
Sometimes a new band comes out of nowhere and sucker punches you. They do it by creating a high-quality album that's pretty near perfect. They do it by presenting lyrics that rival not only the best in Christian music, but some of the deepest hymns. They do it by caring more about telling a story than selling one.
All of this sums up the aural and spiritual experience that is The Heartbeat by Orlando-based worship troupe Bellarive.
"We pray that we would be the conduit between the Creator and His creation, and that His glory would always be the focul point," states Bellarive vocalist Melissa Mage. The band believes in a connection between Spirit and sound, and that belief--that connection--is evident on all of the dozen tracks of The Heartbeat.
Starting off with the inspiring siren-like riff, the title track "Heartbeat" introduces listeners to the soothing and yet dramatic vocals of lead singer Sean Curran as he sings, "I just want to stay here / This is where you hear my soul." Enchanting gang vocals support him, reinforcing, "I just want to stay here." The bridge is subdued, calm and powerfully encouraging: "Stand tall, for we are daughters, we are sons / Step straight into this love / We bear the mark of our Creator."
"It's so beautiful how only You can satisfy this heart," resounds the chorus of "Love Has Found Us," a tremendously worshipful second track that keeps the juxtaposition of passion and peace. Harmonies shine in this track, as a higher voice provides some unexpected aural choices that pay off. This track is all about the meaning that comes with knowing the Lord, and our response to that. I had the chance to hear this song performed live at Creation Festival NW last week by Austin-based worship band The Response, and it was surprisingly congregational. I realized by this second track that although new to the scene, Bellarive is very much a part of the movement to present worship in new, exciting and unexpected ways.
"Hope Is Calling" presents the creative power of God--"What You said to the sun to make it rise must have been beautiful"--in juxtaposition with God's Grace infiltrating our souls: "The day You spoke to the dawn to wake the night / Woke my soul from its slumber."
While "Taste of Eternity" seems like the title of a jingle for some brand of chocolate (or steak?), this slightly more mellow track explores the truth that we all were created to worship God, and in return, God gives us more of Himself--a bit of Heaven on Earth. Kevin Davis had a fantastic Behind the Song devotional about this (read it here). Significant drums and volume doesn't come into the picture until two-and-a-half minutes into the song, with synth pad, snare drums, violin and a light guitar riff driving most of the song, allowing the worshipful vocals to shine. The song builds into another gang-vocal crescendo, but tapers off for another masterful, worshipful, simple bridge--"Oh how Holy / Oh how worthy"--before building again.
A rhythmically complex vocal line keeps "Measure of Rest" from being congregational, but certainly not from being worshipful. The overall chill track--which could be at home on a summer-themed Death Cab for Cutie album with its xylophonic and electronic tones--sonically and lyrically induces calm and rest: "Realizing nothing else matters / My heart needs to settle down."
"Sing" is one of the most emotional pieces of the whole project, yet despite the song title, it has no lyrics. It's a completely instrumental track. With angelic tones and overtones, mysterious xylophone tones, Moby-esque reverse-sounding waves, a large nod to the liturgical treasure "Doxology," and cathedral-like "oohs" resounding, this song is a definite experience in worship. Without having talked to the band, I'd guess it's called "Sing" because the band wants you to fill in the words of worship to God. And they've given you quite a canvas on which to paint here.
I hear shades of Relient K at times in "The Father's Heart Song," as this straight-up faster-tempo rock worship tune features simple, fast-flowing lyrical delivery by Curran in similar fashion to Relient K's Matt Thiessen. The exceptional, inventive, unexpected harmonies once again appear in this track's chorus, which declares: "I'm dancing to the rhythm of my Father's heartbeat beating / And it's beating just for me!"
"There's rest for my soul as it remembers that it's free," cries Curran in "Here We Are," another mid-tempo song that employs a bobbing and dipping guitar riff, piano and electric organ, and jingle bells. Gungor has talked up Bellarive to its fans, and it seems Gungor's fans would definitely find something to love here. The track is a creative reminder that our God is bigger than our struggles.
"Tendons" follows up the theme of struggle with a prayer of tearing away our flesh that we might be closer to God. It's a definite slow jam that is strikingly ended by a passionate spoken-word sermon/poem/speech of confession and repentance to the Lord. It's one of the most surprising, jarring, powerful moments of the entire album.
The continuum continues with the piano, xylophone and electro-drum-driven "Shine On," which takes the singer from the point of knowing brokenness and shame to declaring, "We will arise / For Your glory has come / We will shine / With our hearts towards the sun / Shine on." The forgiveness and peace breaks through sonically, too, as a simplistic opening gives way to a ending chorus full of life and many more instruments playing at forte.
Shades of Gungor appear also, with the smooth, high vocals and harmonies of "I Know You," a song of affirmation from the Lord to His beloved. "Life nor death will keep you / You don't have to fear / Nothing comes between us / In the end you're Mine / You'll be just fine." It's a passionate cry of commitment and engagement of Christ to His Church. It's mainly piano driven, with some light guitar riffs and strings complementing the sounds.
