Kim Gentes

After over 15 years of reviewing worship music I've realized that there are often two types of exceptional worship projects: a) an amazing production with radio-singable songs and great singles for iTunes; or b) a great worshipful album with congregational singable songs that are accessible for the church worldwide. Normally, those two categories are mutually exclusive and only a very few worship albums ever combined both elements. Finding both was rare and exceptional, such as Tomlin's breakout "Arriving", Third Day's first "Offerings" album, and some of the new tracks from the live Jesus Culture albums.

Then came, "The Same Love", the newest album from Paul Baloche.  Before I decided to review the album, I had heard (and purchased) the title cut, which was released a few weeks before the album finally released April 3. The title cut was such a captivating track, I was very interested in pursuing listening to the full album. But rather than sitting down and listening to the complete project 5-6 times to soak in the songs, I decided to review the project in a way I've never done before. 

Before listening the album, I grabbed my guitar, capo and pick. I went into my office, turned on my computer, and logged into Worshipteam.com.  I found all the songs with chord charts and audio. Then, I went through the album in real-time, with the charts in front of me, playing along. My first experience with the album was listening, playing along, learning, singing and worshiping my way through all 13 songs.  It was an absolutely wonderful experience!

More than anything else, I was taken by surprise at the combination of exceptional songwriting and prestine performance that was merged with accessible, great congregational worship songs. I am an average guitar player and with a reasonable tenor voice and range. I was able to sing, play and worship right along with literally every song on the album. I didn't have to change the key of any song on the album to sing along, and yet every song had great musical balance and tightness to its presentation.

But once I went through the album once, I couldn't stop. I kept playing and repeating through the album, playing along, worshiping and even picking out songs I will add to my repeteroire as a worship leader.  And this is the power of this album- you will find a lot here that is useful for your local church! Having gone through the album this way, I write this review with no reservations or apologies. Let me highlight for you the songs that rivetted my attention and might yours.

Of course, the title track "The Same Love" is the standout favorite.  This song is so singable, so well written, and so well produced that it belongs alongside the very best songs written in the last 10 years. Paul does what he has become so proficient at- creating an infectious melody around substantial, theologically rich lyrics whose purpose is connecting the power of "the same God that spread the heavens wide" with the humble humanity of each of us whom he has come to "set the captives free" and "opened eyes to see". What ties this song together is the parallel balances of "The same love" (God) offers his invitation by entreating us as His children by "calling us all by name". I could spend paragraphs trying to expound the theological richness of this truth, but Paul Baloche and co-writer Michael Rossback have done the artful work of teaching us one of the main meta-narratives of scripture in a single great song, summed up best by the last half of the brilliant chorus:

The same God that spread the heavens wide

The same God that was crucified

Is calling us all by name, You are calling us all by name

And this is precisely Paul's writing gift, as it has been for years- he marries God's immanence and transcendence in a harmony that only music and lyrics can provide.

This glorious effort continues with the second track titled "We Are Saved". Co-written with Hillsong's Ben Fielding and Jason Ingram, this song reminds you quickly of a Hillsong United anthem, with deep pocketed chorus and a resounding bridge to vamp the song into another level. Another great track.

"King of Heaven" is a prayer call in the "maranatha" tradition (in the sense of actual biblical usage of the Aramaic word, not any reference to the music company)- the song lyrics are a call for Jesus to come down both now and future as in "King of heaven come down". The arrangement is a bit of straight rock mixed with meandering banjo overlays, all treated to the sweet-dry harmonies of 'All Sons and Daughters' duo Leslie Jordan and David Leonard. Think worship rock meets 'O Brother Where Art Thou'. Blissful!

Robert Lowry's "Nothing But the Blood" is the foundation of track four's "All Because of the Cross", which adds a nod to "Oh the Blood of Jesus" in the arrangement as well. Track five follows theme and empties out the sonic pallet with piano and cello guiding the song gently to its pensive place as a song perfect for communion called "Your Blood Ran Down".

Next, Paul (along with Ed Kerr) mines another classic hymn with "My Hope", drawing from Edward Mote's "My Hope Is Built (The Solid Rock)" in various stanzas.  Like its hymn source, this song is a resounding declaration that each worshiper can connect and relate with. That no matter the circumstances of life that "You are my Rock" and "I'm holding on". On a personal note, this song was very encouraging to me. The last few years I have seen a number of friends and family lose loved ones to illness and age. This song is a solace into God's reality of hope that lies beyond what we experience so painfully in those difficulties.

