Kim Gentes

Raw & unashamed - this is the sound of "Burn Service" CD, the new release of youth oriented worship from Vineyard! In an earlier review of a recent Vineyard CD ("It's All About Jesus"), I referred to a new sound in Vineyard Music that is starting to hit stride with truly "new" and truly "fresh" music. And not "new & fresh" at the expense of truly God-centric worship! In "Hungry" (from UK/B. Doerksen) the sound was more progressive rock, here the sound/style is  Americana, country-fied rock. The point is that the style has less to do with the "freshness" than the authenticity of the music, the context and songwriting.

You can check out the sound clips at Vineyard's site here!

One of the signs of revival in church history has been repentance. The Burn Service CD is a venture into musical repentance and prayer. It is this state of heart that has typified the music of the modern day flames of revival. While I absolutely love the sound of this CD musically, what gets you "there" for the Burn CD is the abandon of "self" posed in these song lyrics. Ryan Delmore, Darren Clarke & Jesse Lane lead these songs with uncommon passion. It is clear right from the start that this CD holds nothing back, and pretends nothing! People praying to God in song; speaking their weaknesses; crying out for God's holiness to truly consume and change them. These folks are "tired of lukewarm living" and sing for God to "set me on fire"- the text and title of the opening cut.

"Refreshing" would be too subtle a word to describe this CD. The powerful themes, driving guitar, and abandon vocals make this whole CD more like "gut-wrenching" (and I mean that is a good way). Have you ever had a time when repentance was so deep on your heart that you just wept or called out or repented until your soul was empty? Have you ever read the Psalms and contemplated how the writers were really feeling in penning those songs? Now you are seeing the kind of raw passion I am talking about. Somehow, Vineyard managed to capture the essence of intensity that was going on with this time worship. It is awesome!

In listening to a CD for review, I tend to find myself getting drawn into the technical and musical components of a recording, in order to provide a complete review. I found it almost impossible to keep my mind on "evaluating" this CD - there was just too much worship going on! For those willing, this project rushes you into the presence of God in a firestorm of music, scripture-based lyrical themes and passionate prayer. Don't be fooled by imitations- this is the real thing! With the haunting texture of vocals by Delmore and Lane especially, the guitar powered liturgy of the Burn Service is very inviting. This CD gives you a look into the music and hearts of the 20-something generation of today.

Starting with "Set Me On Fire", the worship band lays their hearts out on the table for God. Moving to the second song, Jesse Lane leads an investigation into our lives as "New Creation"s, using 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 2:20 as underpinnings for this song. The driving groove and repeating 4 powerchord progression makes this an excellent rock contribution. On the topic of musical style, you will notice this CD slips into a country-esqe songs with "Real Love", "I Will Praise You", and "Your Love Reaches Me". "Real Love" is a simple ballad of the search for God's real love. The fourth song, "Father", re-iterates the cry of prayer that these worship leaders keep coming back to. Like "Set Me On Fire", "Father" restates that we truly need God in light of our emptiness. Like many of these songs on this CD, this is a song worth of air play on CCM radio. Unique and edgy, yet simple and with a singable "hook", this is very good material, even at an entertainment level (though, clearly that is not the intention of this music). In my opinion, Vineyard Music should look at promoting this CD to CCM/Alt radio, if they haven't already done that- but more on that topic at the end of the review.

My favorite cut from this entire album comes up next, with "Shepherd". This song is a great, singable, rock anthem, once again re-visiting the theme of trading our weakness for God's strength and coming up with the conclusion that simply-

"You are my Shepherd, and I will follow You,
I abandon my will and yield to Yours"

Taking lyrical content of the sixth track, "I Will Praise You", returns to the book Psalms, with chapter 42 (verse 5) outlining the lyrics source for this song. Another very singable, usable song for worship. The next song, "Let It Come" has a sound that is about as late-60's/early 70's as I have ever heard on a Vineyard album. Another retro sound is rekindled a little in the background vocals of track 9 ,"Friend". The album moves on through "All My Days" and "Surely Goodness and Mercy", once again returning the to Psalms for content, while keeping the beat strong and the guitar chords crunching along to sing to. Very nice, and you don't feel like the album gets stuck on a "blah" song anywhere along the way. The CD finishes with a wonderful love song, "I Love Your Presence". I really liked this song, ambient in the verse, but building into a chorus of thankfulness that gets more and more contagious. Excellent worship material here.