"Stories" wraps up the album with a song that presents just that--summarized stories about Jesus--followed by declarations of personal belief: "Yes I believe it, for my eyes have seen the King." Piercing guitar tones provide a soundtrack-like feel to this track, as Jesus is exalted as being the same yesterday, today and forever: "There are stories of a man who saves the nations / They've been echoing through time to meet us here today / Well, His promises are true, they pull us through the darkness."
Closing Thoughts:
There's a tremendous storyline that weaves throughout Bellarive's debut effort, The Heartbeat. It goes from the love that went before us (1 John 4:19), to the realization of our own brokenness, to the discovery of how Grace has delivered to us a relationship that'll never end. There's beautiful poetry throughout that could stand on its own.
But wait, there's music.
Sean Curran and Co. have delivered a masterpiece that is as aurally pleasing and diverse as it is lyrically. Typically, a band will play with different styles on a debut album, figure out what works, and then pound that one style for their follow-up. While fluxing between traditional and electronic elements--between jingle bells and drum machines--Bellarive hasn't toyed with various sounds; somehow it has developed one cohesive, eclectic sound. And Curran's vocals soar comfortably, effortlessly and peacefully around it all.
The Heartbeat is one of the top worship albums of this decade, and has the opportunity to sucker punch other people with worshipful encounters and moments they might not have expected.
Vineyard Music, long known for their cutting edge worship releases, has unveiled Cultivation Generation: My Foundation--an album recorded at a youth conference last year in Vancouver, Wash.
"Basically, this is just a bunch of young people who are goin' for it for Jesus," said Jeremiah Carlson, who heads up the Cultivation Generation ministry when he's not busy fronting the up-and-coming folk-rock-worship band, The Neverclaim. "We wanted to capture the amazing things God is doing in that ministry."
With the success of bands like Hillsong United, Parachute Band and Desperation Band, live youth worship albums have almost become formulaic, featuring high energy rock at the beginning, deep introspective worshipful ballads in the middle, and anthemic calls to action at the end.
"My Soul Longs" instantly caught me off guard, as I didn't expect a youth event live worship album to open with anything other than pounding drums, mass distortion on electric guitars and crafty solo licks. Instead, Carlson and The Neverclaim provide a Southern folk-inspired cry for God's presence.
Not only does Cultivation Generation do away with the aformentioned youth worship album formula (as have recent releases from United and Parachute Band, to be fair)--they've essentially assembled an eclectic collection of what feels like three different albums interspersed.
Carlson and Co. provide the highlights of the album, with both "My Soul Longs" and the cornerstone of the entire album, "The Bridegroom." It's a powerful, worshipful moment, and one that seems to elicit the most crowd response as The Neverclaim passionately declares, "Behold the Bridegroom who's dressed up in pure white / And His body bears the marks of an eternal love / On his hands, feet and His side / And we're the Bride!" (Check out my "Track Obsession" column on the song to learn more about it.)
Kevin Prosch's "They That Wait On the Lord" is a fitting bookend to The Neverclaim's "My Soul Longs," both stylistically and thematically. Another Southern-influenced worship leader, Prosch ends the album with an answer to the declaration of longing for Jesus ("My Soul Longs"), declaring powerfully the strength that comes to those who wait on the Lord.
"Love Has Come, Love Has Won" is lead by Jesse Meyer, and carries a contemporary worship rock sound similar to Desperation Band or Kristian Stanfill. "How great was the cost so that we could be called redeemed / How great was the work when you rose victoriously!" rings out the bridge--a very powerful refrain, indeed.
Later in the album, Meyer leads another song, "Your Kingdom's Here (All My Life)," which maintains the uptempo Desperation/Stanfill vibe. Gang vocals singing out a sustained "oh!" provides the foundation for the happy celebration of the freedom we currently have in Christ: "Now I'm dancing, dancing with joy from Heaven, Heaven!"
Probably the weakest track on the album is the seemingly misplaced "God Don't Never Change" by David Linhart. This is the only Gospel-flavored track on the album (complete with rap bridge), and it seems to come out of nowhere, interrupting the vibe previously established by the first two tracks (and all the ones thereafter). It seems to me that Linhart needs his own album, or needs to find his way onto a different compilation, as this one seems mismatched to the rest of Cultivation Generation.
Worship leader Anabeth Morgan provides some of the more tender moments on the album, reminiscent of a younger Darlene Zschech of Hillsong. The title track, "My Foundation (Found In You)" and "Worthy" are subdued, deep, flowing moments of praise with acoustic guitar and Morgan's pure vocals buttressing the tenderness. There's an old-school feeling to these songs, but style certainly takes a backseat to the powerful lyrics and anointing of the moment. "Worthy" declares: "May the story of my life, through the struggle and the fight honor Your name / I give all that I am, ‘cause you gave everything!"