Track eight brings us to "Oh Our Lord", yet another co-write- this time with the aforementioned Leslie Jordan and David Leonard. Hints of the slide guitar and the haunting melodies of the co-writers imbue the song with a blue-grass/folk base that lifts the verses into glorious tension with the bittersweet chorus and triumphal bridge. Wow! I love this song.

And so it goes for the entire album- this album is full of resonate melodies, blissful harmonies and thoughtful lyrical text. 

But beyond all this great music, great lyrics and great production, remember how I said I reviewed this album- I literally sat down with a guitar and played along with all the songs, in my first hearing of the entire album!  This means the songs were as beautiful as they were accessible! I challenge you to do the same- grab your guitar, sit down and see if you can't find 3 or 4 songs that become part of your worship leading repertoire.

I think you will find what I found- this is album is worth spending the hour it takes to play along and learn from one of the best songwriter/worship leaders of our generation. For this reason, I unequivocally can say that "The Same Love" is an easy album to grant my "Editor's Choice Award" to. I can't see how it wouldn't make consideration for the top worship album of the year. It's that good. Great work Paul- and friends!

For churches using WorshipTeam.com, all the songs, chord charts and audio are already available and pre-loaded for you in the WorshipTeam.com system song database. If you are not part of WorshipTeam.com and want to listen to audio samples or purchase the album directly yourself, see the Amazon link below. Integrity Music has also granted us permission to give you the chord chart for the title song as a download directly here, so you will find it below.

Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/HS0E9P

Review by Kim Gentes

Free Chord Chart Download "The Same Love" from Paul Baloche

In the last month, I have been listening to the newest album from Gateway Worship called "Great Great God". Listening, yes- and loving it! In it's short history, Gateway church in Southlake, Texas has been the seedbed to some great new songs, leaders and songwriters. With worship leaders/songwriters like Thomas Miller, Walker Beach, and Kari Jobe (among others), both the recordings and the songs coming out of Gateway have been top notch music and vibrant songwriting. This latest album, Great Great God, is no exception to that trend.

The album kicks off with the rhythmic and anthemic "Every Day I Live", led by Thomas Miller. Declaring that: 

Every moment, for Your glory, every breath I give You praise

All my days I'm living in Your grace

Every heartbeat wants to know You, now I live to make You known

I wanna show the world You are the God who saved my soul

Miller leads this live album off with a congregational energy and joy that enthusiastic, but stays authentic and in the tradition of declarative praise of commitment to the Lord. Great stuff!

The second track is "Sun & Sheild" and brings the congregation to a further exalting of God's attributes as our "sun and shield", allowing us to put our trust in the God who is our strength in times of need. I like the lyrics and focus of this song, which pinpoints our weakness as the moment and place in which we need to turn our hopes and trust over to God. Very well crafted.

The third song is a brilliant rendition of the classic "Holy Holy Holy" (Dykes and Heber), but with a wonderful refrain which is perfectly written to compliment this timeless song of theological depth. The added section (written by Walker Beach) pays a resounding tribute to the content already present in the song- speaking of God's Lordship, kingship and eternal nature.  After hearing dozens of remakes of various hymns by Tomlin and others, this remake of this georgeous hymn actually surprised me! In my opinion, this is literally the best "modern worship" revision of any classic hymn in the last 15 years. It is easily my favorite song on the album. 

Kari Jobe takes the lead vocals on the next track, drawing the pensive and beautiful tones of her voice into a peaceful ballad that flows with just piano and gentle strings as compliment. No drums, no guitars- just a simple and inviting call of devotion that leaves every worshiper calling out to God- "You're my everything". 

The album continues with three more tracks that reverberate with strong declarations of God's goodness and greatness. The final song highlights this as the title track "Great Great God", declaring "there is no one like our God".

Gateway Worship's "Great Great God" is lives up to its namesake title of being another great contribution of songs from the writers and leaders at Gateway. Though this is more an EP length contribution that past albums (7 original songs), it is well worth your attention, especially if you are a worship leader looking for great songs for Sunday morning.  I can't reiterate it enough- the third track on this project is really the best hymn remake in the last 15 years. Take a look at this project, if even just for that song, and it will be well worth your time.

For churches using WorshipTeam.com, all the songs, chord charts and audio are already available and pre-loaded for you in the WorshipTeam.com system song database.

If you want to listen to audio samples or purchase the album directly yourself, see the Amazon link below. A great new album!

Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/yS3HCa

Review by Kim Gentes

[Don't miss the free download of the song "Holy Spirit Come" at the bottom of this review! Many thanks to Vineyard Music for providing this!]

