Kim Gentes

Does anyone remember what a worship CD is? The last several years, it seemed like the "Christian Music" industry had missed the point. Endless collections, remixed cover songs and CCM bands trying to detour into worship leading (but quickly moving back to performance model when the "worship thing" dried up) showed a clear misunderstanding of the foundations of what worship and praise was all about.

If you have felt (like me) disappointed by several popular CDs in the last few years, welcome you back to what a worship project should be- "Playlist: Stand In Awe" from Vineyard Music. One of the original vanguards of resourcing the church in worship, Vineyard has stayed true to its roots with great songs, while making continued strides in progressive musical production and sound with its arrangements and musicianship. The essence of a great worship song is its ability to resonate with the heart-cry of the worshiper. The "Stand In Awe" project is a wonderful set of worship songs that resonate clearly with followers of Christ.

From the opening song, Vineyard brings some of its best young voices singing its best new songs, presented with its best studio production values. Normally known for its great live recordings, Vineyard Music has its second studio production (following up from last year's "Sweetly Broken") that marks a new era of excellence for them under producer Casey Corum. Add to Casey's great production some outsanding vocals by Jeremy Riddle, Steve Jones and Charlie Hines and stellar guitar work by veteran Glenn Pearce, the mix on this CD glistens under any audiophile's microscope.

But it all begins with great songs, and this CD is chock full of them! From the infectious layered sounds of "Saving Grace" (with a live orchestra backing! Wow!) to the anthemic offerings "Stand In Awe" and "God of All Glory", to the prayer praises of "As It Is In Heaven" and "Throne of Grace", to the poured out devotional of "With All My Heart", this project has a lot to contribute your local church. Track four, "Christ is Exalted", even includes a beautiful song of Christ's life, appropriate for Christmas worship, or any time of year. No doubt contend that the title track "Stand In Awe" and "God Of All Glory" (both sung by Jeremy Riddle) will garner considerable attention from both churches and radio play alike.

But for this reviewer, all the songs mentioned thus far are supporting cast for one of the best songs presented to the church in the last ten years- "All I Have". This amazing song provides a simple, but infectiously untiring sound track for unashamed worshipers the world ‘round. To date, I have listened to this CD about 35-40 times. And yet, as I drove to work this morning, I still wept as I worshipped along with "All I Have" with the chorus echoing some of these lyrics:

"Jesus, all I have is You,
You're the hope I'm holding to...
As the heavens hold the skies,
It's Your hand that holds my life"

After receiving an advanced copy of this project just weeks ago, our church already has three of these songs in its repertoire ("Throne of Grace", "Stand In Awe" and "All I Have")! But of those songs, none has gripped people more profoundly than my new favorite song "All I Have". I am sure we will see this song redone by other CCM and worship artists, but here is your first chance to hear it and use it in your local church. A truly great offering!

In an era when music purchasers scarcely think it wise to buy an entire CD, Vineyard's new "Playlist: Stand In Awe" project is well worth it. A wise investment, providing both an amazing suite of songs and PDF chord and lyric charts to help local churches put the songs to immediate use.

Product Link Playlist: Stand in Awe / Vineyard Music

Review by Kim Anthony Gentes

From 2004 to the present, few Christian recordings have been able to attain the level of popularity that garners platinum record sales.  Fewer still have included songs that are not only great radio favorites but long term standards for Sunday morning worship. But all that and more has been accomplished by this amazing solo project from one of the top artists in Christian music today- Chris Tomlin. Arriving was Chris Tomlin's break out blockbuster album and it still holds sway as one of the best artistic endeavors in Christian music in the last 10 years.

Arriving became such a tremendous success for several reasons, but the primary are: great songs and great production. One of the hallmarks of a great artist is their ability to incorporate great songs that they didn't write. Tomlin shines in this regard, recognizing that while he has strong songwriting chops, some of the songs he is best known for are not his writing at all- Indescribable and Your Grace Is Enough two brilliant examples. Arriving is the perfect balance of radio ready songs and corporate worship favorites. This became the backbone of its stream of #1 radio hits. The creative genuis of Ed Cash rendered Tomlin in his absolutely best light, making the songs on this album shine.

Songs like Holy Is The Lord and How Great Is Our God have become staples in the CCLI top 10 list of most used songs in the world.  Cash's perfect production and layered sounds has since been copied time and again by other worship records, but never to the same level of authenticity or success.

But beyond the awards, success and record sales, this album represents what is the pinnacle of the praise and worship genre in Christian music- great art in a devotional context. While the album lacks the gritty vibe of a live project, nothing sounds phoney about the stellar arrangements placed on every track. Tomlin's high tenor reach and textured voice makes the project worth listening to all the way through.

While worship leaders would be ill-advised to retain the songs in same key as the original recording with Tomlin's soaring vocals, all the songs are usable and accessible. In fact, the tunes are so hook-laden and melodic any revisions will do well to retain the memorable arrangements even if shifting pitch for congregational singability. Again, this CD has recieved all the accolades possible. In the age of a collapsing music industry, church based worship music has continued to be as popular as ever. And none more popular than the songs, artist and writer of this album. Arriving has left a monumental imprint on the last 7 years of Christian music and continues to do so.  If you haven't got your own copy of the tremendous album, check out the link below and get the MP3 album for your collection. It is worth it.