"Let it Shine," led by Stephen Lampert, sounds like a Matt Maher folk-contemporary worship song, that sings, "We have traveled far... But even from afar, we see Your light / Let it shine on us." The track "Life to Us"--featuring David Linhart and James Moscardini--provides a more laid-back, indie-folk vibe about how we can't live on bread alone, but by every word of God.
Best Track: "The Bridegroom" (Track 6) - Download Now from iTunes
Closing Thoughts:
Cultivation Generation: My Foundation is more like a great worship sampler album than a continuous worship experience--and that's not a bad thing. There's a good mix of congregational worship, artful refrains, tender praise and exuberant anthems. Led by Carlson and The Neverclaim, there's certainly a level of professionalism and polish with this recording--almost to the point where you forget you're listening to a live album.
I think I'd like to experience more of the live element of the gathering--hearing the crowd sing more, hearing more of their response to what God's doing. But from just a musical standpoint, the tracks are solid, and there are certainly some gems in there for the Church at large. Cultivation Generation is a worship movement clearly on the rise, and I can't wait to see what they do for the next step of their development.
A Beautiful Surrender | Posted March-16-2012 Pounding drums and a rockin’ guitar riff kicks off the album, as Kristian Stanfill welcomes us with the Parachute Band-like “Not Ashamed.” It’s a declarative, high-tempo song that includes shouts of “Hey! Hey!” punctuating bold statements of faith: “I’m not ashamed of the one who saved my soul / This fire inside of me is burning for Your name!” It also smacks of the Passion: Awakening album’s early track, “Say, Say.”
The standout track on the album comes next, the title track, “White Flag.” The song--slightly more upbeat, but similar in feel to Passion’s “Our God”--features Chris Tomlin leading the Church in a passionate song about both freedom and surrender. Driving snare drums and a pounding bass drum create an epic end-of-a-movie kind of vibe for a song that extols the power of surrender to Jesus. “We raise our white flag; we surrender all to you, all for you / We raise our white flag; the war is over / Love has come, your love has won.” This track is one that will find its way into the majority of contemporary Western churches in just a few months.
“Jesus Son of God” sees the team-up of vocal powerhouses Tomlin and Christy Nockels. The song quickly builds in intensity as the story of Jesus’ sacrificial love is told, culminating in a personalization of the story: “Be lifted higher than all You've overcome / Your name be louder than any other song / There is no power that can come against Your love / The cross was enough, the cross was enough.” A simple and gripping refrain of affection for the Savior rings out with the Nockels-fronted “How I Love You.” Over and over, the people sing: “How I love You, Jesus.”
Fans of David Crowder*Band not ready to say goodbye get another chance to hear something new, as the Baylor boys present the song “All This Glory.” The song--which isn’t on any of the band’s other albums, including Give Us Rest--is an awestruck song about how God brought light into the darkness of our world and the darkness of our individual “messes.” A musically fitting companion to GIve Us Rest’s “Sometimes,” the song culminates in a loud declarative bridge: “Jesus! God with us! Jesus Christ has come, and I’m undone!” Crowder fans also will be delighted to hear a live version of the Give Us Rest hit “Let Me Feel You Shine” on the deluxe version of this album.
Tomlin and Matt Redman join forces for “Lay Me Down,” a song with a catchy hook that presents one’s self to God as a living sacrifice: “I lay me down, I’m not my own / I belong to You alone / Hand on my heart, this much is true / There’s no life apart from You.” The two worship leaders’ distinct voices play off one another well, and bring out the richness in each other.
The “Waiting Here For You” sort of tender moment from Here For You takes place with the also Nockels-led “You Revive Me.” The song is beautifully poetic, delicately resounding: “And all my deserts are rivers of joy / You are the treasure I could not afford / So I'll spend myself till I'm empty and poor / All for You / You revive me Lord.”
A pair of Tomlin-led songs likely will provide additional worship staples for the Church. “Yahweh” declares, “Yahweh / Your name alone be exalted.” The song reflects throughout on the attributes of God the Father--His sovereignty, His worthiness, His other-ness from everything else, His love, and His holiness--in a loud, chant-like chorus. On “The Only One,” we’re shown a song that has an uncharacteristically swinging melody that leads into a stadium-friendly chant in the chorus: “In my life, Jesus / More of You, Jesus / You are the One / You are the Only One.” The song is about tying our hopes and our trust to Christ.
“Sing Along” is a reminder that despite the pain in the darkest places of the world, God hasn’t forgotten. The acoustic guitar-driven verses talk about “babies hidden in the shadows”, “captives weeping” and “the pain we cannot see.” The verses break out into a surprisingly hopeful-sounding sung prayer that God would comfort the hurting world and that we’d participate, too: “Great God, wrap Your arms around this world tonight / And when You hear our cries / Sing through the night / So we can join in Your song / And sing along.”
White Flag features a smattering of songs already familiar to worship music listeners. The aforementioned “Let Me Feel You Shine,” Redman’s “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord),” the Brian Johnson/Bethel tune “One Thing Remains” (as performed by Stanfill), and Charlie Hall’s Christ-centered tune “Mystery” (from his 2008 release The Bright Sadness).