The last two years have seen a beginning resurgence of stylistic creativity in the "worship music" genre. After 15 years of acoustic guitar based music in light pop/easy listening arrangements, we are beginning to see broadening pallet of music taste, styles and even languages bubbling up in the modern church music offerings.

One of the absolute best albums I have heard in the last couple years is the worship offering called "Miami Vineyard Live". The namesake church featured in this album provided a group of several worship leaders, musicians and songwriters that created a stellar sonic experience while remaining completely worshipful and well-fit within their local church context.  Producer Mike O'Brien architects a gracious balance between flourishing artistic style and church-usable arrangements. Finding this balance is no small feat since the album features several worship leaders, and at least 4 different music stylistic ranges. It may seem inconceivable for a single project done in a "live night of worship" format to include songs that are clearly rendered in Latin, black gospel, island and funk stylings- but that is the task that the production team for "Miami Vineyard Live" took on.  And they succeed with flying colors.

If merely creating a seamless collage of musical styles wasn't enough, "Miami Vineyard Live" also features a truly bilingual lyrical approach. With lyrics written and sang in both English and Spanish, this album becomes a motif for the many thousands of churches who are reaching out to bilingual communities across America and the world. Again, the album is the real thing- keeping songs sung in two languages authentic, engaging and poignant.

The project begins with the upbeat effervescence of "Holy Spirit Come", a brilliant bi-lingual song inviting Spirit of God to visit the church. It's engaging, uplifting and encouraging to be a part of the larger body of Christ, and this song has both the lyrical and language written to best draw the worshiper to a point of collective worship to God. A great call to worship song! The second song is "Gloria A Dios Solo" (with My Whole Heart) and features a continuation of the call to worship theme, but this time having a directive praise invitation calling everyone "with my whole heart I give you all my praise".  Both of these songs feature a wonderful weaving of English and Spanish without sounding like a trite acquiescence to inclusion- no, instead this is a thoughtful and honest group of English and Spanish speaking people who have crafted music that ebbs and flows through both languages.  Beautiful!

The third track is a re-envisioned version of Vineyard classic song "Lord Reign in Me", but redone in energetic Latin rhythms and sounds, with some rock overtures. It's a fresh and encouraging revision, which again sways between English and Spanish. I love it! And the track list continues with this same fresh approach. Track five is cry and response gospel song with all the energy of a full on hip swaying, hand clapping celebration. Fused with more rock overtures, "At All Times" is another song that will charge you up as you sing "I'm gonna bless the Lord!"

The mellow sounds of island music become the enlivened style of the Vineyard classic song "If You Say Go". But no sooner have you settled down into island subtle rhythms and you are back on your feet shuffling with the song "Everything to Me" and "Your Name Is Great".  Pensive love ballads, rousing gospel call/response songs, and renewed versions of classics "Breathe" and "How Great Is Our God" all find their way in this album, not as obtuse appendages of music experimentation, but as enthralling, worshipful re-envisioning of classics put in proper musical context for the Miami Vineyard worship community.

I absolutely love this album. On a recent day trip my teenage son came with me. For hours we listened to "Miami Vineyard Live", replaying it over and over again. He was so impressed with both the music and its unique approach, he has written the church to find out more about their church, worship and work across bilingual communities in their area. He hopes to even go the the church (though) as an intern at some point to learn from them. All this sparked simply from listening to their music. Yes! It's that engaging, and that encouraging!

If you haven't had a chance to listen to "Miami Vineyard Live", I strongly encourage you to do so! You can listen to online samples of every song at the weblink below. But to do this album justice, make sure to go through all the samples of each song. A great new worship album with fresh ideas, great songs and a wonderful approach to bi-lingual worship. I love it! A full Editor's Choice Award goes to "Miami Vineyard Live." Well done!

Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/xNNKBM

Free Song Download from "Miami Vineyard Live"

 *many thanks to the fine folks at Vineyard Worship for providing this.

Review by Kim Gentes

While I have been actively involved in reviewing music for churches for over 15 years, most of the recordings I have heard have typically been in the acoustic rock/easy listening/pop range. Occasionally, I would hear a country, gospel, R&B or hard rock styled album, but these were rare. I wasn't puposefully avoiding other styles, I was simply reviewing what was commonly written, produced and released in the popular Christian worship genre of music and resources.

