Kim Gentes

Over 15 years ago, I remember listening to the cardboard-packaged CDs from the UK called "Cutting Edge 1 & 2" and "Cutting Edge 3 & 4". As I heard "Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble", "I Could Of Your Love Forever" and "Find Me In The River" my heart soared, arms lifted and tears welled in my eyes. I remember feeling that finally someone was playing my music. In that moment, I knew that "church music" was changed for the rest of my lifetime. Those albums, and the songs on them, were the first fruits of a crop of fresh worship that was to come from the UK, heralded most prominently by the worship leaders/songwriters Matt Redman and the incredible band Delirious1.

Delirious' leader singer and main songsmith, Martin Smith, has come full circle of that place - writing new songs from and for the local church. Reading a recent biography of Martin Smith, it sounds like he is stepped into a time of community in a local church plant in his native UK. It is from this seedbed of connection and community that Martin and his songs have re-emerged in this new album "God's Great Dance Floor: Step 1".

The opening track is a pop arranged song that stirs the worshiper with the appropriate title "Awake My Soul". Smith's voice and sensibilities jump right onto this album by bringing you into a place worship right from the start. The next song sounds like the 90s-captured sound from U2 inspired songs with the 16th note hihat and delayed electric guitar reverb setting the progressive groove of "The Fire Never Sleeps". In the midst if this upbeat celebration, Smith returns to his worship language of surrender, singing "burn oh my soul" out passionately and intensely.

"Back to the Start" is the third track, alternatively subtitled "God's Great Dance Floor". This song was the title track from the recent Passion conference live CD (and serves the same purpose here) done by Tomlin, Redman and Crowder to great effect. Here, Martin Smith gives us the crisp presentation of a tight arrangement, that has every bit as much energy as a "live" version. I really enjoyed this lengthy track that explodes into at least three different modes of energy and arrangements. Joy-filled and celebration-ready!

The album leans way back with "Waiting Here For You", a piano ballad in which Smith declares that he will wait for God, lift his hands and adore the Lord of all creation. With solemn "Alleluia" this song soars in peaceful surrender, the pop-ballad music gently percolating underneath the cleanly sung lyrics. A beautiful, glorious, song of surrender. Track five keeps the pensive mood, and opens up confession of brokenness and loss, ultimately reconciling such painful things in the providence of God to carry us through. Powerful. The track "Safe In Your Arms" is a prayer song, echoing the themes and lyrics from Psalm 23 with the resolution that "I am safe in Your arms". These last three songs form a deep pool of worship in the stream of this albums river of praise, perfectly fit in the mid-point of this experience.

Once making the corner passed "Safe In Your Arms", the tempo picks up once again, running into track 7 that overlays the metaphor from the old song "onward Christian soldiers" into a commitment song to encourage believers to surrender their lives and bring the love of God through acts of mercy and justice to the nations. While Smith is unafraid to use this metaphor, I wonder its usefulness in the international church today, which would be quite sensitive to this imagery being associated with Church.

The next track is called "Jesus of Nazareth", another song which seems like it is taken from a themed children's song, and turned into an "adult song", this time with full country/roots treatment of drums, guitar and even banjo, all plucking along to the cut time, until the very end where the song ends oddly with a rock exit. Track nine, "Catch Every Teardrop", sounds like a Christian radio heart-touch song, evoking both confession and prayer in this melodic and catchy tune. It would seem out of place on this largely worship-oriented project, but Smith draws on his already established thread of confession and prayer to make this fit and highlight his story-telling side. The last song uses allusions to David ("shepherd boy, singing to a choir of burning lights") mixed with Smith's personal call to sing to God and invite others into that song as a way to express "love is a fire!".

The entire album is delightful, starting with praise filled celebration, deep pools of worship and ending with songs of life and commitment to God's call. A thoughtful, engaging and uplifting project. Check it out!

Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/ZChwwk

Review by Kim Gentes

1. I use the simple name Delirious in this article, though they were branded as "Deliriou5?" in their official marketing and naming.

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

When Kingsway songs and albums from Matt Redman, Delirious and Tim Hughes began flooding across the Atlantic to the US, it was a blissful time of music discovery for many in America. Here was some progressive rock sounds that held values of praise and worship as their core lyric content. During that time, there was no more surprising and innovative album that "King Of Fools", the sophomore release from Delirious?.