The album ends with “No Turning Back,” a fitting conclusion after 14 tracks of recognizing the Savior and declaring allegiance to Him. Led by Tomlin, the song--which gives more than a nod to the seminal commitment hymn, “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”--speaks of standing for Christ when no one else does: “This is my heart cry / Though none go with me / The cross before me / The world behind me.” The journey ends here with power--a congregational exclamation point on an album full of declarations.
Closing Thoughts: Passion has done it again. It’s amazing to see the progression of this movement, not just in terms of attendance and stature, but in terms of its music, too. The songs of the Church stem from this movement, clearly, and there’s no reason to believe White Flag won’t produce more of the same. The mix of voices, styles and focuses so beautifully paints the picture of a savior who is worthy of our allegiance. There’s a good mix of uptempo dancing songs, mid-tempo congregational anthems and down-tempo introspective worship moments, anchored by the pinnacle song on the album, “White Flag.”
I only have one complaint, and it’s that Lecrae should’ve made a return appearance! His participation in the last project was a great leap forward in worship music, and it would’ve been great to see that continue. And maybe it would’ve been great to have more Matt Redman. That said, there’s plenty of amazing supporting songs that cultivate an edifying and emboldening worship encounter.
A Beautiful, Long, Three-Act Goodbye | Posted January-10-2012
I was never entirely sure what to expect with David Crowder*Band’s final album, but I can tell you, it wasn’t the two-disc, 34 track, three act musical rollercoaster ride I experienced.
Give Us Rest or (A Requiem Mass In C [The Happiest of All Keys]) and its verbose title gives you a sense of what’s to come. In essence, the band has produced three albums throughout the many, many tracks of varying lengths.
ACT I: Rock Opera
Act I is a serious, at times somber concept record that employs plenty of Latin—both sung and spoken—and experimental instrumentation between tracks. The themes of light, repentance, and coming to life abound, and are demonstrated in a number of ways.
High points of this first act—Tracks 1 through 20—include the second track on the album, “Oh Great God, Give Us Rest,” opens not with a bang, but with mellow piano and a simple, subdued plea for God to bring His life into dead places. With David Crowder’s voice sounding amazingly like LIVE’s Ed Kowalcyzk, he sings, “Could you take a song and make it thine from a crooked heart twisted up like mine?” The song shifts into a louder more dramatic dynamic as Crowder pleads, “Let it shine, let it shine; on and on, on and on, come alive!”
Another standout song from Act I is the first single released from the album, “Let Me Feel You Shine,” which is the ninth track on the first disc. Also referencing light, this song features machine gun-like beats, distortion guitars, Hillsong United-like whoas in the chorus and uncharacteristically synthless instrumentation. Attendees of the 7 Tour were treated to this song live, hearing Crowder’s very appropriate second verse: “I lift the knife to the thing I love most / Praying You’ll come so I can have both / What I need is for You to touch me / What I need is for You to be the thing that I need.” This song is all about the desire of believers to have God’s presence in our lives. It is, of course, one of the standout tracks on the album.
There are plenty of interesting and dramatic interludes between songs on this first act, but the one that caught my attention most was track 16, titled “Sequence 3.” This instrumental is hard to explain other than to say that it’s like the soundtrack that plays behind the climactic, triumphant scene in a movie (think “Inception” or “Remember the Titans”).
That track leads into “Sequence 4,” which features Crowder doing whisper-type vocals (reminiscent of Joshua Radin) as he sings the Gospel in a nutshell over banjo and synth interplay: “What a love, your son for my salvation / What a cost, your wondrous incarnation.” That sincere yet subdued, reverent thanks comes across well.
The band plays around with a number of genres and stylistic choices, from the sound effects of the opening track (“Requiem…”), to the Gregorian-style chanting of “Lux Aeternam Shine,” to the spoken poetry (complete with Latin translation) in “A Burial.”
More Crowder-like sounds emerge with the happy dance beat and music box tones of “Come Find Me,” as well as the ambient techno instrumentals and heavy beat of “God Have Mercy (Kyrie Eleison)”—a calmer, more somber version of the beginning of “God of Wrath” from the Can You Hear Us? album. Perhaps taking cues from the Lecrae-influenced “Shadows” on the Passion: Here For You album, “Fall On Your Knees” puts a hip-hop beat behind thankful vocals and rhythmic, strumming electric guitars.
Crowder has some lo-fi moments, too, as he sings in Johnny Cash/Bob Dylan style on “Why Me?” and“Sequence 6”—where it’s just him and an acoustic guitar. This raw element acts as a palette cleanser while listening to the album, and it really works to make each style stand on its own.
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra-like “Sequence 1” provides plenty of fast-paced, ascending and descending guitar and piano riffs, and some Pink Floyd vocal moments. The rock gymnastics continue with dramatic choral tones on“Sequence 2,” which is almost entirely in Latin, and has something to do with the final trumpet blast at the end of time.
