STYLE: Rock RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 146915-21451 LABEL: Independent FORMAT: Digital Only EP
Reviewed by Stella Redburn
Although the Texas-based worship team have been going for well over 10 years, this foray into the Psalms is a new venture, hopefully to be followed by further volumes. Robbie quotes Old Testament theologian Gordon Wenham as saying, "Singing or praying the Psalms is a performative act. Saying them to God alters one's relationship in a way that merely listening does not." That's the EP's rationale and I like it! Robbie has an attractive rock voice and in the opening track "Psalm 96" the four-piece band produces the full, multi-layered sound with the insistent, heart-beat type rhythm first pioneered by U2. Fairly slow but it expands into the sheer joyfulness of these inspirational lyrics ("let the heavens rejoice") with some very effective gear changes. I particularly enjoyed the vocal harmony here. "Psalm 62" ("For God alone, oh my soul, wait") is uplifting, true worship that turns the listener to God with a nice use of silence while towards the end, they take the lyric "God is a refuge" and run with it to powerful effect. Another standout is "Psalm 91" which showcases Robbie's ethereal falsetto. "Psalm 42" features Aimee Norris on cello while "Psalm 63" features the sweet vocals of Lindsey Kidd ("Oh God, you are my God").
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