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Album Review – The Porter’s Gate: “Advent Songs”

The Context

The Porter’s Gate collective of songwriters is frequently mentioned by the Sing! Blog team, for reasons made evident in work like their recent release, Advent Songs. Just as the Sing! team seeks to be ecumenical and diverse, The Porter’s Gate team cherishes and cultivates a diverse songwriting cohort for each record released. Although Advent Songs is recorded by various artists/songwriters, the production led by Isaac Wardell brings a cohesive, reflective mood to the anticipation of Jesus’ birth and imminent return. Just as in previous Porter’s Gate releases, this album contains songs that are simple in their arrangement yet beautifully performed by artists such as Paul Zach, Liz Vice, Page CXVI, and Lauren Plank Goans.

 

The Content

Overall, this album may be more reflective than participative among the other Porter’s Gate releases (as a side note, consider “Drive Out the Darkness” and “How Long?” from Lament Songs in your Advent planning, too). Piano and acoustic guitar continue to be the foundational instruments for songs, with very clear and strong melodies leading each song, but this album has an intimacy unique to the themes of Advent. For example, you may not be able to find many Advent albums with a lullaby from the perspective of Mary (mesmerizingly performed by Liz Vice).

Musically, this album has a deceptive simplicity. There are many layers (strings, pads, ambience, reverb) that provide part of the mood, and these elements aren’t always reproducible in local church contexts. The oboe that weaves in and out of a couple songs is also an instrument one may be hard-pressed to find in a local church. That said, the available score/charts for these songs illustrate the strength of the melodies and lyrics that may be arranged for smaller contexts.

Lyrically, all of the typical Advent themes are woven into these songs, with a slight edge to Love over Hope, Peace, and Joy. Biblical language shapes every phrase, drawn liberally from both Old Testament prophecy and psalter as well as gospel accounts from the New Testament. I highly recommend reading the lyrics/charts while listening to receive the full weighty effect. The various lyricists of The Porter’s Gate have crafted memorable, poetic hymns.

Notable songs for congregational use include “Make a Way” with its gospel/blues groove, the rearranged hymn “In a Land by Death O’ershadowed,” and the new hymn “The Reign of Mercy.”

Notable songs for reflection include the aforementioned “Mary’s Lullaby,” and the minor-key invocation “Isaiah (O Come).” Both of those songs left a lingering, somber mood in their wake.

The Conclusion

This album is a welcome addition to any Christmas/Advent playlist. If you have a reflective or intimate Advent gathering in your liturgical calendar, many of these songs may be very appropriate. In some ways, this album stands in contrast to the bright, flashy, commercial fare readily available on the radio by subtly, softly declaring a different way of being brought about by the birth of Jesus, our Messiah. This Advent record rightly remembers the incarnation and looks forward to the soon-coming return, concerned with a deeper joy and contentment than mere holiday cheer.

 

To listen to the album, go to: Apple Music Album Link

 

Review provided by David Calvert, who is the Creative Arts Director for Grace Community Church in rural North Carolina and a PhD graduate in Theology and Worship from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

 

The Context

Within the first 30 seconds of this album, my attention was completely arrested. Although the first track is a simple, brief chorus, I heard a voice I have never heard represented in a recording of songs for congregations to sing—it was deeply moving. The voice I heard was Sloan Meek’s, whose name is the source of the band’s moniker. The Meek Squad consists of Sloan, Suvya Carroll, and Lee Anderson; three friends who love to sing together. They all live in the North Street neighborhood of Durham, NC, part of a community supported by Reality Ministries, whose mission is to “create opportunities for adults with and without developmental disabilities to experience belonging, kinship, and the life-changing reality of Christ’s love.” Sloan Meek and Suvya Carroll both have cerebral palsy. Sloan also has spastic quadriplegia and cortical blindness—but none of that hinders the joy in Sloan’s voice as he sings, which is what captivated me. This album was begun in 2019 and released in March of 2020.

 

The Content

The songs on this album are built around Lee Anderson’s acoustic guitar and folksy tenor voice, with other instruments (bass guitar, pads, organ, electric guitar, percussion instruments) layered in for subtle dynamics. Musically, these songs would be relatively easy for congregations of any size to adapt to their context. Carroll and Meek and a chorus of other voices pervade the songs, making it clear that this album is intended to be sung and has emerged from a context where these songs are often used. Melodies are clear and repeated often enough that songs could be learned quickly.

