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.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 11:16AM 
There is no substitute for passion. You can create sounds, play music and mimic emotion. But real passion comes through in a way that goes beyond all those. If I had to sum up Daniel Bashta's work on his new project "The Invisible", the word would be- passion.
A breathy pop voice, energetic motion in the arrangements and inventive twists throughout the album brings Bashta's ideas of reaching for the ear of God onto the audio canvas of the ten tracks of this album. Lyrically, Daniel almost completely relies on first person language in his prayer-like songs. Only one song is sung in the third person (the title track) and this is revealing. Bashta's passion for a person-to-Person connection with his Creator bleeds all over the prayers, thanks and declarations in this collection. Even anthems of invitation in which Bashta calls us all to join his call to worship with "we all cry holy" in Behold the Lamb, he returns to first person prayer language :
Yours is the kingdom Yours is the powerYours is the glory forever and everYours is the kingdom Yours is the powerYours is the glory forever amen
Many of the songs on the album are inviting for church use. The arrangements used on most of them build in ascending steps (it almost becomes a predictable pattern on this project), but all are welcoming to local church use, (as with so many high production worship albums today) if not in perhaps simplified form. Some great songs on this album are "I Want It All", "Let Hope In", and "Behold the Lamb". But my absolute favorite was the title track "Praise the Invisible"- its hard not to love the reimagining of the invisible, immortal and incarnate language glorifying the Trinity as Father, Spirit, Son. Great historic language as part of a powerful surrender to the Holy God.
Stylistically, this album scans a wide but enjoyable range- from symphonic swells to acoustic guitar drones to scattered banjo picking to piano driven ballads to hand clapping living rooms of worshipers. But it all feels real, fits the songs and creates focus towards the listener pointing their hearts to heaven. This is a very, very good album, and honestly, it surprised me. I was expecting something eclectic, but did not expect something accessible.
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.
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/14C8bE4
worshiping Him!
Review by Kim Gentes
The Invisible, album, cd, daniel bashta, integrity, music, praise, review, songs, worship in CD Review, Music Review