On initial introduction, many churches who had been receptive to the "Cutting Edge" project and Redman's "Heart of Worship". found "King of Fools" to be too progressive for their local church music repetoire.  And indeed it was lightyears ahead of most chorus-filled praise and worship band repetoires or music skill. The layered U2-esque and washy sounds of multi-electric guitar arrangements, added to pop vocals of Martin Smith and intricate rhythmic progressions of drummer Stew Smith were for full-on, radio-ready bands, not Sunday morning ensembles.

That said, "King of Fools" was one of the absolute best musical treatments of the modern worship genre.  While the songs were slower to gain acceptance from general Sunday morning church, youth groups were quick to begin using this amazing cache of songs. The slamdunk favorite of this album was Deeper, which was a plaintiff cry with great pop motif, infectious melody and musical groove.  Youthful lyrics that hinted whimsically at Biblical allusion while being passionately a human prayer. Deeper, along with White Ribbon Day, where both released to general market UK as singles and reached #20 and #41 respectively, a huge landmark.  This was not a tiny dent in a Christain market- it was the beginning of a legitimate rock band in the general UK market, making chart noise with blatantly Christian lyrics, even worship lyrics.

Beyond the commercial, radio and industry accolodates, listening to Delirious? on their "King of Fools" release is such a blissful journey, it became a long time favorite of mine personally.  In this 13 track epistle, Smith and co., communicate with some of the best written lyrics in all of Christian pop music. Combined with Stu Garrard's guitars, ethereal and crisp keys of Tim Jupp, brilliant drumming of the aforementioned Stew Smith, and the extended range of Martin Smith's haunting vocals, every track on the album is a keeper. No kidding, really! There isn't a single bad song on this project. What is beautiful about this album is the range it crosses in its progression. From wall of sound, washing reverberations in Sanctify, Promise, King or Cripple to pop-anthems like Deeper, Revival Town, Louder Than The Radio and History Maker to gallant balads like White Ribbon Day and August 30th  to pensive prayers of Hands of Kindness and What a Friend I've Found.

It is almost impossible to pick a favorite tune on this project, but if forced to, I can list my top 3 songs from this album: Deeper, White Ribbon Day, and What A Friend I've Found. These three very different songs reflect the skill, lyrical genuis and musical diversity that Delirious? brought fresh into Christian music and birthed in the modern worship movement.

If you don't have this album, get it. It's that simple. An unbelievable album in every respect.

Product Link :  King of Fools (MP3 Album) and King of Fools (Songbook)

Review by Kim Gentes

I remember getting my original copies of the UK released Cutting Edge CDs in the mail. Cardboard jackets with plastic inset trays for the CD. They were sent to me from a friend at EMI CMG. They were working on a launch the new Delirious? website to promote them in the US and I was helping with some online marketing and giving feedback on songs for a 3 song promo demo CD. It was 1996. I remember listening to great songs like Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble?, Find Me In The River and Happy Song. Wow. Unlike anything I had heard on a "worship" recording.

Then I heard I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever. I knew, in that moment, that "church music" had changed. Songs, they say, can have a life of their own. When songs can communicate something so relevant that we all want to join in, but say it in a unique way that awakens our emotions, those songs become "ours". As I listened to I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever, tears began to roll down my face. I was singing that song because it was truth captured in well-crafted art. Within a year, millions of other people across North America would learn that song and join in. It became an anthem of God's love for many of us.

The Cutting Edge CDs were eventually released in the US in 1998 as a double CD. Cutting Edge not only impacted worshipers and leader across the world, they inspired other writers. I remember a year or so earlier at a worship conference, Brian Doerksen talking about how he was being inspired by these same UK songs from early EP versions of the CDs he had gotten while in UK.  He was impacted, as were we were all impacted by what Martin Smith and crew brought to church music. Today, it's hard to imagine modern worship without the profound impact of these songs and the breakout sound of the band.

The songs on this collection are recorded crisp, clear and in the studio. While Delirious? would become known for their layered U2-esque sound, Cutting Edge highlighted arrangements that were brilliant more for their sparse intention than their "wall of sound" attack.  If you are one of those people who didn't get a copy of the Cutting Edge double CD, make sure to check out the CD on Amazon, or get the entire 25 song MP3 album there for a fraction of the cost.

These songs and this album are now classic, but remain some of the most popular songs in modern hymnody.

Product Link :  Cutting Edge (Double Album) and Delirious? - Cutting Edge (Songbook)

Review by Kim Gentes