Kim Gentes

There are moments in worship that mean as much as the songs that accompany those moments. They are the times of encounter, surrender, offering and praise in which something of our most humble offerings meet with the very presence of the awesome God to whom we are surrendering. After 30 years of "modern worship" (however loosely one might define it and move that time marker), some of the best recordings are not marked just by great songs, but by the moments captured in that embrace of emotion, theology, and art. When I think of great "moments" that are captured on a recording, some of the spontaneous moments that come to mind are the song Exalt the Lord with Daphne Rademaker/Brian Doerksen (track 15 on Winds of Worship #2 /1994), Days of Elijah with Robin Mark (track 11 on Revival in Belfast/1999), the opening prayer and spontaneous song Great is the Lord with Kevin Prosch (tracks 1 and 5 on Even So Come/1991) and the song Spirit of the Sovereign Lord with Andy Park (track 13 on Worship Festival Live/1992) and even the recent song In Jesus' Name with Darlene Zschech (track 4 on Revealing Jesus/2013). Each of those moments contained not just the excellence of music and song, but something of a poignant encounter.

It is this kind of thing that comes to mind when listening to the new album "Jesus Culture with Martin Smith: Live from New York". This recording is as much about great moments as it is about great music or gifted artists/leaders. Veteran artist, songwriter and worship leader Martin Smith takes the front seat (leading 7 of the 16 tracks) in this worship experience vibrantly paired with the energy and passion of musicians and leaders of Jesus Culture- Kim Walker-Smith and Chris Quilala (with a single track featuring Derek Johnson).

The album kicks off with Martin Smith leading his new song Fire Never Sleeps, a classic Delirious/U2-sounding rock tune that ambles along through its punctuated rhythms of the verse into melodic long notes in a glorious chorus that rings out:

Burn, oh my soul, set me on fire
Burn, oh my soul, light up the fire
Burn, oh my soul 

Smith, in his writing, vocal passions and lyrical throw-offs, presses the heart of the message, inviting the gathering of thousands of young people to set their hearts and passions on fire with passion for God. A great song with lots of energy reflecting the lyrics.  Track two is driving rock song, this time written and led by Chris Quilala, called Forever. Building through several repetitions of declaration ("forever, I am Yours") and surrender ("All that I have is Yours") the song launches into guitar solos and choruses, until it completes, leading into the somber intro of Pursuit, the third track on this album. This song, written by Daniel Bashta, is led by Kim Walker-Smith, whose clear voice and passion is paired with Martin Smith in a duo unlike many others I've heard on a worship album. This song is a bright gem on this recording, as the two leaders defer to each other throughout the sections of the song, alternatively leading and backing each other up. Beautiful, powerful and anthemic- a model for the kind of cooperative leadership of the church of Jesus in which our voices blend in harmony with one another to produce a gift that can be more than the sum of its parts. One gets the sense that the Holy Spirit was leading this song as much as Walker and Smith, as during the ebb of the song you can hear the congregation refraining over top of the slow rolling of chords in the interlude.

Kim Walker-Smith leads out on track four, the song Walk With Me, a song written by members of the band One Sonic Society (Garrard, Ingram, Mabury, Thatcher).  This song is perfect for Walker-Smith, who presents the prayerful verses as plaintiffly (I have to make up words sometimes) as she does the surrendering chorus and the pounding bridge.  As the song goes into an interlude around 5:10 of the song, we encounter one of those moments of grace in which the lyrics are as much prayer as they are "ab libs". Beautiful. This continues through this extended song, whose 8 and a half minutes seem to go by quickly for the engaged worshiper.

Martin Smith returns to lead track five, Waiting Here For You, a perfectly titled and needed song for our "on-demand" culture. The music, tempo and arrangement of this song is rightly pulled back to starting off as a simple piano ballad. Kim Walker-Smith joins back in, complimenting Smith's soft voice. Their vocal textures combine nicely, and eventually bring the song to a percolating flow, as electric guitar riffs drive the song into a stadium anthem, with the thousands year old refrain of "Alleluia" repeated in glory and resonance amidst the 14000 worshipers to the grand audience of One. The worshipers keep the refrain going a cappella until Martin Smith returns by singing the chorus in Spanish, vividly presenting an audible metaphor for the scriptural truth that we will one day sing together from "every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb." (Rev 7:9)  This transitions seamlessly into Martin Smith's song Our God Reigns, another track that ebbs and flows with ease through music and refrains without sounding tired. Martin Smith's spoken encouragements are well placed, well-received and cause explosive worship among the worshipers. Again, the track leads through ebb and flow, somber and joyful times, even including an extended time of waiting at the end of track 7 (another Smith tune Song of Solomon).

