Thursday, September 20, 2012 at 10:34PM 
[Free Song Download "My Soul Longs" from Jeremiah Carlson- see at the bottom of the review.]
My Foundation is the latest release from Vineyard Worship. The project is a live recording from its recent Cultivation Generation young adult conference held in Boise, ID. The house band for the event has been The Neverclaim, a youth rock worship group led by Jeremiah Carlson, who forms the foundation of the sound and track contributions on this album. And that is a good thing.
Carlson takes the vocals on both the lead track and three others, giving a musical style and thematic bent that is reminiscent of Jesus Culture and Forerunner/IHOP (Kansas City) music. Stylistically, electric guitar driven rock ballads set the stage for a mixture of eschatologically centered lyrics ("my soul longs for the coming of the Risen Lord") and triumphalist refrains ("with a shout sin is finished, death and sin have been defeated. Now we stand victorious"). Tracks with the Neverclaim nod to similarities not only to the aforementioned, Jesus Culture, but hints of Hillsong United, and Planetshakers breakthrough with a touch of Mumford & Sons thrown in to stir up the mix.
The remainder of the tracks are led by worship leaders Stephen Lampert, David Linhart, Jesse Meyer and Anabeth Morgan.
The album starts powerfully with Carlson calling out "My Soul Longs", and the song rings out like an invitation for every heart to set it's desire on "the coming of the risen Lord". The second track, pounds out the declaration "How great" and "Love has come, love has won" as Lampert leads the song with low verses and a charging chorus (track 7 does something similar stylistically as Jesse Meyer leads). "God Don't Never Change", the third track, is a decided change of gears with blues/rock/island fusion that vamps into about four more gears of urban gospel/rock styling and vocals, always keeping a connection with the worshiping congregation singing right along with them.
The title track "My Foundation" is goes to yet another pace, but is a welcome respite to tranquil and worshipful waters, led by Anabeth Morgan whose vocals and meandering style remind us of the approach of Kim Walker (Jesus Culture) which can start with pensive humming that eventually vamps to pounding anthems with 2 bar notes. Track five is a return to Vineyard Music stamped "Roots Music" feel with its Americana/west coast country sound. The tracks continue on with great diversity and worshipful approach.
To wrap this review, I will call out two of my favorite songs from this project. The last track is a modern revision of Kevin Prosch's now classic "They That Wait On The Lord". Appropriately led by the vocal soring of Carlson and the Neverclaim, energy and congregational joy bubble up through the ebb and flow of the nearly 7 minute track. Very cool and a great revisit to a song that deserves a fresh look for this generation.
My absolute favorite song on this project lands on track eight, where Morgan's beautiful, yet powerful, voice guides us in language from the book of Revelation. This is the most pensive song on the twelve track contribution, but it is so grooved, so inviting, so heartfelt, you will fall into worship of the worthy Lord as you are led from section to section! And even in this song, a deep groove develops in the chorus and you will find yourself with hands lifted high singing "Worthy are You Lord to receive all the honor and glory!"
I really enjoyed this album from Vineyard Worship. While it's origins are youthful, the songs are largely congregational for any modern worship centered church. There is much to investigate on this project, but be sure not to miss tracks 1, 2, 8 and 12 which, in my opinion, are ready candidates for fresh winds of worship for your local church.
For those that are interested in the songs from this album, you will find it available in several of the normal locations (iTunes etc), but I especially recommend:
My Foundation - Cultivation Generation http://amzn.to/RCEHCN (Amazon)
For those who use online planning, you can also find the songs from this album, the full audio, chord charts and lyrics online in WorshipTeam.com.
Additionally, our friends at Vineyard Music have also granted us permission to give you access to the audio and chord chart for the song "My Soul Longs" as a free download for a limited time directly here, so you will find it below.
worshiping Him!
Kim Gentes
Free Song Download "My Soul Longs" from Jeremiah Carlson
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album, anabeth morgan, cd, jeremiah carlson, music, my foundation, neverclaim, review, songs, vineyard, worship in CD Review, Free Download, Music Review 
Reader Comments (6)
You recommended this song "My Soul Longs" as a great song for congregational worship. Just curious why you think a song set in a key that no congregation can sing is a great song for congregational worship.