A poignant moment near the end of the first disc is “Sequence 5,” which is a first-person account of the moment when Jesus felt the Father turn His back on Him. “You left me when I gave you all that I had,” Crowder sings. “Oh save a place for me.”
As Act I and the first disc came to an end, I found myself entertained and encouraged, but I didn’t find many radio hits or congregational worship songs outside of the already-released “Let Me Feel You Shine.” I wasn’t sure what to expect for the next 14 tracks.
What I found was an entirely different experience on the second disc. Two different experiences, actually, as Act II provided more Crowder-like worship songs, and Act III provided new and old country/bluegrass hymns.
ACT II: Church Music
Act II, which lasts from Track 1 through 10, features five out of the eight best songs on the album, and many of them are fresh congregational worship songs. There are a few moments that throw back to Act I—such as the opening mandolin in “Reprise #2” (of “Oh Great God, Give Us Rest”), “The Great Amen,” which repeats the word “Amen” with a choir in growing dynamic intensity and choral complexity, and “A Return,” which includes a dramatic telling of the Prodigal Son story, from both the son’s and the father’s perspective.
The first song that caught my attention in this second act was “Oh My God,” another song Crowder introduced to his 7 Tour audiences. Violins lead the uptempo refrain as Crowder sings, “Death will lose and we will win!”
There’s a seemingly seamless transition into the next song, “I Am a Seed,” another uptempo, hoedown-friendly tune that cleverly declares: “Oh I am a seed / I’ve been pushed down into the ground / But I will rise up a tree.” It’s a knee-slapping, do-si-do-ing good time.
The best song on the album, in my opinion, is “After All (Holy).” It’s the most singable. It’s the most church-friendly. Its music is dramatic; its lyrics are poetic. Singing an empassioned, tribal chant-like “Holy!” catches on so quickly, and the declaration of God’s supremacy resonates well. And with lyrics like “My cup, it can’t contain all of your glory / Hosanna, we are found / After all, you are holy,” it’s easy to see how this song soon will be a staple in churches.
“Oh, Great Love of God” is another one of the best tracks on the album, with its hymn-like verses and singable, electric guitar-driven chorus. “Servant king of rich and poor / Beggar that the world ignores / Oh let me see your face / Hidden in simple things,” sings Crowder. Later in this mid-tempo song we get to a phrase that is, consciously or not, a mission statement of the David Crowder Band: “This is not a song. This is a revival.”
An honest questioning and longing propels “Sometimes,” a song about longing for God’s promises to be realized. “Sometimes every one of us feels like we’ll never be healed… Sometimes every one of us aches like we’ll never be saved.” Pinging synth tones propel the hopeful chorus: “When we’ve given up, let Your healing come. When there’s nothing left, let Your healing come.” The song crescendos to a worshipful explosion of admonition: “It’s your love that we adore / It’s like a sea without a shore / Don’t be afraid, just set your sail.”
ACT III: Grand Ole Opry “Oh My God, I’m Coming Home” starts off the third and final act of the album: the acoustic hymns portion (Tracks 11-14 on the second disc). The song sounds live, as it just features and acoustic guitar and Crowder’s raspier-than-usual vocals—which sound fantastically raw, by the way.
In the style of B Collision, "Leaning On the Everlasting Arms / ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus (Medley)"features banjo-driven instrumentals, violin accents and an easy bluegrass beat. Crowder and Co. effortlessly meld the two hymn standards and provide fresh sincerity to them.
I had to search Google to see if “Jesus, Lead Me to Your Healing Waters” was an old hymn, because it sounded as if it was an age-old Southern Gospel favorite. Truth be told, this song is a Crowder original, which is evident as soon as you look at the lyrics. The same guy who wrote, “And He set me on fire, and I’m burning alive” on “You Are My Joy” clearly also wrote, “Jesus purify me in your fire / Burn me up until I see / Jesus purify me in your fire / Burn me up until I believe.” It’s the twangiest, most country song I’ve heard out of the band to date, yet it works.
As the album—and the David Crowder Band itself—comes to a close, the stripped down, apparently live recording of “Because He Lives” seems appropriate. As Crowder and the rest of the guys move on to new things in their lives, the lyrics of this old song seem especially true: “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future. And life is worth living just because He lives.”
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
What a way to go out! The Crowder Band knew they had one last shot at this together, so they released a firehose of music onto an unsuspecting public. While you may not resonate with every song on this album, it’s absolutely safe to say that there is something for everyone on Give Us Rest. From the artistic concept album to the passionate worship to the raw bluegrass hymns, Crowder has given us a beautiful, long goodbye that’ll satisfy us for years to come.
A Beautiful, Long, Three-Act Goodbye | Posted January-10-2012
I was never entirely sure what to expect with David Crowder*Band’s final album, but I can tell you, it wasn’t the two-disc, 34 track, three act musical rollercoaster ride I experienced.
Give Us Rest or (A Requiem Mass In C [The Happiest of All Keys]) and its verbose title gives you a sense of what’s to come. In essence, the band has produced three albums throughout the many, many tracks of varying lengths.