Lyrically, the songs draw liberally from the Gospels and the Psalms, accomplishing exactly what the album’s subtitle indicates—songs that are sung prayers and songs that remind of the peace we have with God through the promises God has made. Just as the melodies are clear and easy to follow, the lyrics are clear and easy to follow as they are repeated often in the chorus-style of the songs. Several songs contain only 4 lines of text, but none of the songs felt ‘repetitive’ as dynamics and added voices help each repeat stay engaging.

Notable songs include: “I Am For You” (the title track), “Teach Us How to Pray” (a chorus that could lead directly into corporate recitation of the Lord’s Prayer), and “Trust in You” (a song that simultaneously is prayer and a source of peace).

 

The Conclusion

If your congregation includes any folks with cerebral palsy or other significant disabilities, I cannot overstate how meaningful this album may be. If your congregation does NOT include any folks with disabilities, I would still encourage you to listen and be reminded that God is pleased by the diverse voices of every one of God’s children. May every church be an encouraging space for the voices of the disabled, and may this album be a resource to stir music leaders to include leaders and voices of all types, who demonstrate hearts of worship.

 

To listen to the album, go to: Apple Music Album Link

 

Review provided by David Calvert, who is the Creative Arts Director for Grace Community Church in rural North Carolina and a PhD graduate in Theology and Worship from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

 

The Context

Rachel Wilhelm is no stranger to writing songs of lament – her first full-length album from 2017 is Songs of Lament, and she produced and contributed to 2020’s Daughter Zion’s Woe. Requiem, released in March 2021, follows a similar trajectory. She is a Minister of Music and Worship Arts and singer/songwriter based in Knoxville, TN. Wilhelm has also poured her time and energy into equipping songwriters and worship artists through United Adoration, a project of the ACNA. Requiem was written during the quarantine of 2020 for the purpose of helping families grieve when funeral and memorial services and other gatherings were unavailable. Not only to mourn loved ones, it is also an album to grieve the loss of a whole year of life as usual.

 

The Content

From the perspective of congregational singing, this album alternates between songs suited for reflection and songs suited for congregational participation. Wilhelm’s previous songwriting fit a more folk/americana style, but Requiem beautifully utilizes strings, piano/keys, and layered harmonies to create a very different musical backdrop for her raw and plaintive vocals. The songs follow a liturgical structure, with versions of the Kyrie, Offertory, Sanctus, etc., including a string postlude that draws melodic themes together.

Musically, this album creatively engages with melodic themes and minor keys in ways that serve the songs and develop the appropriate moods of grief and lament. On songs that are congregational, Wilhelm includes choral accompaniment in ways that invite the listener to sing along. On the songs that are more reflective, Wilhelm elaborates on the melodies in simple yet interesting ways, and sometimes the string arrangements take the center stage.

Lyrically, Wilhelm uses Scripture and passages from the Book of Common Prayer in ways that are engaging and refreshing. All of the songs are clear, even when dipping into biblical language, and phrasing on congregational songs is very singable.

Songs that are most appropriate for congregations include: “Lord Have Mercy,” “Lamb of God,” and “Holy.” Each of these songs has a chorus or anthem that rang in my ears long after the song ended, and these are the songs I plan to adapt for my local church.

The Conclusion

Requiem accomplishes its goal of being a resource for grief and lament. In addition to its original intent for grief during COVID, this album provides rich, textured songs for reflection and response for the season of Lent or for Holy Week. With careful re-arrangement, churches of any size or musical capability could recreate some of these songs for corporate use. Otherwise, this album evokes a wonderful mood of lament, contemplation, and longing for the risen Christ and the resurrection of the dead—an important resource for worship leaders and worship planners/liturgists working with limited capacities in response to COVID-19 or during the Lenten season.

 

To listen to the album, go to: Apple Music Album Link

 

Review provided by David Calvert, who is the Creative Arts Director for Grace Community Church in rural North Carolina and a PhD graduate in Theology and Worship from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

 

The Context

Resound Worship is a collective of British worship leaders founded in 2006. Those familiar with the development in contemporary praise and worship may remember the late 90s influence of British worship leaders like Deliriou5, Matt Redman, and Tim Hughes. Resound Worship emerges from a different root than those folks, finding its foundation in Jubilate Hymns which began in the 1960s. Resound is the arm of Jubilate that supports the local church songwriter through providing training and publishing songs that are “true, real, accessible, and finished.” Of particular note is that final core value: Resound publishes songs that have been allowed “time to grow” and have been through “trial, critique, and revision.” This may be a not-so-subtle critique of many of the songs published for congregational singing that are musically and lyrically mediocre. In addition to producing this album, Resound Worship also produces a podcast that reflects on current and past congregational songs and issues related to congregational singing.