The last year I have begun to listen to more southern soul, gospel, and R&B styled albums and found some amazingly encouraging, heart-filled and passionate music. One of the best albums I have heard is by Latrel Maloy, called "Sunshine in the Morning". On first blush, you might think that this is simply a great soulful, gospel recording, akin to the more modern sounds of Kirk Franklin or perhaps the worshipful focus of Israel Houghton. But a closer listen reveals something more sublime than either of those icons. In fact, what surprised me most about Latrel Maloy was not his music (though it is top notch and engaging), his vocals (though they are boundless and brilliant), but truly the most compelling part of "Sunshine in the Morning" is the brilliant lyrics and ad libs of each and every song. From the title track, to "Soldier for the Lord" to "Love Call" and on through each song, Latrel explores not just the glory and faith that makes his journey unique, but the sorrow and pain that provide the contrast to the triumph. And this portion of his songwriting is not only a tacid tip of the hat to "soul music", but revealing of what great songwriters have always done for us- draw us together by the common thread of our experience by articulating it for us in song.

Latrel talks of longing for love, relationship, healing for generations, hurts and pain, and the gritty reality of his own experience. And it doesn't matter if you don't have exactly the same life story as Latrel- you still find yourself drawn into each song because he sings and speaks to the human soul which, while in pain through times of difficulty, is ultimately in search of the comforting reality and friendship of God. It is almost impossible to choose favorite songs on this brilliant album. But three songs that stand out for me are the title track (Sunshine in the Morning), "Love Call", and "I Will Give Anything". Each one of these songs express the core of the encouraging message of Latrel's album. He speaks candidly about the centrality of love and the need for each of us to tether our lives to God's love.

Musically, "Sunshine in the Morning" is mixture of full soul, gospel, R&B and pop sounds. Latrel's vocals punctuate the message like a right hook to the soul of each listener. you can hardly listen to this album without being impacted by its honesty, beauty, pain and encouragement all brought profoundly to life by strong songwriting, music and vocal performance. Once I began listening to this album, I simply wouldn't let my music player move on to another album. For two weeks straight, I listened every day to Latrel sing, speak and call out the songs on "Sunshine in the Morning". It has been quite some time since I have given an Editor's Choice selection to an album, but "Sunshine in the Morning" more than deserves this. Latrel is virtually unknown right now, but deserves to be heard by the entire world. A message, a voice and a heart that speaks to the listener at every level. Brilliant!

Below is a 6 minute 25 second video for the title track "Sunshine in the Morning". Take a moment, sit back, watch and listen. You will be inspired and encouraged. This is a man who's music and message have become a singular call to reach to the unfailing arms of God and at the same time becon young and old to allow those same arms of God to draw them out of lives of brokenness into lives of life. You can also see more information about Latrel on his own website.

I want to thank Latrel for giving me permission to include the free MP3 download (song below) and display this video on my site.  You can Latrel's music at the Amazon linked listed below. I hope you find Latrel's music as inspiring and encouraging as I do.

"Sunshine in the Morning/ Do Love"
Amazon Album Link   http://amzn.to/x8wKib 

Free Song Download from "Sunshine In The Morning/Do Love"

Review by Kim Gentes

One thing most of us can remember is the singing of carols during the Christmas season. Even if we aren't musical, the simple joy of listening to songs which retell both the story of Christ and the joy of the season opens us up to dig deeper into the heart of what it means to give.

As I poured over a number of new Christmas albums this season, I found one acoustic album that highlighted the warmth and heartfelt joy of the season for myself and my family- A Living Room Christmas. This new project from Sean & Aimee Dayton is exactly what the title promises- a pensive wrapping of traditional Christmas classics in the warmth of a living room with acoutic guitar, light percussion, occasional violin, and even the playful sound of a banjo for one song.  And while the feel of the songs range from deep devotion to fun, every song is graced by the georgeous voices of these two equally warm-toned worshipers.

I found myself lifting my heart in worship as this project led me on a worshipful journey of waiting and asking for Christ (in "Do You Hear What I Hear", "O Come O Come Emmanuel"), procliming the newborn declaration ("The First Noel", "Angels We Have Heard On High"), and bursting forward in all out praise ("Joy To The World"). Weaved into this family worship experience are some seasonal favorites that stay pensive and warm-hearted ("White Christmas", "Winter Wonderland").

This is a wonderful Christmas project, done with skill, while remaining appropriately understated on arrangements and instrumentation to retain a warm "living room" glow. Add to the Dayton's skilful vocals is Brian Doerksen guest vocals on "Silent Night" as well as a track from Paul Baloche ("The First Noel") and the album is a treasure of its own for this Christmas season. I highly recommend you consider this project for your Christmas collections!

Free Song Download from "A Living Room Christmas"

Now that you have sampled part of this great album, I strongly encourage you to get the entire album. You can get a copy of the album yourself at :

A Living Room Christmas http://bit.ly/vw6v3M 

Review by Kim Gentes