ACT I: Rock Opera
Act I is a serious, at times somber concept record that employs plenty of Latin—both sung and spoken—and experimental instrumentation between tracks. The themes of light, repentance, and coming to life abound, and are demonstrated in a number of ways.
High points of this first act—Tracks 1 through 20—include the second track on the album, “Oh Great God, Give Us Rest,” opens not with a bang, but with mellow piano and a simple, subdued plea for God to bring His life into dead places. With David Crowder’s voice sounding amazingly like LIVE’s Ed Kowalcyzk, he sings, “Could you take a song and make it thine from a crooked heart twisted up like mine?” The song shifts into a louder more dramatic dynamic as Crowder pleads, “Let it shine, let it shine; on and on, on and on, come alive!”
Another standout song from Act I is the first single released from the album, “Let Me Feel You Shine,” which is the ninth track on the first disc. Also referencing light, this song features machine gun-like beats, distortion guitars, Hillsong United-like whoas in the chorus and uncharacteristically synthless instrumentation. Attendees of the 7 Tour were treated to this song live, hearing Crowder’s very appropriate second verse: “I lift the knife to the thing I love most / Praying You’ll come so I can have both / What I need is for You to touch me / What I need is for You to be the thing that I need.” This song is all about the desire of believers to have God’s presence in our lives. It is, of course, one of the standout tracks on the album.
There are plenty of interesting and dramatic interludes between songs on this first act, but the one that caught my attention most was track 16, titled “Sequence 3.” This instrumental is hard to explain other than to say that it’s like the soundtrack that plays behind the climactic, triumphant scene in a movie (think “Inception” or “Remember the Titans”).
That track leads into “Sequence 4,” which features Crowder doing whisper-type vocals (reminiscent of Joshua Radin) as he sings the Gospel in a nutshell over banjo and synth interplay: “What a love, your son for my salvation / What a cost, your wondrous incarnation.” That sincere yet subdued, reverent thanks comes across well.
The band plays around with a number of genres and stylistic choices, from the sound effects of the opening track (“Requiem…”), to the Gregorian-style chanting of “Lux Aeternam Shine,” to the spoken poetry (complete with Latin translation) in “A Burial.”
More Crowder-like sounds emerge with the happy dance beat and music box tones of “Come Find Me,” as well as the ambient techno instrumentals and heavy beat of “God Have Mercy (Kyrie Eleison)”—a calmer, more somber version of the beginning of “God of Wrath” from the Can You Hear Us? album. Perhaps taking cues from the Lecrae-influenced “Shadows” on the Passion: Here For You album, “Fall On Your Knees” puts a hip-hop beat behind thankful vocals and rhythmic, strumming electric guitars.
Crowder has some lo-fi moments, too, as he sings in Johnny Cash/Bob Dylan style on “Why Me?” and “Sequence 6”—where it’s just him and an acoustic guitar. This raw element acts as a palette cleanser while listening to the album, and it really works to make each style stand on its own.
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra-like “Sequence 1” provides plenty of fast-paced, ascending and descending guitar and piano riffs, and some Pink Floyd vocal moments. The rock gymnastics continue with dramatic choral tones on “Sequence 2,” which is almost entirely in Latin, and has something to do with the final trumpet blast at the end of time.
A poignant moment near the end of the first disc is “Sequence 5,” which is a first-person account of the moment when Jesus felt the Father turn His back on Him. “You left me when I gave you all that I had,” Crowder sings. “Oh save a place for me.”
As Act I and the first disc came to an end, I found myself entertained and encouraged, but I didn’t find many radio hits or congregational worship songs outside of the already-released “Let Me Feel You Shine.” I wasn’t sure what to expect for the next 14 tracks.
What I found was an entirely different experience on the second disc. Two different experiences, actually, as Act II provided more Crowder-like worship songs, and Act III provided new and old country/bluegrass hymns.
ACT II: Church Music
Act II, which lasts from Track 1 through 10, features five out of the eight best songs on the album, and many of them are fresh congregational worship songs. There are a few moments that throw back to Act I—such as the opening mandolin in “Reprise #2” (of “Oh Great God, Give Us Rest”), “The Great Amen,” which repeats the word “Amen” with a choir in growing dynamic intensity and choral complexity, and “A Return,” which includes a dramatic telling of the Prodigal Son story, from both the son’s and the father’s perspective.
The first song that caught my attention in this second act was “Oh My God,” another song Crowder introduced to his 7 Tour audiences. Violins lead the uptempo refrain as Crowder sings, “Death will lose and we will win!”
There’s a seemingly seamless transition into the next song, “I Am a Seed,” another uptempo, hoedown-friendly tune that cleverly declares: “Oh I am a seed / I’ve been pushed down into the ground / But I will rise up a tree.” It’s a knee-slapping, do-si-do-ing good time.
