Live worship from the UK featuring worship leaders Stuart Townend, Matt Redman, Lou Fellingham, Godfrey Birtill, Kelly Minter, Geraldine
Latty and Andy Bromley
The Mission:Worship conference has been going for a number of years albeit under different names. It gathers together some of the leading worship leaders from across the world. This album is a live recording of some those leaders, from the home grown talents of Matt Redman, Godfrey Birtill, Lou Fellingham, Stuart Townend, Andy Bromley and Geraldine Latty, to Kelly Minter from the USA. The music styles are as diverse as the worship leaders ranging from Godfrey's wonderful rock and roll "R U Ready" through Lou Fellingham's rendition of "Amazing God" to Andy's rocking up of "Be Thou My Vision". With live worship albums it can be difficult to balance the production quality with the spontenaity that a live performance gives but this one manages it quite well and will be a pleasure to listen to more than once and certainly does not fall into the category of "you had to be there." The mixing of the different styles is achieved without any jarring clashes between adjacent tracks and the variety keeps the listener interested to the end. All in all a good album but with the large number of worship albums available there is nothing that really stands out and grabs the attention.
1
Matt Redman - Joy Is The Theme Of My Song (Beautiful News)
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Posted by Michael in Newcastle upon Tyne at 15:25 on Apr 22 2008
This is an interesting album. Featuring UK worship classics
such as Stuart Townend, Matt Redman and Lou Fellingham
(Phatfish), it also features more up and coming artists such
as Kelly Minter and Andy Bromley. And then there is the
enigma that is Godfrey Birtill, who seems to refuse to be
put into a box or genre, which is great. He gets a bit of
getting used to, but his raw passion and emotion in his
songs shines through, in lyrics and delivery. I must say,
occasionally I think it\'s a bit too far, but certainly
songs such as Blessed Are The People and The Die Has Been
Cast are sure to make our hearts lift in worship gatherings.
Another mention for US based Kelly Minter, her track We Will
Not Go is simply stunning. A beautiful ballad that builds
and builds, talking of following God no matter what. You
would expect an annoyin g Nashville sounding voice, with
that American tinge that seems so popular with US CCM
artists but no, Kelly has a beautiful voice and her lyrics
are true to scripture. Finally, Lou Fellingham showcases her
vocal talent on two songs. The ever popular Amazing God,
simple yet glorifying, is a great slow song. The highlight
for me has to be I Will Say. This song\'s popularity has
soared recently, with artists such as Geraldine Latty using
it in their ministry. This rendition is stunning, it
resonates to a soaring finish with Lou Fellingham screaming
out a proclamation of coming to the Lord in every situation,
saying of the Lord that he is a refuge and strength. The key
change, something we don\'t see alot of nowadays in
Christian music, a once over-used tool is perfect to lift
the song and the congregation sound like they loved it.
Again, this album is interesting. It features many great
songs, and for that I give it 7/10, but it loses three
points for the others in there. Andy Bromley\'s contribution
is strange, an old song and not a very exciting rendition.
Stuart Townend fairs well on There Is A Hope but I can\'t
help thinking that Kingsway are stuck in the past with songs
such as \"I\'d Rather Have Jesus\" and \"Be Thou My
Vision\". I would have much rather had more Matt Redman than
these old songs. Still, for the tracks I have mentioned, the
album is well worth the money.
This is an interesting album. Featuring UK worship classics such as Stuart Townend, Matt Redman and Lou Fellingham (Phatfish), it also features more up and coming artists such as Kelly Minter and Andy Bromley. And then there is the enigma that is Godfrey Birtill, who seems to refuse to be put into a box or genre, which is great. He gets a bit of getting used to, but his raw passion and emotion in his songs shines through, in lyrics and delivery. I must say, occasionally I think it\'s a bit too far, but certainly songs such as Blessed Are The People and The Die Has Been Cast are sure to make our hearts lift in worship gatherings. Another mention for US based Kelly Minter, her track We Will Not Go is simply stunning. A beautiful ballad that builds and builds, talking of following God no matter what. You would expect an annoyin g Nashville sounding voice, with that American tinge that seems so popular with US CCM artists but no, Kelly has a beautiful voice and her lyrics are true to scripture. Finally, Lou Fellingham showcases her vocal talent on two songs. The ever popular Amazing God, simple yet glorifying, is a great slow song. The highlight for me has to be I Will Say. This song\'s popularity has soared recently, with artists such as Geraldine Latty using it in their ministry. This rendition is stunning, it resonates to a soaring finish with Lou Fellingham screaming out a proclamation of coming to the Lord in every situation, saying of the Lord that he is a refuge and strength. The key change, something we don\'t see alot of nowadays in Christian music, a once over-used tool is perfect to lift the song and the congregation sound like they loved it. Again, this album is interesting. It features many great songs, and for that I give it 7/10, but it loses three points for the others in there. Andy Bromley\'s contribution is strange, an old song and not a very exciting rendition. Stuart Townend fairs well on There Is A Hope but I can\'t help thinking that Kingsway are stuck in the past with songs such as \"I\'d Rather Have Jesus\" and \"Be Thou My Vision\". I would have much rather had more Matt Redman than these old songs. Still, for the tracks I have mentioned, the album is well worth the money.
Michael's rating: