Music Reviews (by Kim Gentes)
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.
Entries in refiners fire (1)
Draw Me Close - 25 Top Vineyard Worship Songs (2002)
Wednesday, August 21, 2002 at 10:05PM 
Vineyard Music has done it right! Instead of putting out just another endless collection series, they sat down and looked at the seasons of grace that God has given their music and went about capturing those time frames of gifted songwriting into 4 concise double CD editions entitled "25 Top Vineyard Worship Songs". Each edition contains the top 25 songs from that era of Vineyard music (along with a few bonus tracks on each edition). Each edition also has a complete companion songbook available. Personally, as I browse and listen to songs on these discs, I am amazed at how many great songs merged from the Vineyard. Even just looking over the first era (Season of Glory) you find I Believe In Jesus, Change My Heart oh God, Isn't He, Spirit Song, More Love More Power, and so many more absolutely amazing songs-- a breathtaking tribute to what this music company has contributed to the Body of Christ. And each collection has an equally awesome set of fresh songs God breathed, not just into the Vineyard movement, but through the entire Church worldwide. If you want to get caught up with an excellent history of life changing songs, haven't heard of Vineyard music, or just want a truly great collection of songs you know, you should really get this entire collection. Normally, I am fairly disinterested in yet another collection series, but this totally takes another place. Not only is this collection amazing in song quality, but Vineyard has made it an actual worship resource to the Body of Christ by publishing companion songbooks with piano/vocal/guitar arrangements (guitar chord charts included). Finally, they were thoughtful enough to make the CDs themselves enhanced and to include printable guitar charts, overhead masters and song stories.
Product Links: The 25 Top Vineyard Series is divided chronologically into a collection of recordings representing various eras of Vineyard worship.
- Summary collection: Draw Me Close (CD)
| Draw Me Close (Songbook)
- Early Vineyard: Change My Heart Oh God (CD) |
Change My Heart Oh God (Songbook)
- Early 90's: Refiner's Fire (CD)
| Refiner's Fire (Songbook)
- Mid 90's: The River Is Here (CD)
| The River Is Here (Songbook)
- Late 90's-early 2000's: Come Now Is The Time To Worship (CD) |
Come Now Is The Time To Worship (Songbook)
Kim Gentes