The best song on the album, in my opinion, is “After All (Holy).” It’s the most singable. It’s the most church-friendly. Its music is dramatic; its lyrics are poetic. Singing an empassioned, tribal chant-like “Holy!” catches on so quickly, and the declaration of God’s supremacy resonates well. And with lyrics like “My cup, it can’t contain all of your glory / Hosanna, we are found / After all, you are holy,” it’s easy to see how this song soon will be a staple in churches.
“Oh, Great Love of God” is another one of the best tracks on the album, with its hymn-like verses and singable, electric guitar-driven chorus. “Servant king of rich and poor / Beggar that the world ignores / Oh let me see your face / Hidden in simple things,” sings Crowder. Later in this mid-tempo song we get to a phrase that is, consciously or not, a mission statement of the David Crowder Band: “This is not a song. This is a revival.”
An honest questioning and longing propels “Sometimes,” a song about longing for God’s promises to be realized. “Sometimes every one of us feels like we’ll never be healed… Sometimes every one of us aches like we’ll never be saved.” Pinging synth tones propel the hopeful chorus: “When we’ve given up, let Your healing come. When there’s nothing left, let Your healing come.” The song crescendos to a worshipful explosion of admonition: “It’s your love that we adore / It’s like a sea without a shore / Don’t be afraid, just set your sail.”
ACT III: Grand Ole Opry “Oh My God, I’m Coming Home” starts off the third and final act of the album: the acoustic hymns portion (Tracks 11-14 on the second disc). The song sounds live, as it just features and acoustic guitar and Crowder’s raspier-than-usual vocals—which sound fantastically raw, by the way.
In the style of B Collision, "Leaning On the Everlasting Arms / ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus (Medley)" features banjo-driven instrumentals, violin accents and an easy bluegrass beat. Crowder and Co. effortlessly meld the two hymn standards and provide fresh sincerity to them.
I had to search Google to see if “Jesus, Lead Me to Your Healing Waters” was an old hymn, because it sounded as if it was an age-old Southern Gospel favorite. Truth be told, this song is a Crowder original, which is evident as soon as you look at the lyrics. The same guy who wrote, “And He set me on fire, and I’m burning alive” on “You Are My Joy” clearly also wrote, “Jesus purify me in your fire / Burn me up until I see / Jesus purify me in your fire / Burn me up until I believe.” It’s the twangiest, most country song I’ve heard out of the band to date, yet it works.
As the album—and the David Crowder Band itself—comes to a close, the stripped down, apparently live recording of “Because He Lives” seems appropriate. As Crowder and the rest of the guys move on to new things in their lives, the lyrics of this old song seem especially true: “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future. And life is worth living just because He lives.”
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
What a way to go out! The Crowder Band knew they had one last shot at this together, so they released a firehose of music onto an unsuspecting public. While you may not resonate with every song on this album, it’s absolutely safe to say that there is something for everyone on Give Us Rest. From the artistic concept album to the passionate worship to the raw bluegrass hymns, Crowder has given us a beautiful, long goodbye that’ll satisfy us for years to come.
A Career-Defining Triumph | Posted September-13-2011
It may show my age, but I've been a fan of Switchfoot since the beginning, rocking out since the late 1990s to the generation-pegging “Chem 6A” from their Forefront Records debut The Legend of Chin, the radio-friendly pop song “New Way to Be Human” from their sophomore project of the same name, and the explosion of poetic yearnings in Learning to Breathe.
Good, positive rock and roll is what initially drew me to Switchfoot, and – starting with Learning to Breathe – what pulled me in deeper was frontman/songwriter Jon Foreman's poignant, honest lyrics and progressively inventive and captivating instrumentals.
Although I've enjoyed the direction the band has taken over the years, there certainly were days when I longed for the upbeat, uptempo rock and roll of their past. I certainly don't hold all Switchfoot albums equal; some certainly were stronger than others.
But the album that stands above them all is Switchfoot's eighth, Vice Verses. The musicality, the story of tension and the unparalleled poetry combine to deliver a dozen solid tracks that stand on their own.
“Tell me why would I wait 'til I die to come alive?” asks the first song, “Afterlife,” an opening declaration to live life now, instead of just hanging on for Heaven. Distorted interplay between electric guitars in the verses gives way to a driving chorus.
Rhythmic bass lines and prolific drum runs drive “The Original,” an energetic, happy song that encourages listeners to “free yourself” by embracing your unique identity: “Don't let nobody try to steal your soul. You're the original.” The sound and uptempo feel is reminiscent of Switchfoot's earlier albums.
“Every fight comes from the fight within,” claims “The War Inside,” a heavy, mid-tempo track about how our own brokenness leads to all the battles in our world. “I am the battle line,” the chorus admits, a realization that our own choices affect the course of the fight. Rhythmic, monotone verses sung over electronica bass distortion and a riff that sounds like a slowed down version of the riff from “The Sound (John M. Perkins Blues).”