As you can tell, this CD comes with my highest recommendation- the "Editor's Choice" award. Even so, there are some things this project doesn't come with- and that worries me some. First, this project is put out to document Vineyard music as it is being employed in worship throughout their churches. So you might think that Vineyard would encourage the use of the materials through the publication of the printed music for this great project- but you would be wrong. With a great project and no printed music, the songs (though loved) may well go unused in just the contexts they would likely most useful- churches! My hope is that Vineyard puts forward the effort to print an accompanying songbook. The second thing this project does not come with is promotion. I looked through several trade magazines and found no mention of the Burn Service CD, except on a "shared" ad with 4 albums and another music label. I found no strong promotion of it from the distributors either. I also contacted Vineyard Music to ask them what their plans were for this series "Y-Worship", hoping to hear some good news about this bold new direction that Vineyard was taking. Carla Turner, Manager of Media Relations for Vineyard Music, said that "Y-Worship" is the "imprint" under which Vineyard will target future youth oriented projects coming out of the Vineyard movement. According to Carla, there are tentative plans for future releases under the "Y-Worship" brand. With no specific projects already in production, one hopes this is not a "one-time" CD for the "Y-Worship" series from Vineyard.

All that said, Burn Service is a great product from Vineyard. Incredibly useful in worship, yet their most progressive work to date. This CD, along with "It's All About Jesus", and the two UK releases from Brian Doerksen ("Winds of Worship #12" and "Hungry") have loaded my church (and many others) with a excellent cache of great new songs.

Product Link The Burn Service - Vineyard Music

blessings
Kim G.

While most of our reviews have centered around products that don't get a lot of attention (either through retail advertising or simply an indie), one of the things I have noticed in the last couple of years is the waning influence of Vineyard's Touching the Father's Heart series on the list of "new songs" being used by churches. Partly because of the insurgence of the UK worship songs, increase of similar music from other labels in the US, and growth of indies, the TFH series has been less than the "staple" of excellent song selection it has been in the period of 1994-1996. With a string of ho-hum projects like "Receive Your Praise", "I Love Loving You", "I Love Your Ways" and "I Just Want To Thank You", Vineyard Music has not helped themselves a lot. Additionally, much of Vineyard Music focus recently has been on a flurry of collections, remixed oldies, and "best of's", making the even the most ardent of Vineyard worship fan crinkle a brow.

But alas, things are looking up! One thing Vineyard has done since early days (under the direction of John Wimber) is to foster the constant birthing of new songs. That kind of real encouragement can't go too long before another crop of good fruit comes due. The most recent addition to the TFH series is just one such "pick" of recent fruit from Vineyard Music. Along with the new project "The Burn Service", this CD has indicated a strong crop of usable and fresh music from Vineyard.

So let's dive in to this CD, "It's All About Jesus"!

To kick it off, this CD begins with a karate chop to the chin of P&W project "formula" of starting with an upbeat song and fading to slow. Instead of hyping us up, pumping the emotions, and playing to our expectations, they start off with the song "Stand Back". This song moves from the contemplative position of encouraging us all to "stand back" and let God move. Writing the lyrics in synch with musical feel, Scott Underwood lets the song grow, building intensity. In an attitude of "standing back" and letting God move, the song ebbs you into the presence of God as you refocus why we worship. This song eases into your heart, and just as you get the point of it, you run into the title track, "It's All About Jesus".

