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.
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 11:55PM 
In the last month, I have been listening to the newest album from Gateway Worship called "Great Great God". Listening, yes- and loving it! In it's short history, Gateway church in Southlake, Texas has been the seedbed to some great new songs, leaders and songwriters. With worship leaders/songwriters like Thomas Miller, Walker Beach, and Kari Jobe (among others), both the recordings and the songs coming out of Gateway have been top notch music and vibrant songwriting. This latest album, Great Great God, is no exception to that trend.
The album kicks off with the rhythmic and anthemic "Every Day I Live", led by Thomas Miller. Declaring that:
Every moment, for Your glory, every breath I give You praiseAll my days I'm living in Your graceEvery heartbeat wants to know You, now I live to make You knownI wanna show the world You are the God who saved my soul
Miller leads this live album off with a congregational energy and joy that enthusiastic, but stays authentic and in the tradition of declarative praise of commitment to the Lord. Great stuff!
The second track is "Sun & Sheild" and brings the congregation to a further exalting of God's attributes as our "sun and shield", allowing us to put our trust in the God who is our strength in times of need. I like the lyrics and focus of this song, which pinpoints our weakness as the moment and place in which we need to turn our hopes and trust over to God. Very well crafted.
The third song is a brilliant rendition of the classic "Holy Holy Holy" (Dykes and Heber), but with a wonderful refrain which is perfectly written to compliment this timeless song of theological depth. The added section (written by Walker Beach) pays a resounding tribute to the content already present in the song- speaking of God's Lordship, kingship and eternal nature. After hearing dozens of remakes of various hymns by Tomlin and others, this remake of this georgeous hymn actually surprised me! In my opinion, this is literally the best "modern worship" revision of any classic hymn in the last 15 years. It is easily my favorite song on the album.
Kari Jobe takes the lead vocals on the next track, drawing the pensive and beautiful tones of her voice into a peaceful ballad that flows with just piano and gentle strings as compliment. No drums, no guitars- just a simple and inviting call of devotion that leaves every worshiper calling out to God- "You're my everything".
The album continues with three more tracks that reverberate with strong declarations of God's goodness and greatness. The final song highlights this as the title track "Great Great God", declaring "there is no one like our God".
Gateway Worship's "Great Great God" is lives up to its namesake title of being another great contribution of songs from the writers and leaders at Gateway. Though this is more an EP length contribution that past albums (7 original songs), it is well worth your attention, especially if you are a worship leader looking for great songs for Sunday morning. I can't reiterate it enough- the third track on this project is really the best hymn remake in the last 15 years. Take a look at this project, if even just for that song, and it will be well worth your time.
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 want to listen to audio samples or purchase the album directly yourself, see the Amazon link below. A great new album!
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/yS3HCa
Review by Kim Gentes
album, cd, david moore, gateway, kari jobe, live, music, praise, review, thomas miller, walker beach, worship in CD Review, Music Review Monday, September 19, 2011 at 8:39PM 
"Your love never fails,
It never gives up,
It never runs out on me. "
This is the anthem call of the newest album from Vineyard Music's Jeremy Riddle.
Some projects come loaded with great music. Some with great songwriting. Some with timely message that is beyond both music and lyrics- a sense in which now is the time for us to all to sing a song together.
Today releases the 3rd album from Jeremy Riddle, worship leader and songwriter. One listen to this album and you are immediately struck by Jeremy's desire to be set on fire by God, his unconcern for following a formula and his ernest contrition in songwriting. On the fuel of Jeremy's great vocals, songwriting and passion, producers Bobby Hartry and Ed Cash deliver the best album yet from Jeremy Riddle.
Having heard all of his past published work, including studio and live projects, this album "Furious" represents the most diverse venture yet for Jeremy. Diverse on two main fronts- musical style and songwriting. Stylistically, Furious journeys to acoustic ambient sounds (Fall Afresh, Here, Always), wall-of-sound rhythmic song (Furious), soft rock melody (Love Came Down), building pop/rock anthems (One Thing Remains, You Are Good, One Thirst and Hunger, Glory To The Lamb, The Lord Is My Shepherd), and pensive minor ballad (Walk In The Promise).
