new music review

1. He Will Rejoice (Zephaniah 3:17) Trevor Morgan
2. By His Wounds (Isaiah 53:5) Third Day's Mac Powell, Steven Curtis Chapman, Brian Littrell and Casting Crowns' Mark Hall3. Waters Gone By (Job 11: 13-20) Hyper Static Union's Shawn Lewis4. To The Only God (Jude 24-27) David Crowder and Shane & Shane5. Glory Revealed (Isaiah 40: 3-5) Candi Pearson-Shelton6. Altar Of God (Psalm 43:4) Josh Bates7. Come, Worship The King (Jude 25) Michael W. Smith with Shane & Shane8. Who Is Like You (Exodus 15: 2, 11, 13) Starfield's Tim Neufeld9. Restore To Me (Psalm 51: 9-12) Third Day's Mac Powell and Candi Pearson-Shelton
10. You Alone (Revelation 15:3-4 and Psalm 34:4-5) Brian Littrell

I listen to New Release Tuesday podcast each week. Often, I listen while I work on stuff in the office and don't notice all that is being discussed. BUT -- last week, I heard an interview with the podcast host and Mac Powell (of Third Day) and David Nassar about a new compilationon project they had produced.


Well, I have loved Mac Powell ever since I heard him first at a concert ON Daytona Beach in the spring of 1998, so that got my attention and I started listening more closely but it wasn't till I heard the theme of the project that I dropped everything, got onto good 'ol Amazon.com (use that 'cuz I've got free shipping there) and ordered a CD before the podcast was even over.


The album is called Glory Revealed (check out the promo video...love the guys sitting around on the floor strumming guitars!) In executive producer, David Nasser's words, "My passion for this project was to call a generation back to God's Word....We want people to walk away [from listening to the music] more passionate about the Word of God."


Recently, in my new role as worship coordinator I've been paying a lot more attention to worship music and have been kind of surprised how few 'scripture songs' are written anymore. I love much of the worship music being written today, but I guess I've been surprised how few new songs are being written like those kind of scripture songs I sang when I was a kid -- "This is the Day", "From the Rising of the Sun", "Beloved Let us Love One Another" and the like.


So the CD arrived yesterday and I've been immersing myself in the music ever since. This project is excellent. Each song is straight from Scripture and was created with the worship leader and congregation in mind. Musically the album has the feel and tone of blue grass -- really lush acoustic instrumentation and beautiful, accessible harmonies. Powell's description is 'stripped-down and organic.'


Another thing I love about compilation projects is the matching of the voices and talents of different artists. As you can see from the track list above, this project is full of recognizable artists. However, the songs are so musically 'tight' that I am not thinking about who is singing -- each song speaks for itself and really just showcases the truth and beauty of Scripture.


Beautiful.


Who wants to join me for a road trip?? I'd LOVE to get to one of these shows!


p.s. -- if you are on the worship team at U.C., get your pickin' fingers ready -- you're going to be seeing some of these songs in our service orders soon!!


p.p.s. -- Hey, Z -- did you notice track #1 was written just for YOU?!?