 

The Content

Musically, this album is built around the currently typical “praise band” arrangement of acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, bass, drums, and some pads to fill in the other spaces. Most songs tend to be led from guitar, but a couple standout tracks that draw from more diverse musical influences (gospel, jazz) are piano-driven. The production of this live recording is top-notch, with a strong focus on the melody vocal but a robust mix of the band underneath. Vocals are not flashy and thus melodies are easy to follow, and the subtle presence of the congregation’s voice in the mix is an invitation for the listener’s participation. Lyrically, the songs are overtly biblical and implicitly shaped by the language of the Book of Common Prayer, with its doctrinal and liturgical poetry providing a model for the lyrical shape.

Notable songs include “Lord You Hear the Cry (Lord Have Mercy),” “What Kind of King (This is Jesus)” and “O Faithful Lord.” “Lord You Hear” feels shaped by the prayers that pervade the Anglican context of worship but with an added intimacy in lyrics that reflect current sufferings. The latter two are both songs penned to meter that evokes the traditions of English hymnody, with memorable melodies and anthemic refrains.

The Conclusion

Although there may be other British worship leaders who get attention from popular “worship” media, the team at Resound Worship should not be overlooked. The songs from Let Praise Resound are lyrically robust and musically resonant with current popular forms without feeling like just more of the same. This album would be a helpful resource for a church who desires to sing songs with biblically-articulated Christology, or for churches who desire to have newly-written songs with pop sensibilities that aren’t beholden to the mainstream “contemporary worship” market here in the States. This album is contemporary praise and worship with more texture and nuance than standard fare.

 

To listen to the album, go to: Apple Music Album Link

 

Review provided by David Calvert, who is the Creative Arts Director for Grace Community Church in rural North Carolina and a PhD graduate in Theology and Worship from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

The Context

The Many is a Chicago-based indie/folk gospel band with a desire to equip people to sing praise and lament to God. They self-describe their music as “feet-on-the-ground, heart-in-hands, scars-revealed, wild and holy, liturgically-seasoned music of resistance, reconciliation and restoration.” The Many finds its home among The Plural Guild, a collective who craft and curate music, poems, prayer, visual art, liturgy and experiences for worship. Gary and Lenora Rand, founders of The Plural Guild and producer/lyricist for The Many are connected to progressive and ecumenical movements such as the Wild Goose Festival. This particular album, “Love > Fear” represents their goal of singing songs that confess fear, give space for lament, and look for hope.

 

The Content

Musically, this album is clearly built on the power of the lead vocalists and their respective strengths (Darren Calhoun, Leslie Michele, and Hannah Rand). Their harmonies are rich and plentiful on the tracks, providing a supple bed of voices for the listener to rest in. In the title track, “Love > Fear,” the three distinct yet blending vocals are a vivid illustration of reconciled musical/vocal styles. These vocal arrangements are generally easy to hear and follow, and thankfully the charts are available via Convergence Music Project (but unfortunately not on SongSelect). With the lead sheet, a congregation or gathering of folks could reproduce many of these songs. As opposed to much of the popular/indie music being written for congregations currently, this album is largely built on piano (and a nice assortment of Rhodes and/or other electric piano tones). The songs are not the “arena rock” of Hillsong but rather fit in a room that can support a piano, a bass guitar, and drums. Occasionally a cello, violin, or strings pad support the arrangements as well. Lyrically, this album is theologically and culturally aware of the struggles of the oppressed and the “other.” Notable songs include the Advent track “Waiting for You” and the song of response to the Lord’s Table, “The Broken Body of Christ.” The aforementioned title track and the concluding track, “Beyond Belief” are gospel-influenced songs with powerful dynamics to support the important lyrical anthem of God’s sure, strong love for us. Songs like “Tear Down the Walls” and “Remember When” point to The Many’s interest in crafting songs that purposefully include the excluded, and this multi-ethnic band has demonstrated their goal of pursuing justice and mercy in song.

The Conclusion

Churches who desire to have more songs that give voice to lament and questions will find many possible resources on this album. The production of the album puts the strong lead vocals front and center and the harmonies are intended to draw the listener into singing along. Though a congregation may need to simplify some of the melodies and may not have musicians capable of some of the more gospel-influenced songs, the strong melodies and valuable lyrical perspective set this album apart.

