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.
Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 11:28AM 
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
album, artist, cd, christian, music, project, sheri, sheri carr, sheri keller, song, weathered, worship in CD Review, Music Review Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 12:05AM 
Review: New Life Church - You Hold It AllWho 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
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
album, cd, christian, jared anderson, jon egan, music, new life church, packiam, praise, review, worship, you hold it all in CD Review, Music Review Friday, January 21, 2011 at 1:32AM 
When we do reviews, it is normally on a full album project, or resource. Today, however, I wanted to share something that is just a single song resource. Normally a single isn't something I investigate simply because of the time and work it takes to do a review. This song, however, caught my attention instantly when I heard it, so I investigated further.
The song "Show Me The Way To Your Heart" is a new single just releasing from ION Records. You can find it on their front page at http://ionworship.org/ . The song is a captivating call both to us and God. To us because it invites us into the prayer with its writers to seek God's heart and call on him even as we make our journey towards him. A call to God in that the song itself is a prayer "show me the way to Your heart".
The song is presented crisp, and clear, with the vocals of veteran worship leader Brian Doerksen executing his trademark pensive call and response styling. The musical backdrop is provided by Doerksen's own band including the great rhythms of Calum Rees and Peter Davyduck (drums and fretless bass), with Brian Theissen on electric guitar adding melodic hook and with a meaty center of volume through the instrumental segment.
Songwriters Adam Villiers and Pete Beaumont give us lyrics that are as easy to sing as they are to listen to, and I found myself joining in almost instantly. In fact, the reason I am writing this review is because the song quickly became my prayer for the hours and days that followed the first listen. Wonderfully infectious, the melody and theme of this song deserves a listen from any church which is looking for exceptional songs of longing that are perfect as congregational prayer-songs. As a worship leader, I have already begun to learn the song and practice it for the next opportunity I have to introduce a new song.
I'd encourage you to listen to it as well and see if it doesn't open your heart and lift you along with its prayerful melodies and lyrics. The song is available from ION directly at http://ionworship.org/ . For the price of a single song, plus a free chord chart included, you can hardly go wrong. An excellent resource!
New Bonus Video - "Show Me The Way To Your Heart" - songwriter Adam Villiers and worship leader Brian Doerksen demonstrate the song and show how to play it.
Show us the way to Your heart. Yes, Lord!
In Him,
Kim Gentes
Friday, December 31, 2010 at 1:22AM 
There are few songs in the past 5 years that have spread as quickly throughout the body of Christ as "Your Love Never Fails". This song, along with many others, is the outgrowth of the local ministry, worship leading and songwriting of Chris McClarney. Chris is a worship leader at Grace Center Church- a dynamic and growing church located in Franklin, TN. I recently was present during a worship service in which Chris led a song that struck me as not only unique, but profoundly worshipful, engaging and encouraging for people wishing to give abandon praise to their God. The song was called "Waste It All".
Since I am involved in working in the worship resourcing world, I looked for where I might find this song and found it on and exceptional album solo album entitled "Defender". If you haven't heard of Chris McClarney, that is no surprise as he low profile personality and humble demeanor are the antithesis of what you'd expect for a worship leader/songwriter/artist hailing from the Nashville metro area. In the last several of weeks I have had the opportuntity to be in worship services in which Chris has led. From that backdrop, I decided to look deeper into the music that he has released. My first stop is this album, "Defender". And I was very, very encouraged with what I found.
The album starts off with the popular chorus, "Your Love Never Fails". This song is commonly known from its cover version on Jesus Culture release of the name. But here Chris treats us to a simpler, straightforward version of the song, crisply done with his pleading tenor notes and honest ad libs. The second track is a bluesy acoustic rock groove (complete with leslie hammond organ swirl) that drives home the point of Chris's intent with all the songs on this project- a direct assault at crediting, glorifying and praising God. In fact, with virtually every song, lyric and ad lib on this album you find a constant focus on God's character, Holy Person, attributes and acts while leaving little time for anything else. Yet in that broad focus on God, Chris's lyrics and songs remain very human, very real. For example, the next song, "Who Is This Amazing Love", expresses the reflective interplay of these realities:
Who is this King of Glory?The Lord so strong and mighty.He's always faithful to forgive.His favor goes before me,His perfect love surrounds me,Now I can't help but sing, oh.
The Lord is strong, forgiving and glorified, and yet our position of being in His favor and surrounded by His love is not forgotten. This thoughtful balance is reflected in songs from the first track, title track, "Your Love Is Everything" and almost every track on this album. And this brings up the strength of this project- well crafted and diligently tried lyrics. After being in worship services several times with Chris leading, I have seen many of these songs become anthems not just for the leader and worship team- but for the congregation, who uses them in unrestrained praise to God!
I must say that the song "Defender" is such a prayerful declaration, one can't help but be singing along full force by the time the track winds down. The next song is a beautiful composition of the W. Chalmers Smith hymn "Immortal Invisible". The song has life and joy exploding in the new chorus with what becomes Chris's signature unrestrained style of praise through music and voice.
