Kim Gentes

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 wide

The same God that was crucified

Is 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

There may be no other CD in the last 20 years that better epitomises the modern worship movement than the March 1999 release of Vineyard UK's "Hungry". Produced by songwriter/worship leader Brian Doerksen, this now classic project contains not only a brilliant cast of leaders, musicians and voices but hosts a track list of some of the most popular songs sung in the Christian church worldwide. From the title track Hungry to the pounding Your Name Is Holy, to the beautiful Humble King, to the yearning Be The Centre and finally to what is perhaps the most recorded worship song in the last 30 years, Breathe - each song has become a staple in the modern worship liturgy of the last 15 years.

The songwriting, the musical prowess, the live energy and just the right of production brought this album to platinum success, making it the best selling album ever for Vineyard Music. But what reverberated across the tracks of this amazing recording was not just the notes and rhythms of music. It was the sound of prayer-filled liturgy, embodied in an authentic music expression. Something of the desparate calls of God's people was accurate about these songs. They struck a chord (no pun intended) with millions of people- that we could call out in our hour of need, and that God himself was listening and would answer. We are hungry. He is the bread of life for a starving world.

This juxstaposition is woven in the fabric of these songs, and presented in a rhythmic flow that is easily missed.  Even the track list gives it away- our humanity laid out as we sing Hungry, then God's perfection declared in the triumph of Your Name is Holy.   The prayerful Humble King in which we yearn for God to "show me how much You love humility", then the proclamation of There's No One Like Our God. The request that God Make Your Home In Me with the answer in the foundational truth of the Child Of God. This is the ebb and flow of this album: humanity embodied in prayerful calls; scriptural truth responding with God's nearness and promises. In this manner, Hungry (the album) becomes a living, breathing conversation that we can all enjoin. With it's backdrop of occasional celtic flutes, violin hints and ethereal treatments, the album brings the listener from "any generic album" to a sound that respects its voice from the nuances of the cultures of the UK.

In addition to all the above, the fact that Hungry is a live album places it as one of the iconic live recordings in the genre. Kevin Prosch's Even So Come, Michael W. Smith's Worship album's, Ron Kenoly's Lift Him Up, Vineyard's The River Is Here, WorshipTogether's Revival Generation: 12 Songs That Rocked A Nation and Passion's Better Is One Day are some of the other great live worship projects that have marked a move forward in musical prowess and capturing of great live worship experiences. Hungry takes its place among these recordings.

If you haven't have the opportunity to review this great project, here are some brief samples of the track list.  Better yet, if you do get a chance, buy this project as an MP3 album (or CD if you like) and gather in an important marker in the modern worship narrative (link to amazon at the bottom). If you aren't already using many of these songs, there will be some new gems for you to discover. Enjoy!

Amazon Product Link  Hungry / Come Now Is the Time (2 Albums in One)

Review by Kim Gentes