 

To listen to the album, go to: Apple Music Album Link

 

Review provided by David Calvert, who is the Creative Arts Director for Grace Community Church in rural North Carolina and a PhD graduate in Theology and Worship from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

The Context

Singer/Songwriter Paul Zach has released 1 EP in 2018 and has contributed to several of the albums already reviewed here on the blog, including The Porter’s Gate albums. Accordingly, he is no stranger to crafting songs for congregational singing. His newest release, Hymns, is simply that—fresh arrangements of time-tested melodies and lyrics. Zach has also cultivated the art of cowriting, as evidenced in the aforementioned Porter’s Gate albums, and Hymns includes many featured guest vocalists with whom Zach has written in the past. Familiar guests include Liz Vice, Leslie Jordan, and Page CXVI, with Taylor Leonhardt and The Sing Team rounding out the list.

 

The Content

Appropriate for the COVID season, this album sounds like it was recorded in an aged, empty church with wooden pews, with a few friends spaced out in the room playing and singing these hymns together. Rather than feeling empty or isolated, however, these songs immediately draw the listener into the intimacy of the recording, and even on my first listen I was drawn to sing along with the comforting melodies of the chosen hymns. Musically, Zach leans on acoustic instruments as the foundation for each song: acoustic guitar, piano, organ, and upright bass. This folk/americana style lends itself well to each hymn, and Zach harmonizes beautifully with each of his various guests. Although some of the starting keys that fit Zach’s tenor/baritone voice may be a bit high for general congregational use, these arrangements could easily be re-keyed without losing their intimacy and dynamics. Lyrically, Zach makes no changes to the original hymn texts and chooses not to add any new choruses or refrains to the arrangements. Rather, he uses verses of the hymns that often are omitted when such new elements are added to hymnody. The hymn choices span several generations, including the African-American spiritual “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me.” Other notable songs include: “Take My Life and Let it Be” (with its ebb and flow and soothing harmony), “Come Thou Fount” (including the swelling organ in the final verses), and “No Not One” (with its blues vibe and catchy bassline).

 

The Conclusion

This hymns album is a precious listening experience, and may remind some music directors and worship leaders of “old” songs that need a re-introduction in local churches. As Paul Zach makes clear, these songs have endured in part because it doesn’t take a full production team to sing them—an acoustic guitar and an earnest heart (and some talented friends to help) are all it takes to capture a fresh yet familiar take on rich and important hymns. This album comes highly recommended for those who need to rest in gospel truth or be reminded of songs that may be important to re-introduce during the reset that COVID quarantine has provided the local (and global) singing church.

 

To listen to the album, go to: Spotify Album – Hymns by Paul Zach

 

Review provided by David Calvert, who is the Creative Arts Director for Grace Community Church in rural North Carolina and a PhD graduate in Theology and Worship from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Note – this is the first time the Album Review blog has reviewed a “single” release. As music releases continue to shift from albums to singles and EPs, more reviews of shorter formats may follow.

 

 

The Context

“Never Shakes Never Will” is the first single by The Wood Drake Sessions, an artist collaboration born out of the creative potential that COVID quarantine provided in 2020 (and continuing). Paul Ranheim and Kirk Sauers, separated by several states even without social distancing, paired their songwriting to help the church sing hope into this season with the first of many songs to come. Their artist name is developed from Wendell Berry’s poem, “The Peace of Wild Things,” in which peace is found where the wood drake rests.

 

The Content

The lyrics of ‘Never Shakes Never Will’ are a rootsy blend of several Psalms (46, 121, and 125 specifically) and a colloquial tone which makes it immediately graspable by a congregation of any age. When seeking to lament and praise in the same breath, the Psalms are certainly the best resource. Musically, the song fuses elements of folk rock, gospel, blues, and americana. To their credit, the song sounds like a live take with a band all in the same room; the realities of COVID, however, mean that they tracked in separate locations at separate times and yet captured a consistent energy. Notably, Latifah Alattas of Page CXVI provided BGVs. The melody is clear and pitched well for a congregation, and even though there is a key change and some blues/gospel textures that would require skilled musicians, the song is reproduceable in many congregations.