Each track on this project has a unique footprint. Poignant moments appear from congregational voices echoing over the music to long notes of guitar solos and other times of pounding drums and anthemic declarations. I could go through the entire song list and explain great moments, but it is best for you to simply get this project and set it in your playlist. The two hours of music on this double CD live recording is a wonderful journey to join in with!

Some tracks to look for new songs that you may not be aware of are track 7- Set A Fire, track 8- Alleluia, track 12- Holy Spirit, and track 16 - Did Your Feel The Mountains Tremble. You may well have heard these songs before, but if you haven't I strongly encourage you to take a listen to these. Excellent songs and vibrant versions of each of them, showing how they can be done live with great effect.

If you are a worshiper, enjoy rock style music, and love "live" worship, this recording may well become one of your favorite in recent memory. Filled with great anthems and alive with engaging moments, it is well worth buying the entire album to experience the entire journey this album takes.

For churches using WorshipTeam.com, all of the songs, chord charts, lyrics and audio from this album are already available and pre-loaded for you in the WorshipTeam.com system song database. In fact, to the best of our knowledge WorshipTeam.com is currently the only place yet to have any charts from this album! 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.

Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/140onC3

Review by Kim Gentes

It is no hyperbole to say that Jesus Culture and Kim Walker-Smith have become a powerful new voice in the sound of worship to the new generation and the "modern" church's musical liturgy. So, when I heard that Kim was going to be releasing a solo album, I was interested. Even though I often have the opportunity to get "free" product to evaluate popular worship resources/CDs, I almost always end up buying my own copies of things, because like many of you, I want to know if I feel like the money I spent was worth it. I am delighted to say that Kim's new album, "Still Believe", comes in very strong. It's not only worth the money, its worth your attention.

Having heard the previous Jesus Culture albums, I knew that her passionate vocals were her signature. My assumption was that it would be those impassioned vocals that would take over a solo album as well. I was right. And wrong. Yes, her vocals, with all their presence and passion rip through these songs with both peace and power- fitting them with the proper aspect as the song demanded.  But also, no, in that Kim moves from just being a great voice to being a promising songwriter. On "Still Believe", Kim steps in with a surprising ability to write and present songs that are fresh, inviting and actually thoughtful.

The album kicks off with "Alive", a note pounding declaration that resounds with

"We will make Him known, Jesus is alive. He's alive!
We will shout it out, Jesus is alive! He's alive!"

The first track, written by Gabe Kossol and Jeremy Edwardson, comes across very strong, intentional and engaging. This is a great launch pad for the album. Praising God and declaring the resurrection truth is focused and yet celebratory. I love it!

The next song is written by Chris McClarney (author of "Your Love Never Fails") and others. "Waste It All" has quickly become one of my favorite "surrender" songs. Lyrically, it is a musical interpretation of Matthew 26:6-13 (woman pouring perfume on Jesus) in the first person. Every time the chorus rings out I find myself surrendering once again.

Track three continues the very hopeful, God-ward and personal language of all the songs in this album. "The King is Here" is new song written by Kim and Christa Black, this one exclaiming that God is here among us, He is present and we can rely on His being present and rejoice in that same reality. As much a song of faith as praise, this song takes our attention clearly from the far off God who watches us to the very present King who is in our midst. Again, focused, clear and powerfully delivered. Love it!

"Yield My Heart" settles back into a gentle brushes/cadence and Kim Walker-Smith opens up in first person language confessing, "I yield my heart to You."  Again, coupling surrender and declaration, this song feels like a simple prayer, straight out of the ethos and language of the Davidic Psalms. And this is what endears you to this album- her intense focus on Christ, clearly at the expense of exposing her own vulnerability as she unrelentingly sings out these songs.

Tracks 5 and 6 are a live version of the Tim Hughes (et al) song "Spirit Break Out" and a spontaneous tag that extends out through an entire track. To be sure, almost every song on this album has a tag and impromptu segment that takes each song to a personal and "uncorked" expression from this worship leader to God, with all of us carried along in the tow of real worship. This song is a very well written re-examination of the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6) that links that prayer to the release of the Holy Spirit across mankind and history. A beautiful prayer and offering. Walker-Smith doesn't leave the song to the text given by the songwriters. She expands on it with her own passion, ad libs and unguarded confessions of need to be overflowing with the presence of Christ, His love and His character.

The title track "Still Believe" carves a beautiful melodic understanding of the atonement found in Christ's blood and the sufficiency it establishes for all those who believe. Maybe one of the most focused songs on the blood of Christ that I have come across. Without compromise, Kim declares that the blood of Christ is the center of what grace and provision is available for all Christians. Again, I am very impressed with the focus and articulation that this young writer has by keeping the text to one topic on any given song. A song well worth listening to for anyone looking for great new songs in your local church.