Easy to sing and powerful in message, this song exemplifies the musical contribution that Vineyard has placed in modern praise & worship over the last several years- easy lyrics, simply played music, contagious melodies, and unashamed intimacy. While it isn't as reflective and haunting as the Matt Redman "Heart Of Worship", it doesn't have to be. Still, the messages are the same, and there is no doubt a number of people who will get the two songs confused just by title.

The trek continues through Simple Prayer, a vintage Terry Butler song rife with accidentals (those keyboard players :) and the lyrical message of God's holiness. Another nice touch on the first "set" of this project is the modern hymn "My Soul Finds Rest" by Mary McLean. Not a redone oldie, but a revisitation to themes of "On Christ the Solid Rock", complete with 3/4 time and beautifully spacious notes.

The second "set" is led by Danny Daniels. Track eight heralds a wonderful song "Faithful Love". A great songwriting contribution by Rita Springer and nice vocals by Paula Bowers make this a [repeat] track on most CD players. Danny Daniels chimes in with "River Of Delight", a soft congregational declaration of what we will do at the coming of Christ. Another song that builds with intensity, "River Of Delight" leads well into the 70s country/rock sounding "Lord I Lift Up My Voice". A signature of Danny Daniels songwriting and leading, this song reminisces of the straight forward praise of his classic "Glory". Thereafter comes a couple of songs from Mark McCoy, lifting the worship into much more upbeat praise. "Messiah" is an excellent moving rock ballad that calls out to Christ. "Messiah" hints at a blues feel, and that gets re-ignited in the next song. "Sow In Tears" has strong musical composition, though it misses singable and well-paced lyrics that typically accompany Vineyard songs. The trek of nostalgia doesn't end until the song "We Will Run", when Danny Daniels wraps up the set with another declarative song, but this one has a 60s feel. A nice praise song telling God how we will run to Him.

And just when you were sitting back and thinking you were finished, the great surprise of the album happens- "Wonderful"! Appropriately titled, this song is jumps and hops into praise for God. I was unsure as to the language of the lyrics in the intro line of the song, but Vineyard Music assures me it is that oft sought after language of aboriginal Australian. Apparently the word "Humbia" means "yahoo" (not to be confused with the website) or "yippee". I didn't need to call VMG to get the intention of the song, though. Contagious and upbeat, you will be bouncing throughout the day as this tune rings through your head. This would be a great song to alter, by fixing a "yippee" in your favorite local dialect over the current "humbia" ('course, you'll want to make sure that's covered on your CCLI license and such ;) .

Overall, I think this CD represents the meatiest offering from Vineyard in some time. Though not as creative a musical effort as "You Shelter Me", from the same TFH series, the songs are certainly more useable and likely to be used in the local church. You won't love all the songs on this album, but you will like 3 or 4. Your friend across town will like a different 3 or 4. Your friend across country will like another 3 or 4. You get the picture- a little something for everyone, without fluff anywhere.

Nicely done Vineyard Music! Welcome back.

The project also has an accompanying songbook and split tracks, for those worship leaders who intend to use the songs.

Product Link It's All About Jesus: Touching the Father's Heart

Review by Kim Gentes

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

Welcome to a great worship music CD! When you strive for great music, worship is sometimes lost in the final "production" of a worship album. This can be especially true of independent projects that just don't have the time or money to make things sound awesome in the midst of recording true worship.

FEAR NOT! Casy Corum is a worship veteran who understands this and has put the components of a truly great project on to this CD. This project opens the windows of our hearts to the wind from heaven. This worship leader knows how to worship, and he isn't ashamed of it. I loved the energy and honesty of Alabaster Boxes

Alabaster Boxes parlays between the edgier Vineyard worship music and some groovier acoustic/rock. The songs are very usable and excellent for learning and doing in worship. Proof of that is the fact the Vineyard has been picking up many of Casey's songs and using them on the their Touching the Father's Heart and other series. Another proof is that I am using them at our church :)

Product Link Alabaster Boxes - Casey Corum

Review by Kim Gentes