I love the hills and valleys of tempo, instrumentation and lyrics given place in this album. It doens't run you over with a frieght train of hard-driving rock anthems, and doesn't lose structure with tiresome endless introspective songs. There are great prayer songs here, but they range from the hungry-call songs like Fall Afresh and Always to declarative scripture prayers like The Lord Is My Shepherd.
The albums adds some encouraging diversity to Jeremy's songwriting, with many songs co-written by Bethel church songwriters (Jeremy's home church). Writers Brian Johnson, Jeremy Edwardson and Christa Black bring added freshness to the songs of this album, taking it beyond the wonderful but limited range of Jeremy's past recordings. The stand out church favorite will doubtless be "One Thing Remains (Your Love Never Fails)", which has already become a very fast rising favorite in churches around the world.
My favorite tracks are Furious, One Thing Remains (Your Love Never Fails), with The Lord Is My Shepherd being my standout favorite. This album is georgeous music, free from a style rut, well-written and encouraging. One thread that follows through a great number of the songs is the encouraging, grace-filled messages of the song lyrics. A thankful heart resounds on nearly every song, and it lifts us all up to join with Jeremy as he sings:
If the storms of life they come
And the road ahead gets steep
I will lift these hands in fatih, I will believe
I remind myself of all the You've done
And the life I have because of Your Son
Come take this journey and lift your heart to the Son. A great album, and a beautiful musical narrative of God's love! Furious is my Editor's Choice Worship Album for 2011.
Available already at WorshipTeam.com (full length audio, chord charts and lyrics for subscribers).
Product Link : Audio samples for all 12 tracks available at Amazon
In Him,
Kim Gentes
album, bethel, bobby hartry, brian johnson, ed cash, furious, jjeremy riddle, music, praise, review, vineyard music, worship in Awards, CD Review, Music Review Thursday, August 25, 2011 at 6:53AM 
With a jubilant song of freedom, Matt Redman leads us into his newest album "10,000 Reasons" on the wings of the high-energy declaration song "We Are The Free". This is about as upbeat, power-chord driven, high-tempo as I've ever heard Matt Redman- and he doesn't waste it on bad lyrics. "We Are The Free" is spendid lyric writing, coupled with the hard driving beat and a passionate voice it makes for a great introductory track.
As we look through this entire project, Redman has offered up what may be his best complete project of new songs ever. Ever? Really? Yes, really. No one knows what a record and its songs will do before they make their way to the church. In fact, in Redman's case, it would have to be said that some of his most popular songs have risen over time, and through the coverage of others artists (Blessed Be The Name comes to mind especially in this regard). After "Friendship and the Fear" and "Heart of Worship" back before the turn of the millenium (ya, I know, wow!) I had to wait until "Facedown" to enjoy an album from Redman's new songs. Was it because he didn't put out good songs? No. He did, just not one great project with a large batch of great songs, great production values, and that energetic live presentation with that extra "something" that can only come from a true time of worship captured on a recording for worshipers to engage with later.
Well, I am here to say- "10,000 Reasons" delivers it all. Great songs, great production, and engaging, worshipful live experience. So let's get on with it.
Track two is a trademark three section song, where a steady A/B pattern is established, then an equally infectious melody line is added for a C section about 2/3 through the song. "Here For You" tags "We welcome You with praise" and lifts the entire song, and all of us along with it. A keeper for the Sunday setlist for sure.
Track three is almost a clone of the format set up for track 2. "Holy" has a verse/chorus happening just well and strong. Then another mid-section is added for contrast. But this song has an extra chorus that is yet a 4th part- close enough to fit as the chorus, vamping on strong major chords to start (instead of the minor chords the chorus 1 begins with). The entire song is overwhelming and humbling to anyone involved with it. It works well, and again is a great song for the Sunday selection.
And so it goes, from "10,000 Reasons/Bless the Lord" (the song) to "Fires" to the droning "Never Once" to the anthemic "Where Would We Be", the driving "We Could Change the World", the glorious "Magnificent", the straight pop/rock "O This God" and finally the piano ballad "Endless Hallelujah".