The next track is a cover of Martin Smith & Stu Garrard's "Miracle Maker", done with both lilt and power. Not a song that is easily done in most churches, but a gorgeously presented declaration of the Revelation text that appears in chapter 1 and 4 "who was and is and is to come". The final song (called "Healing Oil" by Chris Lizotte) is a jubilation of thankfulness that launches Kim Walker-Smith into an overture of refrains. She is singing out, at the top of her lungs, declaring that she wouldn't trade another lifetime for the reality of God's presence being there, right now.

And that highlights precisely why I LOVE this album. Kim Walker-Smith refuses to be afraid of singing songs that are either well articulated theology ("Still Believe" and "Alive") or "in the moment" passion ("Waste It All" and "Healing Oil"). It is that edge of unguarded evocation that makes the album feel like a breath of fresh wind on the landscape of "prescribed" worship music productions which are often addled by so much musical and theological care they leave true passion off the recording.  This needn't be so. And Kim Walker-Smith proves it.

I loved this album. You will too. Really.

For churches using WorshipTeam.com, all of the songs, chord charts, lyrics 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.

For many years we have seen a growing influence of mega churches in the worship music being popularized and played in US churches.  Churches such as Colorado's New Life Church, Australia's Hillsong Church, and Houston's Lakewood Church have all had profound influence through their worship ministries on the Sunday morning set lists of churches across the nation. In the last 3 years a new local church ministry in Southern California has become influential with its youth-centric music and events. Jesus Culture is a youth ministry that has been holding events worldwide for years now, but worship has always been an integral part of their focus and excellence.

One of the early recordings that they produced was "Your Love Never Fails". Like all of the Jesus Culture recordings it is a live album, collected from their live events.  Jesus Culture has produced other albums since this, with great success. But none of them comes to the pinnacle live experience, great song collection and excellent live musical performance as Your Love Never Fails. Featuring leaders Chris Quilala, Kim Walker (now Walker-Smith) and Melissa How (now Wise), this CD brims with energy, great song writing and clean but rocking production.

The title track, Your Love Never Fails, is a hook laden anthem that has become a staple in modern worship churches around the world. But Jesus Culture didn't rely on just new choruses to lead worship in this live experience. Also included on the track list are excellent renditions of Matt Redman's King Of Glory, Tim Hughes' Happy Day and Pete Sanchez's classic I Exalt Thee.

This album stays true to the Jesus Culture vibe and intention of great music, influencing people to change the world. In my opinion, it is the best album released by Jesus Culture, though each project has included gems of songs for local church use.  If you haven't heard this album yet, you owe it to yourself to get this amazing experience.

Product Link:  Your Love Never Fails (CD/DVD)

Review by Kim Gentes

Anyone who has been present and involved with local churches and ministries at a formative time period understands the kind of encouragement and freedom that comes with discovering God anew. The fresh sounds of praise music are often synchronous with a burgeoning work of God's Spirit among those who are willing to abandon themselves to God's purposes.  It is this tenor and effusion of enthusiasm that rings true in the music of Jesus Culture, and especially in one of its earliest releases, "We Cry Out".

Worship leaders Chris Quilala, Kim Walker and Melissa Wise explode across this album with honest rock music, sung and played with conviction. Even ballads don't accquiese to straw-man band arrangements with no guts. You get electric guitars, drums, bass and unapologetic vocals on every track. But this isn't a rock show- this is real worship. All out, forget-anyone-is-watching, leave your offering and life on the alter before God, kind of worship.

What is interesting about the early Jesus Culture albums, including this one, is that they don't enamor themselves with their own songwriting. Instead they prove to be possibly some of the best arrangers of some of the best worship songs both known and unknown. Very few of the songs are home grown to the Jesus Culture band. This is one of the first albums to record the then controversial song by John Mark McMillan How He Loves. The track list on this album includes sparkling rock favorite Delirious' Rain Down, riveting title track We Cry Out by local worship leader Brian Johnson, three excellent selections from Hillsong United song catalog, I Adore You by Phil Wickham, and the song Your Love Is Everything from rising writer Chris McClarney.

This is a live album, like all the Jesus Culture recordings. Included are poignant moments of prayer, encouragement and proclamation. The recording doesn't suffer from adding these elements, instead they help it retain a sense of authenticity and place the listener in the context of the worship experience. The production on the later Jesus Culture albums do continue to improve, but the raw energy of this recording is irreproducible. It is a glimpse of a group of people praise God with all out abandon, great music and great songs.

Product Link: We Cry Out - Jesus Culture Music (CD/DVD)

Review by Kim Gentes