NEW MUSIC
KINGSPORCH Songs For The Simple Gathering Vol 1 establishes the old school simple choral feel of the EP with breathtaking four-part harmonies .
Three of these songs (" Hallways ," " Real Thing ," and " Shadows / Spotlights ") feature nothing more than moving four-part harmony with a single piano accompaniment that indeed helps the listener to focus on the message rather than the instrumentation .
The original recording of “ Fade ” on the Altars album was one of the more standout tracks but here the attempt to “ southern-Gospel-ize ” it just kind of misses the mark and seems out of place , but lyrically and thematically , it is still a well-written song .
I applaud River Valley Worship for being bold enough to re-make a bunch of their best songs to appeal to a wider audience and for most of this EP , it works , albeit the few times where the “ cheesy ” factor is evident .
The Ensemble Project will appeal to River Valley fans and those who love Southern Gospel , but I appreciate the musical creativity and out-ofthe-box thinking here from the folks at River Valley Worship .
1 . I Speak Jesus 2 . Saints and Angels 3 . Over and Over 4 . Worthy Are You 5 . Spirit Rise
KingsPorch is a house church movement located in Austin TX that is led by former Chris Tomlin bass player Jesse Reeves and his wife Janet . The Reeve ’ s also helped plant Austin Stone church in Austin as well as Passion City Church in Atlanta in 2008 . Jesse was also the co-writer on such songs as “ Lord I Need You ”, “ How Great Is Our God ” and “ Our God ” to name a few . KingsPorch debut EP features five songs whose musical roots are along the same vein as Housefires or Zach Williams , rich in Americana and southern rock influence .
The opening track is a call for God ’ s people to live out the call to proclaim the name of Jesus in every aspect of our lives . Jesse Reeve ’ s gritty tenor shines as he fervently sings about his personal longing to speak the name of Jesus over every aspect of our lives including our work , family and community . The mix of acoustic guitars , piano and violin give this song warmth and depth and make it one of the better offerings on the EP .
“ Saints and Angels ” is a beautiful piano led re-working of the doxology that features a vertical tilt lyrically as Janet Reeves takes over the leadership role with her gorgeous mezzosoprano .
With its congregationally friendly melodies and scripturally rich text , “ Over and Over ” speaks of God ’ s enduring faithfulness while “ Worthy Are You ” is an intimate acoustic song of surrender that would be wonderful as a quieter worship opener .
The little EP wraps up “ Spirit Rise ” which reminds the listener that God is with us on mountaintops and valleys . The catchy chorus serves as the best on the album and will stick in your heart and mind days after you hit the stop button .
There is something organic and beautiful happening at KingsPorch as they build their congregational foundation on the Acts church model . There is nothing over produced or over mixed . Just simple , honest worship from a community that loves Jesus . All five tracks are obviously written with their own community in mind but will transcend to the greater church on earth . This is my favorite EP of 2021 so far so go pick it up .
Gerod Bass Worship leader in Tacoma , WA . Mentor with Worship Catalyst . Singer , songwriter , guitarist with a passion for impacting lives for the sake of the Gospel . www . oslc . com