This album is full, I mean FULL of excellent songs. Well written lyrics, excellent musical hooks, great production, and the gift of one of the best song writing worship leaders in the last 50 years who has obviously poured a ton of work into his craft for this album. Of course, literally every song is a co-write, a testament to the fact that Redman (and most worship writers) have finally figured out that the best songs are made brilliant with co-writing. Jonas Myrin fills in for a bulk of the co-write credits, but familiar names of Matt Maher, Jesse Reeves and Jason Ingram also chime in along with relative new-comer Tim Wanstall.
It would be almost impossible for me to select a favorite song without trying to predict which song will become the next huge song. I absolutely love the first three tracks "We Are The Free", "Here For You" and "Holy". But I would have to settle with "Magnificent" as my standout track. But a dozen people will come out liking a different list each.
You might have checked out of worship recordings for the last few years. Check back in. This album is that good. Five years down the road, two or three of the songs on this recording will still be rising in the church. If you are a worship leader looking for fresh, well written songs, listen to this entire album. You will find something that will fit your church. Great stuff. Thus far, this is the best album of 2011, hands down.
Worshiping Him
Kim Gentes
10000 reasons, chorus, christian, magnificent, matt redman, music, myrin, praise, we are the free, worship in Awards, CD Review, Music Review Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 7:28PM 
As I have mentioned before, when we do reviews it is normally only for full album projects, not singles. But we must make exception where it is due. And with this new song by Jeremy Riddle, trust me friends- it is due.
The song "The Lord Is My Shepherd" is a new single just releasing from Vineyard Music. I discovered this new song at WorshipTeam.com (which adds all the new music from Vineyard and most other worship publishers as they release). If you aren't a WorshipTeam.com member, you can find the song on Vineyard's site at Vineyard Resources. Let's talk about this new song.
The song is obviously a lyrical reference to Psalm 23, and the chorus relies on this image of God providing for us and bringing us to safe waters to satisfy our souls. The chorus, using this sharpened theme from David's psalm, is melodic, infectious and even rhythmic. Lyrical purists will note the 3rd to 1st person voice change that happens throughout the chorus, though it remains thoroughly first person for the rest of the the song. This is normally a faux pas for songwriting, but it works in a unique way here to reference the classic rendering of the scripture ("The Lord is my Shepherd") giving it an anchor to our tradition, and as an implied voice to call others to notice the provision of God.
The Lord is my Shepherd and I'll want for nothing
You lead me to water for You know I'm thirsting
And I I'm only satisfied
By You by You
Riddle's songwriting here is marvelously in stride with the tension of reality- that we live in the knowledge of God's provision and the need for it to satisfy the very human thirst of our souls.
The music and the lyrics are punctual and poignant, capturing the essence of what it means to both need God in the "pain in my life" and to declared to Him that "You are there". But ultimately, the song returns to rest in God not only providing the provision, but being the provision, as Riddle sings "You are the water for my soul".
I will say it clearly- this is Jeremy Riddle's best song. It is blissful, articulate writing, and wonderful soaring music. Not contrived, the song lives in itself and doesn't try to solve anything beyond the scope of its theme. Perfect.
Likewise, the arrangement and execution by Jeremy is dead on. The music doesn't climb off of the song and overcome it. Some of the previous tracks on Riddle's other albums became so enamored with Jeremy's souring vocals they would run roughshod over songs which had no right being "wall of sound" anthems. That does not happen here. His voice is first and it stays out front. He climbs to some extremely high notes and sings like he means it. This is Vineyard's best radio ready single- ever. If this doesn't climb past the radio popularity of Sweetly Broken, I will be surprised.
That said, I have one problem with the song- it is a great radio single. The notes of his excalamatory aria, especially on the second and third choruses, are brilliant but absolutely remove the song (in this form) from possible congregational use. This single is in the right key for congregational singing (G), but when Riddle explodes into his falsceto, he leaves all hope for this arrangement being used in local churches. Vineyard will need to produce a crisp arrangement for local churches to use this song, perhaps removing the extensive "by You, by You" throw offs that make this a great listening radio single.
Worship leaders, worshipers and musicians- check out this new song. It is excellent!
Available at WorshipTeam.com (for subscribers).
Also available for purchase at Vineyard Resources
The Lord is my shepherd! Yes, Lord!
In Him,
Kim Gentes
jeremy riddle, mp3, music, praise, provision, psalm 23, single, the lord is my shepherd, vineyard, worship in Music Review, Single Song 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 