NEW MUSIC modern-day standard as far as the worship genre but what sets Canyon Hills apart is the “ simple yet complex ” nature of their music . At first listen , you might think that these are simple songs written for the average pew sitter based on the ease of arrangement and simplicity of melody found on numerous tracks of this collection . But a closer listen reveals a creative wordsmithing and a sneaky familiarity of some of these tracks .
Take the opening song , “ Prayer for This Gathering ” which is an outstanding starter for any worship gathering . Verse one is a heart-felt and rhythmic prayer asking the Holy Spirit to prepare the worshipers heart and mind to what God is about to do during their time of corporate worship . The end of the opening track morphs into a perfectly fitting rendition of “ Praise God from Whom All Blessing Flows ” which made this reviewer smile as he sang along .
Songs like “ The Lamb ”, “ Thank You Jesus ’” and “ Good to Me ” creatively tell the story of redemption over sin and death while proclaiming the intimate relationship that our God wants with his created .
The title track reminds the worshiper who the church was meant to be while serving as a powerful call to the body of Christ not to stray from His plan for the church on earth . I appreciated the creativity , scriptural foundation , forethought and intention put into this anthem .
This is another strong collection from the Seattle church full of memorable songs , great arrangements and worshipful moments . A few of the tracks began to run together toward the end of this stacked album and I would have liked a song or two that were a bit more outside the box , but I will definitely be pulling a few of these into my regular Sunday rotation .
STOWTOWN WORSHIP Live from Branson Praisefest Pt . 1
1 . There ’ s Power in The Blood 2 . I ’ ll Fly Away 3 . Blessed Assurance 4 . Worthy Is the Lamb 5 . Every Praise 6 . I Stand Amazed 7 . Because He Lives 8 . Leaning On the Everlasting Arms 9 . The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power 10 . Holy Is the Lord 11 . What a Friend We Have in Jesus /
Gratitude / I Exalt Thee
StowTown Worship is a worship collective created to bridge the gap between generations of worship music . The fast-growing group consists of such well-known modern artists as Travis Cottrell , Alvin Slaughter , Taranda Green and other worship artists backed by the The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir . The collective shares a deep desire to honor the musical past of the church while helping worshipers look forward with freshly reimagined Sunday classics and newly written songs of praise . Their first release , Live from Branson Praisefest Pt . 1 captures a fresh spirit of some timeless worship hymns and modern songs spanning genres and bringing together generations of church music .
The album was recorded at the annual Praisefest in Branson , Missouri last year and is a joyous celebration of many genres and well-loved worship classics all woven together seamlessly . The set list here serves to remind us that the music of the church , both new and old , are necessary and relevant today no matter our denomination , location , age or skin color .
Some of the highlights are Travis Cottrell ’ s stripped down rendition of Chris Tomlin ’ s “ Holy Is The Lord ” and Pastor Charles Billingsly ’ s infectious new arrangement of “ There is Power In The Blood ” which will have you singing along before you know it .
Worship icon , Alvin Slaughter gives a stirring and soulful performance of “ Blessed Assurance ” that breathes glorious new life into the beloved hymn while Taranda Green does a masterful job of mixing genres and generations in the creative “ What a Friend We Have in Jesus / Gratitude / I Exalt Thee .” Never before have I heard a song begin in 1855 ( when “ What a Friend ” was written ) continue to a song written 165 years later ( Gratitude in 2020 ) before returning to 1855 and ending up in 1975 which was when “ I Exalt Thee ” was written . Even though thematically the three songs don ’ t really match up other than being classic songs of vertical worship , their marriage here and placement to wrap up the album is clear .
The church needs old hymns and songs as much as it needs new melodies and anthems to sing , when we do this as the body of Christ across generations , genres and cultures , we paint a glorious musical picture of the Kingdom of God that will change lives with the Gospel . Well done StowTown , well done .
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
22 February 2025 Subscribe for Free ...