Paul,
I am not saying to do that song in that key. Transpose it to a key your group can sing. A youth group was recorded singing along with it. That is the point. Kids singing at the top of their lungs think it is a good key. Regular congregations may not. If you think that you will encounter songs in all congregational "friendly" keys, you are dreaming. Here is my suggestion-- find the range of your local congregation, change the key to allow the note range of the song closer match the range of your group. (I've already written about this extensively here "Vocal Range Engagement" and here "Corporate Worship and Serving our Congregations" ).
One job of the worship leader is to adjust the songs out there to work in their local settings. For example, I imagine your church uses "How Great Is Our God" (Tomlin). Yet the original, most popular recording of that song, which drove it to radio and from which most people learned it, was from the album Arriving. That version of the song was in Db, as you can hear here "How Great Is Our God". No one in their right minds should do that song in Db, unless they are leading a choir of teenage boys. So most people bring it down to G or perhaps Bb at least.
Changing the key of a song doesn't mean the song is bad or not congregational. It just means you have work to do. Part of the reason I work with tools like WorshipTeam.com is because they embed all these songs and have tools to transpose both charts and audio for teams to use as they wish. That is another option for leaders who need help like that.
Finally, you are quite right that many times songs are recorded in keys not best for corporate worship, but that does not mean the song is not congregational-- only that the key of the recording probably isn't your reference point to try it in church.
Kim
My Soul Longs is an awesome song...I love the words and I love the sound of the music. Too me, playing it in a congregation would bea song that would release the longing of one's soul in unity, as we join together in
declaring how we long for the coming of the Lord. A powerful song that takes the language of the heart and give it words. I know as I listen to it, it captivates a sound within me that hungers for more of the Lord. Well done.
Thanks, Kim for your quick and thoughtful response. You're right, the song could probably be a good congregational song in a lower key. I'm still not convinced that even a youth group singing at the top of their lungs would think lots of sustained F#s is a good key, but maybe I'm wrong. I can't hear any congregational singing in the recording, but maybe that's just the way it was miced and mixed. Or, maybe those kids couldn't actually hit those notes either.
In any case, the links to your other articles on vocal range address my concerns very well. I teach something very similar when I do seminars for church worship teams and appreciate the clarity and sensitivity with which you've addressed those issues. Thanks for taking the time to share them with us!
Paul,
You are certainly right about recordings.. often times, they go so far beyond congregational ranges it seems that one MUST always transpose. This has only gotten "worse" as worship music has become the focus of former "Christian artists" who tend to bring pop stylings into the worship recordings. And in that sense, it is not often the key setting, even if the range high. The most difficult songs become ones with the widest range, such as "Sweetly Broken" and others, which (while I LOVE them) have low verses and soaring choruses. The best we can do in those situations is center the key as best as possible so there is a hope we can reach top and bottom notes... I must confess, I ramble anxiously when I go to a church where the worship leader is a brilliant tenor.. I go to a church right now where such a situation exists.
The worship leader simply is not consciously thinking about the congregational range and he sings things HIGHER than Chris Tomlin which seems almost insane at times. But people have learned to try to sing along. If it wasn't for the Spirit of God being so powerful in the place, I'd think the worship leader had lost his mind singing so high. Conversely, when that happens, the women find the key to often settle comfortably to their alto and soprano ranges.
All that has led me to believe that perhaps someone should issue CDs with note range specifications on each track :) ..
Kim
btw, Paul, these songs (including My Soul Longs) are all loaded up and transposed inside of Worshipteam.com already. Not sure if you have used it before, but you can always try it out for free for a month and see how things work in it and if it helps. I tried it in there in the key of Bb and it seems good. The verses don't end up being too low and the chorus is still singable. (yes, in full disclosure, I am involved with worshipteam.com, so my recommendation is certainly biased :) in that regard )....
Kim,
thank you so much for sharing this song. IT is awesome. Range or no range, we will make it work. This is one of the most annointed songs I have heard on your site. Thanks again.