Out of the confessional-type song comes what is easily the most emotional, climatic song of the album in “Restless.” The confession of brokenness gives way to a confession of desperation for God. “I am restless looking for You... I run like the ocean to find your shore,” Foreman sings in classic Switchfoot ballad style. The imagery of water drops making their way to the sea paints a beautiful metaphor of the longing for God's presence. “I am the raindrop falling down, always longing for the deeper ground,” is a verse that resonates with people whose hearts have been captured by Jesus.
“Blinding Light” is another song that hearkens back to Switchfoot's earlier days, but with the incredible word pictures of today's band. “Deep down there's a hope inside; you've got wings but you're scared to fly... wake up.” The song, with many echoing instruments and background vocals, talks about the inaction we all struggle with sometimes, and the inability we sometimes have to become the people God already says we are.
Switchfoot takes aim at the “info-tainment” nature of mass media in “Selling the News,” the track which easily is the most experimental on the album. Jon Foreman's classic vocals take over in the chorus and bridge of the song after his rhythmic speaking on the verses. (It's more poetry slam than rapping.) Foreman expresses his disdain for the money-seeking, “lowest common denominator” media industry in the third verse: “Substance, oh substance, where have you been? You've been replaced by the masters of spin... The facts are simply one option to choose... We're still on the air, it must be the truth.”
“I wanna thrive, not just survive,” proclaims “Thrive.” Drum machine beats, ethereal synth strings and light guitar accompanies lines like, “I come alive when I hear you singing, but lately I haven't been hearing a thing, and I get the feeling that I'm in between a machine and a man who only looks like me.” It's a cry to feel alive—a recognition that the singer doesn't feel like himself. Hopefully he declares, “I get so down, but I won't give up.”
The stand-out rock track of the album is “Dark Horses,” a track Foreman and Co. wrote for the homeless youth of their native San Diego. These people—and many more like them—have been counted out by society for many reasons. “We've been down but we've never been out,” the song shouts with multiple layers of Foreman's voice. It's a positive anthem that tells people they can rise above their circumstances, no matter what others say. Full of loud, distorted guitars, head-bobbing rhythms and singable choruses, don't be surprised if you hear “Dark Horses” on TV near the end of the college football season.
“We were so young; we had no idea that life was just happening,” reflects “Souvenirs,” a movie soundtrack-type song full of thick harmonies, haunting “oohs” in the background and anthemic chord progressions. The singer says he wouldn't trade his “souvenirs” for anything, as it gives him (and the listeners) happy memories of earlier times of innocence and a perspective to seek out that innocence.
The meaning behind the rhythmic, uptempo jam “Rise Above It” isn't at all veiled. It talks about overcoming the broken system of earth, “living under the curse.” Foreman sings: “Just because you're runnin' doesn't mean that you're scared. Just because it's law don't mean that it's fair. Never let another tell your soul what to fear.” Regardless of the brokenness around you, he extends an invitation: “Let's rise above it.”
Switchfoot has described Vice Verses as an album that deals with the tensions in life, and the title track absolutely embodies this, as it openly struggles with tough questions, including, “Where is God in the earthquake?” and “Where is God in the genocide?” A simple track with just Foreman's echoing vocals and an acoustic guitar, this intimate song plays like a personal journal entry. “Everything feels rusted; tell me that you're there,” he says, then noting, “I know there's a meaning to it all.”
With stomps, hand claps and echoing whoas in the background, “Where I Belong” concludes the album like a drive into the sunset, proclaiming hope in the world to come. Whereas “Afterlife” dealt with living in eternity now, “Where I Belong” acknowledges that the children of God, Jesus' followers, aren't home yet. “Until I die I'll sing these songs on the shores of Babylon... still looking for a home in a world where I belong.” The song bookends “Afterlife” by reprising the phrases, “I still believe we can live forever. You and I we begin forever now. I still believe in us together. You and I we're here together now, forever now.” From this perspective, though, it lends to an inspiring call to bring Heaven to Earth.
CLOSING THOUGHTS:
Vice Verses has something for every Switchfoot fan. It has the introspective, pleading ballads. It has the gritty hard rock riffs. It has the song that inevitably will find its way onto ESPN. It has the song that could've found its way onto The Legend of Chin or New Way to Be Human. It experiments some, and the experiments pay off.
But beyond the stylistic elements comes an album that tells a tremendous story of the tension of life. It captures the sometimes schizophrenic, sometimes manic-depressive roller coaster of life we all go through as Christians trying to figure out what this walk of faith means. It deals with action and paralysis, searching and meaning, boldness and insecurity, underdogs and conquerors – all supported by perfect instrumentation and vocals.
Now free of label pressures – both from Christian and secular interests – Switchfoot finally has taken off the training weights of expectation and is creatively sprinting into a new era. Vice Verses, it would seem, is the combination of the best of everything Switchfoot has played, written, learned and become in the past decade and a half. This is career defining material, and easily the best album of 2011.
Christian music is easy to find. The kind of gripping, moving, rocking art Switchfoot produces is difficult to find. Find this album, and you'll find your own story.
mheternal's Music and Book Reviews 
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