Music Reviews - Kim Gentes - worship leader and writer

Music Reviews (by Kim Gentes)

Back in the mid-90's Kim began writing impromptu reviews of church music CDs (worship music) so that people who were looking for CDs would have an opinion from someone who is also a worship leader and is garnering music for local church use. Up to this point, this was rarely something that was done, because church music was revered as sacred and it was thought that any offering of that sacred worship shouldn't be criticised or evaluated. In fact, Kim wasn't as much a critic as he was an evaluator, helping people find what fit their church. He began posting his reviews on line in a email discussion forum, called the Worship List (website). After a while, when he helped launch Worshipmusic.com, he continued that same concept of trying to help other local church worship leaders and musicians find music that might be applicable to their situations. The reviews continued to be a part of that. Worshipmusic.com went on to grow a staff of writers that would add many more reviews to the collection they have, but Kim continued to participate as a key reviewer. This journal logs all the reviews Kim has written on worship music CDs and projects.

Kim's reviews of CD projects of worship music includes independents, label and main stream recordings, but all having to do with worship music.

Entries in cd (55)

Great Great God - Gateway Worship (2011)

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 12:55AM

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

Kim Gentes |

A Living Room Christmas - Sean & Aimee Dayton (2011)

Monday, December 12, 2011 at 11:46PM

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"

O Come O Come Emmanuel
verions by Sean & Aimee Dayton

Listening Audio (Download MP3)
Chord Chart (Download PDF)

Note: To save the PDF or MP3 files
above [Right-Mouse] click the links.

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

Kim Gentes |

1 Comment |

tagged

aimee,

cd,

christmas,

dayton,

living room,

music,

review,

sean dayton,

season,

worship in

CD Review,

Music Review

Folks Like Us - Club Vineyard 73 (2011)

Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 10:29PM

Snap, pop, crackle, flood. Not words that normally go together. But then, sometimes things don’t go as planned. Such was the case for this afternoon. I sat down. Threw in the latest Club CD of new songs releasing from the Vineyard churches. Snap! I’ll dispense with the usual oblique comments meant to accommodate for the fact that the review may have different tastes than the reader/listener, or in fact be wrong. I’ll go on record- this project snaps and crackles the moment you put it on.

Track one is Folks Like Us, an unashamed return to the countryfied rock sound. Since I had just listened to some old projects, I actually thought it hit almost dead on with the sound of the 1999 Vineyard project, The Burn Service. It’d be hard to sound more like Bruce Springsteen or John Mellencamp, unless you got them to sing lead. Great, Americana rock. Lyrics are well-matched with earthy nouns, that paradoxically soar in declaration of God’s greatness towards us, and our need for Him, as His children. Very well done.

Track two and three moves on to the pop in this project. Absolutely a perfect blend of adoration and glorification in the lyrical mixture of the song Furious. Production is clearly meant to match Jeremy Riddle’s pop-ready vocals with Furious (track 3) and The Lord Is My Shepherd (track 4) making the entire album soar with radio-ready listening. These two tracks are spectacular, though track 4 remains arranged out of bounds for most congregations. The songs are truly excellent, though, so don’t miss these. Passionate, singable (in simple form) and engaging. Plus, there is some excellent scripture and theology writing here, especially in The Lord Is My Shepherd, which is a beautiful new rendition of Psalm 23.

The next two tracks, Form Us and Worthy, are songs co-written by Casey Corum and Anabeth Morgan. This is where the flood comes in. These are studio track recordings that are core renditions for easy learning and reproduction in local churches. While there is nothing fancy on the production of these songs, there is nothing lacking here either. Form Us is a pensive, prayerful, surrender song that beautifully calls on God while agreeing with His will, much in the same way that Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6 (Your will be done). Worthy is old fashion rock sounds on one of the core messages of the Book of Revelation- “Worthy are You, Lord”. In a building verse/bridge/chorus sequence this song builds into a powerful exaltation of the worthy Lord.

With track 6 comes my favorite new song of this new album- One Thing Remains. Written by songwriters at Bethel Church, this version is a live recording of the song from a recent Vineyard conference. The production is stripped back to a true live arrangement that works for the conference, local churches and the recording. Building on what is a great musical song, Casey Corum lifts the vocals and energy of the song to a powerful anthem. While this isn't my favorite arrangement of this song, it feels the most accessible for local church use.

After another song by Jeremy Riddle on track six (taken from the Bethel Music “Be Lifted High” album), the next four tracks are from a series of live recordings from the Cultivation Generation conference/event. Pounding anthem, surrender songs that lift up God’s glory, I Am Yours and Your Mercy are clean, straightforward rock, with lots of energy and passion. Again, lyrics and melody are strong.

This is especially true of Your Mercy, which is a refreshed Vineyard song from 2005. If you haven’t reviewed this song before, don’t miss this fresh revision of it. Very good. In fact, what I love about this album is that many of the songs here are really given extended time to breath into full congregational worship expressions, rather than the standard 4 minute clippings we often hear from worship recordings. This is very refreshing and encouraging. The project then moves to another surrender song “Nothing Else”, calling on God to change and shape us. Again, the prayer and spoken elements of this song give an experience which the listener can enter into without being rushed off to the next 3.5 minute track. Thank you!

The album concludes with two songs from David Linhart, a very gifted musician and lyricist. While not a typical “worship” style you might expect, David’s songs are beautiful stories of love, hope and God’s character. I love this mix of grace in a recording collection like this. Linhart’s surprising two-step collage on Straight From the Source has a soothing effect that still has the truth ringing around in my head that “we have true hope straight from the source”. Linhart’s reggae background bubbles to the surface, helped by a story-talking blues style with the final cut God Don’t Never Change. Most folks won’t be playing these last two songs in church, but there is a quality of grace on the songs that encourages the soul. Thank you Vineyard!

