Worship Musician JanFeb 2017 | Page 30

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New Releases

CHRIS QUILALA SPLIT THE SKY

Renowned Jesus Culture worship leader , Chris Quilala , may look like he is a member of the latest boy band , but his musical prowess , spiritual maturity , and artistic integrity are in full evidence on his first solo release , Split The Sky . This album features twelve new songs that point listeners to God ’ s almighty power and love for His people . A few of the better cuts include the first track , “ Welcome Here ,” which is an energetic Sunday morning opener that speaks to how we need to be preparing our hearts not only to worship , but also for Christ ’ s return . “ After My Heart ” is along the same musical vein and will definitely appeal to a younger audience while reminding us how God never stops seeking our hearts . The softer , more intimate side of the album comes through on songs like “ Surrendered ,” which features a tight vocal duet with Kari Jobe , and “ The Length of the Cross ,” which is based on Ephesians 3 . My favorite song on the album is the reverent and powerful “ Heaven Came For Me .” Here we have musical painting at its finest as Chris ’ soft , innocent tenor is backed by several deep synths , pads , and kettle drums . This musical layering is a key component in communicating that our God , while majestic and powerful , still knows us by name and wants an intimacy with us like no other . I really loved most of this album . I appreciated

the musical integrity and artistry that I found on here , and I especially thought Quilala and his team did a great job of using musical space to create moments of tension and contemplation . This album has depth and feeling and was devoid of a lot of the usual Christian worship clichés . There were a few places where the electronic sounds and bleeps distracted me from what as being sung , but for the most part this was a wonderful first offering from Chris Quilala . Well done !

THE BRILLIANCE ALL IS NOT LOST

Nowadays it seems like it is becoming harder and harder to find worship bands who are brave enough to break from what many consider the “ normal ” style of congregational worship music . The lack of creativity , theologically accurate writing , and an overarching “ copycat ” mentality has thrust this genre into the depths of mediocrity across the worship genre . Enter New York based worship group , The Brilliance , whose fresh , liturgical approach is helping to

re-write the landscape of relevant , modern worship music . Fronted by David Gungor ( Yes Michael ’ s brother ) and John Arndt , The Brilliance has given the church music that is intelligent , thought-provoking , and artistic . Their heart for Christ and His people is more than evident on their latest release , All Is Not Lost . This is not your typical worship album . With themes centering on the majesty of Christ , forgiveness , and hope for a lost world , these songs will resonate with anyone who has felt hopeless , rejected , or far from God .

These are not simple songs to sing and most would be difficult for an average worship team to emulate , but at it ’ s core , All Is Not Lost is a deeply spiritual album that you should own . Some of the highlights include the liturgical “ Morning Has Broken ,” which they combined with the Anglican church hymn standard “ Morning Prayer ” for a unique “ ancient / future ” worship experience that is both honoring and relevant . Bold changes in pacing and the abrupt ending give a surprising flair on “ Who Is Jesus ”. A single piano builds the mood of “ See The Love ,” then the music is dramatically joined by its emotional lead vocal to create a song that reminds us that our God constantly lifts us out of the ashes and surrounds us with His love . “ Holy , Holy ” is an intimate acoustic duet that features a heavenly female vocal , and the album wraps up with the southern gospel infused title track that boldly calls God ’ s people to remember that God is the God of ages and that He is always faithful despite the chaos of this world . This a spiritually meaty , eclectic , and artistically beautiful offering of songs from The Brilliance . They aren ’ t afraid to get to the heart of spiritual issues that we face today and that was refreshing . The only thing that might have suffered a bit because of how truly different the songs are was the overall flow of the album . Like I said before , these are not the easiest songs to play or sing , but with a little tweaking , one could do a lot with this album to make it fit to your particular congregational setting . Pick it up and be ready to be challenged and encouraged by these tracks .

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