Reviewed by Tony Cummings

In case you didn't know, Planetshakers is Australia's largest young adult movement based out of Melbourne's Planetshakers Church and this set is their 30th, yep, 30th, album since 2000 if you count all the compilations and offshoots (children's, Spanish language, etc). It starts off rather surprisingly considering their rather stereotypical stadium rock approach of old with a distinctly EDM flavour and the first three cuts including the anthemic title track have plenty of keyboard riffs and loud kick though the live atmosphere and rather bland vocals, featuring several female voices singing in unison, mean you won't be hearing these in clubland any time soon. By song four there's a switch of rhythm to a worshipful ballad penned by P J Pridham, "Leave Me Astounded" which is fairly strong though again let down by the mass girl vocals. The track "Covered" is next. Co-written by the album's producer Josh Hunt and gospel star Israel Houghton it's a memorable celebration of "Grace, powerful, grace." The other two songs in their songwriting collaboration, "Stronger Than A Thousand Seas" and "Water Rising", are almost as memorable and, to my ears, are the most likely to become popular with the international Church. In truth, though, there isn't a song here as good as "He Touched Me" which makes a surprising entrance as the album's track 12. As that was written by Bill Gaither back in 1963 it's a salient reminder to Planetshakers' youthful throng that old songs as well as new ones can draw us closer to God.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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