There is a full 8 songs on this project that I personally would like to do. That is the most in a very long time from a single album. While the project is a true "collection" with some different sounds and styles tossed in, it feels like the most "alive" project from Vineyard in a while. Yes the music is good, but more than that, it evokes one to worship in a way that is appropriate for a "worship" album. Go figure. The leaders of each song sound like they are within their element, comfortable, yet daring to pursue God in a way which is not apologetic. I appreciate that.

Product link: Folks Like Us (Vineyard Club 73)

The entire album, songs, audio and chord charts are already available for subscribers of the WorshipTeam.com worship planning system.

Review by Kim Gentes

Kim Gentes |

Weathered / Sheri Carr (2011)

Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 1:28PM

Well, I just got the new album, Weathered, from Sheri Carr. Wow! This is a brilliant new look at Sheri's music. With perfectly contained arrangements that highlight her stellar voice these are wonderful new songs. You haven't heard Sheri like this before. The EP has a pop / country / light rock feel that tells thoughtful stories of real life.

Staying away from cliché lyrics, she shines as an artist and songwriter in this new 5-song EP. Sheri packs so much life and hope into this album it will rip your heart out and hand it back to you with a warm smile. For the first time, Sheri uses her full range as a vocalist with soft, low tones that waft in a pensive melody to arias with her signature, full-strength, vocal surge. Songs Home, In a Blink, and One Song are where you hear this most, each having a beautiful expanse of dynamics that are bridged internally with effortless perfection.

Choosing a favorite song was initially a toss up between the melodic singability of the brilliant In a Blink and the perfect understated draw of One Song. But the more I listened the more I fell in love, ironically, with Find Love. This song is such a heart-true ballad that you can't listen to it without realizing the questions it poses and challenges it makes are the profound kind of writing and performance that make great music the language of all our hearts. Well done, Sheri.

Not a "corporate worship" album per say, this becomes Sheri's debut as a true "artist" beyond any of her work in the past. Radio perfect sensibility sings on every song. If you have a chance to get this album, get it. If you have a friend who is at a place of needing encouragement in life, you might not find a better gift. Seriously. Check it out! It will lift your heart and give you hope. I'll say it again- brilliant!

Product link: Weathered / Sheri Carr

Review by Kim Gentes

Kim Gentes |

1 Comment |

tagged

album,

artist,

cd,

music,

sheri,

song,

worship in

You Hold It All - New Life Church (2011)

Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 2:05AM

Review: New Life Church - You Hold It All

A low pad hums... an electric guitar reverberates a layer of rhythm.. then a voice calls out

Who has stretched out the skies like a canvas

Who has scooped up the oceans with His hands

Who has measured the hills from the mountains You have

So begins the newest album from New Life Church and its arsenal of great songwriters, Jon Egan, Jared Anderson and Glenn Packiam. This time they are joined by the notable lyricist Mia Fieldes on several songs, with additional credits to several others scattered across the 12 track, 13 song collection of this project. And this is the immediately what is most striking about this new project- the lyrical strength of the songs. Music, while still remaining clearly artful, takes backseat to some careful thought taken to the art of lyric craft.

The project rolls on to track 2, where another example of painting with words is brushed on a song canvas of “It Was For Freedom” :

It's the heartbeat of God it's the rhythm and reason for love
The power of the cross is the beginning for all who are lost

One of the most compelling songs of this album comes with track 4 “Our Messiah Reigns”, where the chorus culminates a collage of Revelation 5 motif with unique reflection on the life and Messiahship of Jesus. This song melds into track 5 where a recitation of Isaiah 61 plants our work on earth as a continuation of Jesus call to preach the good news. Very nice thematic work here.

Track 6 “Great I Am” is one of those anthemic choruses that could last for hours, and it is wonderfully engaged in this live album.

My favorite song on the album is Be Thou Exalted, a beautiful co-write with Egan and Fieldes. The song is perfect with lyrics attuned to a brilliant balance of “old and new” as word choice and themes that bring together a ancient/modern sense of God’s transcendent character. The rendering of its live recording left a lot of weight on the congregational room sound, however, and the lead/melody becomes unfortunately washed out a few times. But the recording does show us the power of the song in a congregational setting, and its strength as a song makes it a likely candidate for re-tracking on other studio projects and other albums.

After Be Thou Exalted, track 10 wins as the “use this in church” favorite from this album. A newly written song by Jon Egan, “God Be Praised”, medley’s perfectly into the classic praise song from Lenny Smith, “Our God Reigns”. If you are going to try one song for Sunday morning- this is your ticket. I’d also encourage you to do the medley as they’ve set it up here. Even if you have to lower the key for your congregation, try this out. This medley is a perfect example of why I love it when actual worship leaders produce worship albums.. the essence of a real church community engaging in what actually works in a live setting.

The title track “You Hold It All” rounds out my selections of top songs from this album. This album is clearly a live project, owing much of its appeal to the experience of the recording and the corporate joy of bringing such praise and worship in a gathered setting. While the musicality of the project feels like was subdued (relative to past releases from the same group), the project as a whole benefits from the focus on maturity in lyrical development.

If you are looking for some new gems for church worship, I encourage you to review the songs I have noted here. There are plenty of other tracks on the project that might resonate with you as well, so don’t take my word for it-- listen through the entire project. Well worth getting the entire mp3 album online, in my opinion.

Album Amazon Link : You Hold It All [+video] [+digital booklet]

The entire album is also already included in the WorshipTeam.com worship planning system.

blessings
Kim Gentes

Kim Gentes |