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 wideThe same God that was crucifiedIs 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
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