Product Link: Arriving: Chris Tomlin

Review by Kim Gentes

For over 15 years, one of the most acclaimed worship recordings has been this now classic from Robin Mark. Revival In Belfast is a truly remarkable recording for several reasons, but the main one is this- authenticity. Guided by award winning producer Paul Mills, this recording delivers a brilliant collage of uilleann pipes, pennywhistles and the honest cries of North Ireland through the voice and music of Robin Mark. This recording hits the pinnacle of what every artists hopes to achieve- authenticity with artful skill. You believe every word, every instrument, every prayer in this experience embodied in this album for the simple reason that it is exactly what it appears to be - a true worship-filled exchange of a congregation praising their God.

Robin Mark has penned most of the songs on this landmark album, and they remain classics even today.  From Revival, to Jesus, All For Jesus and even the epiphinal Days of Elijah, each of these songs ring as true for us as they do for Robin Mark. Other classics Shout to The North (written by Martin Smith) and Be Unto Your Name (written by Lynn DeShazo and Gary Sadler) are incorporated in perfect style to fit the nuance of this cultural Irish worship collection.

While the writing and music are authentic, the narrative of this project is nonetheless directed and intentional. This is clear from the song order, pacing of each arrangement and its final track which is the climax to a perfect live experience. In my opinion, this album has one intention, one clear purpose- to point you to the heralding call of its final song.  As you weave through the experience of this Irish musical countryside, you end up at the masterpeice that is Days of Elijah. And without leaving the authentic narrative that has brought you to this point, Robin Mark and producer Paul Mills take this experience to a whole other level.  Flute, organ pads glide you gently into rising anthem. Mark's acoustic guitar strums softly, and the rhythm draws you into the song.  They lyrics open to a contrasting hope of Biblical characters Elijah, Moses and David with the worl'ds current state of brokenness, loss and desolation saying "and though these the days of great trial, of famine and darkness and sword".  

Mark uses a destinctly John the Baptist tone, declaring "Behold He comes riding on the clouds." The chorus is a blissful hope declaration ringing to the truth of the Christ's return as the hope for all Christians and indeed the world. The lyrics written on a page might appear like a bit of a collection of "Christian cliche" today, but they sound anything but that when you listen to this tremendous recording. The blissful conclusion to this recording is the final prayer that Robin Mark administers with graceful humility. Then, just as you think the recording has concluded, a final rousing chorus is rallied with such passion, such authenticity, such artful effusion one is often left in tears. I certainly am.

For over 10 years, people have seemed to agree with this kind of lauding of this project. Indeed for a full 10 years, this project stayed in the top 40 sales of all products on WorshipMusic.com, outselling more than any other project in the last 15 years- including top charting collections like WOW Worship, iWorship and all others. Something about Revival In Belfast struck the heart of worshipers around the globe for more than a full decade. Phenomenal!

If you haven't had a chance to enjoy this amazing experience, take this opportunity to enjoy something hundreds of thousands of Christians worldwide have experienced.  You won't be dissappointed.

Product Link:   Revival in Belfast

Worshiping with you,

Kim Gentes

There is no other single local church that has had a more profound impact on the song repetoire of the Christian church in the last 20 years than Hillsong Church in Australia. With a series of phenomenally gifted leaders, a catalog of amazingly popular songs, and a staff of skilled musicians, producers and vocalists, Hillsong Church has become nearly synonymous with praise and worship music across the English speaking world.  The landmark, breakout album from Hillsong was the 1996 release of "Shout To The Lord". While Hillsong had become moderately popular through a series of its own releases, "Shout To The Lord" was a unique release made under Integrity Music's Hosanna label. Produced under their label, marketed and distributed via the Integrity system throughout the US and other global territories,  "Shout To The Lord" became the foundational pivot from which its legendary title track rose to one of the top songs in the world wide church, staying in the top 10 of CCLI rankings for many years.

The album itself contained other songs which would also go on to be worldwide favorites, including: I Believe the Promise, Jesus, Lover of My Soul and The Power of Your Love. The phenomenal success of this album was no one-hit-wonder. For 15 years (and counting) Hillsong Church and its music leaders have produced multiple albums per year, many of which have had some of the highest sales rankings in the genre. The Hillsong song catalog has produced 12 of the current top 100 songs in the Christian church, a phenomenal feat. 

One of the primary writers of its early songs was Geoff Bullock (writer of The Power Of Your Love). Bullock was followed by Darlene Zschech who wrote the title track Shout to the Lord and several other songs. More than any other musician /vocalist, Zschech's gifted vocal stylings and leadership charisma made the "Shout To The Lord" album and many of its later successor projects a standard of musical and songwriting excellence. The original "Shout To The Lord" album was released in 1996, but was released again in 1998 with a new cover, as its popularity retained it in print for several years.

While other leaders have come to the Hillsong stable and met the challenge of writing stellar songs with top notch recordings (such as Reuben Morgan and Joel Houston, both of whom have songs in the CCLI top 100), those and other Hillsong writers did so only due to the huge opportunity given to them by the success of "Shout to the Lord" and astounding leadership of Darlene Zschech.

If you are not familiar with this album or its songs, you should learn.  This is truly a historic album on which the Hillsong legacy was largely built.

Product Link: Hosanna! Music: Shout To The Lord

Review by Kim Gentes