NOW HEAR THIS
by Gerod Bass
CITY HARMONIC
Benediction
JESUS CULTURE
Love Has A Name
THIRD DAY
Revival
For the past eight years the church has been Worship rock icon Third Day returns to their Unless you have been living under a small
blessed by the scripturally rich and creative bluesy-southern rock roots after a two year bridge in Greenland for the past 10 years, you
approach to worship by Canadian worship album hiatus with their latest release, Revival, probably have heard of Northern California
rockers, The City Harmonic. Their final album, which contains thirteen songs of hope for the based worship powerhouse, Jesus Culture.
Benediction, is a collection of their greatest hits church steeped in southern fried delta rock that Their music is being sung around the world
that is much more than a bunch of re-tooled you can’t help but enjoy. and they are probably one of the pioneers of
“Faithful and True” is a mid-tempo bright the youth worship movement across the globe.
rock anthem that talks about how God’s love Their latest release, Love Has A Name
Benediction highlights the best songs of and faithfulness goes beyond what we would is amazingly their 35th worship release.
their previous four releases with a lone newly ever hope for or need in this life. “Gather Round The majority of the songs on this massive
penned track, “Honestly”. These formerly Now” is a bold and celebratory song telling of sixteen track album fit within the popular
released songs are not just simply regurgitated the greatness of Jesus and what He has done modern worship pop/electronica genre while
note for note, but are creatively re-wrapped in in our lives. The arrangement of bluesy guitars, thematically themes of hope, unity and the
fresh musical packaging, which keeps this sort swooning organs, and horns paints a musical majesty of Christ come though clearly.
of “best of” collection interesting throughout. picture of humanity that was mired in sin but is Front man Elias Drummer’s emotive vulnerability lifted in glory by God himself.
favorites; it is a swan song farewell and a note
of encouragement and love to the church.
The first five tracks are high energy songs of
vertical worship that while energetic and well-
mixed, and are full of the usual 80’s style synths
and gritty vocal style connect listeners to the “In Your Hands” gives us a nice musical break heart of the God while reminding us of His awe with its quieter acoustic guitars and piano, and majesty. while reminding us that we find our worth in The idea of Track 6, “Make Us One” focuses
the hands of Jesus that are always wrapped on the importance of unity in the body of Christ
around us. and although the idea of the song is nothing
Surprisingly, most of the live versions of
these past hits are actually just as good as or
and electronic drums.
better than their studio counterparts, which Revival is a gritty, rootsy approach to worship new, Chris Quilala gives a stirring performance
is something very difficult to pull off. “Holy which fits Mac Powell and the boys perfectly. while reminding us that the blood of Christ is
(Wedding Day)”, which was already one of the I would have enjoyed an occasional female what truly brings us together as one body and
band’s best offerings, is over-the-top beautiful guest vocal somewhere to break it up a bit, and is what gives us all our hope.
in the live setting, while energy and passion not every song could be considered singable in The best song of the album is the Jon Egan
abound in the live version of my personal a Sunday worship set, but this is a great album led, “Make A Way” which features a hook-laden
favorite, “Maranatha”. and worth the two-year wait. Revival is just melody that celebrates the uniqueness of our
With a real-life approach to songwriting Third Day doing their thing, their way, in total God and how only He can make a way when all
and innovative musical landscapes steeped abandon to God. Some of the arrangements hope seems lost.
in bright British-pop influence, Benediction tend to run together by the end of the album, With this latest offering from Jesus Culture
is a creative and infectious collection of God but the guitar work mixed with the horns, there are a few tracks here that are definitely
honoring worship. City Harmonic has once gospel choir, and Hammond organ just work worth the price of admission and should find a
again presented the church with a harmonious really well throughout. You should definitely nice place in your Sunday morning repertoire.
blend of modern musical style and liturgical have this album both for personal listening and flavor that is unmatched in the current worship for corporate worship.
genre. My only complaint is that it will be their
last as a band, so go pick it up. Thank you,
City Harmonic, for blessing the church with
creativity and honest worship.
August 2017
WorshipMusician.com
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