The next track that struck me powerfully both as a worshiper and a leader is the song "Your Love Is Everything". Another declarative thankful prayer to God, this song expounds its title phrase in the context of our human experience of needing God to bring his light into our darkness, to forgive our sin, heal us and to meet all our needs in the context of finding ourselves in God's overwhelming love. This is definitely a song for worship leaders to review and see if it isn't one for your Sunday morning set lists.
There are a couple other songs on this album that were impactive to this worshiper. One of the best tracks is a beautiful, simple and uncluttered blues, rock version of "Blessed Assurance". While using the well-known lyrics of Fanny Crosby, Chris and co-writers John Hartley and Chris Eaton have fasioned a unique and personal rendition of this song that reminds us that our stories in this life become His praise as we live in the provision of God's "blessed assurance".
All of these songs are excellent considerations for any worship leader looking for new material for Sunday morning. But I have saved what I consider the best for last!
Remember, at the beginning of this article, I mentioned the song "Waste It All"? This song is found on track nine of this album. And it is, for me, an absolutely unforgettable worship song that deserves your attention. This song uses the scriptural allusion of John 12:1-11 to paint the scene of abandon worship- drawing us into the story of pouring our lives out as a fragrance to God, just as Mary Magadelene did with real perfume in her unabashed devotion to Christ. If you (like me) listen and contemplate the lyrics to this song, you may come away with a bit more of your heart unlocked and surrendered in devotion to God. Here is the chorus refrain:
I want to waste it all on You
I want to pour my heart's perfume
And I don't care if I'm called a fool
I'm wasting it all on You
It has been a very long time since a song has come along that has such a vibrant combination of lyrical prowess and musical engagement- all with the singular focus of encouraging us to surrender our hearts with unashamed abandon to God and a personal relationship with Him. If you don't remember anything else from this review, make sure you do this one thing- find the song "Waste It All" and use its well sculpted message to help you devote your heart to God in a fresh new way. In my opinion, this track is the best song on this project and one of the best I've heard in the last 10 years. It's really that good.
For those that are interested in hearing this song, and the rest of the album, you will find it available in several of the normal locations (iTunes etc), but I especially recommend:
Defender -Chris McClarney http://amzn.to/OO04ww (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.
This album is not a surprising innovative musical endeavor. But it is a vibrant and superbly crafted lyrical contribution for anyone looking for great new songs for their church. In fact, the songs are so strong and usable for local church use that Defender receives my accolade as an Editor's Choice selection. Excellent songwriting, shining vocals and honest expression throughout the project make this album worthwhile for any worshiper, and especially worship leaders, to consider.
worshiping Him!
Kim Gentes
Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at 9:36AM 
For over ten years, I have been listening to and reviewing CDs in my job at Worshipmusic.com. In that time, I have listened to thousands of CDs, liked a few hundred, and have reviewed many dozens of projects. I'll be honest, I am not a traditional Christmas music lover. Assuming that the fundamentals of good music are included in a CD, after that I find that I am looking for freshness and creativity, inspiration and contrition in music. So when I think about Christmas, I don't usually get excited. I am not one of those guys who is excited to sing carols with the family or anything. Still, in the last few years, I have begun to appreciate the depth of truth and community that come with the tradition of many of the Christmas songs of our faith. So that is the place I found myself at when I started listening to the new Christmas project titled "Yuletide Blend".
Produced by veteran worship leader and song writer, Terry Butler, along with CCM acclaimed producer Smitty Price, "Yuletide Blend" is simply the best Christmas project I have ever heard. It is a wonderful mixture of sparkling instrumental expression, brilliant arrangements, excellent song selection and perfectly spaced occasional vocals. The majority of the songs are presented as instrumental renditions that live up to everything perfect you think of when you hear the word "blend". Mixing large symphonic swells with gentle classical guitar, to radiant full band songs with world class electric guitar solos this CD is a surprise of joy right from the first bells chimes of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" to the last chorus of "Silent Night". Along the way you will find some of the best favorite traditional Christmas songs, along with a selection of 3 contemporary Christmas worship songs that you will want to begin singing every Christmas. I could rant on about the notable musical talent used on this CD, but I won't spoil the latte by telling you what spices where added here.
I have already played this CD through a couple of dozen times and I still love it each time through. Unlike most Christmas music that grows weary quickly on the ears, this project lifts you up and doesn't stumble at any point. Not only is this one of the best CDs I have ever heard, but I am awarding it an Editor's Choice for changing my mind about Christmas music. Thanks, Terry and Smitty, for brewing up a truly is a great "blend" for Christmas! Amazing! I can't recommend this CD enough to you- I highly encourage you to check it out!
Product Link Yuletide Blend: Songs For Christmas
Review by Kim Anthony Gentes
audio, cd, christian, christmas, music, review, smitty price, terry butler, worship in Awards, CD Review, Instrumental, Music Review 