 

The Conclusion

The blend of musical styles in this song are a key strength – with slight tweaks, this song could be sung in a variety of contexts and congregations. Alternatively, one could play up the gospel, blues, or folk strengths of the song and help it fit one of those respective contexts. The Wood Drake Sessions demonstrate that they aim to fulfill their vision of providing songs of hope amidst the frustrations and depression of COVID.

The single is currently available on all streaming outlets, or through their website: thewooddrakesessions.com

 

Review provided by David Calvert, who is the Creative Arts Director for Grace Community Church in rural North Carolina and a PhD graduate in Theology and Worship from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

 

The Context

Theologian and composer/songwriter Tony Alonso has released 23 albums to date, and Caminemos con Jesús is the latest release in this long line of resources for the church. In 2015, Alonso was invited to compose the responsorial psalm for the first Mass Pope Francis celebrated in the United States—a fitting recognition of his work. Notably, this album has been nominated for a 2020 Latin Grammy, and after just the first few bars you will know you’re in for a treat. Alonso, a Cuban-American Roman Catholic, has crafted a joyful, somber, lyrically- and musically-rich album of songs helping Christians walk with Jesus.

 

The Content

Lyrically, the catechetical potential of Cuban music is fully realized here as most of the songs include call-and-response. This method of teaching the lyrics and the melody makes it easy for the listener to sing along, as each part is introduced and then repeated. Alonso also alternates between Spanish and English in several songs, helping to connect worshipers in either linguistic context. The English is sometimes a translation of the Spanish, other times a complementary section of call or response. As a novice Spanish-speaker, it was meaningful to me that the Spanish was sung clearly enough and phrased such that I did not have any difficulty understanding the lyrics. Most of the songs could function well in either a Protestant or Catholic liturgical context, with the exceptions of Gloria Estefan’s “Caridad” (a song to the patroness of Cuba) and “Letanía de la Madre de las Américas” (a song to enrich Marian feasts).

Musically, Alonso has brought together a top-notch group of Cuban-American musicians. Although this may seem daunting to a smaller church or a church with volunteers of lesser capabilities, the strength of these songs is still found in the core of the melodies. Simplified arrangements of these songs could be crafted around the melodies without sacrificing much of the energy. The harmonies are textured tastefully to curate the call-and-response experience, with room for the listener to sing along and feel part of the song.

Grammy winner Juan Delgado produced the album with exceptional skill. Each of the various instruments has its own space in the mix and the songs never feel crowded. Frankly, it’s a very enjoyable listening experience for any music lover. Notable songs include the title track “Caminemos con Jesús” and the first track based on Psalm 122, “Qué Alegría Cuando Me Dijeron.”

The Conclusion

If you have any Spanish speakers in your congregation, or Spanish speakers in your church’s area of influence, this album is a tremendous resource. The joy that permeates Cuban music is tangible on this album, and these songs could be simplified for churches who lack the musicians to pull off the percussion or flute parts while maintaining their melody and energy. The global church is edified by albums like this that are simultaneously specific in their expression and broad in their potential reach. May this album, and many like it, continue to knit together Spanish- and English-speaking congregations and neighborhoods.

 

Click here to watch a short documentary about the making of the album

To buy the album, go to: https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/caminemos-con-jesus-cd1064

 

Review provided by David Calvert, who is the Creative Arts Director for Grace Community Church in rural North Carolina and a PhD graduate in Theology and Worship from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

THE CONTEXT

Daughter Zion’s Woe is a joint release by Cardiphonia and The Liturgy Fellowship, with Rachel Wilhelm as producer. There are several remarkable albums of lament that have been released during this remarkable year of sorrow and suffering (see previous review from David Bjorlin and Adam Perez), but this album stands apart as a collection of songs written, arranged, and performed by women. The story behind this album is a beautiful illustration of the body of Christ working together to give these songs a voice – many men and women in positions of influence or with access to studio equipment donated time and resources to empower the voices of the women gathered here.

 

THE CONTENT

Thirteen various female artists wrote and/or performed the songs on this album. Among them are Advent Birmingham and Urban Doxology —no strangers to this album review blog, and frequent collaborators with Cardiphonia. The contributing artists are from various ethnic backgrounds, which appropriately expands the scope of lament to reflect voices from around the world.

Because all 13 tracks are attributed to different writers/teams, it is difficult to briefly summarize the content. There are some strong lyrical and musical themes that are consistent across the songs, however. Lyrically, this album contextualizes biblical lament in our contemporary experience with the particular power that only women’s voices can produce. Many of the songs draw from the Psalms explicitly, and all of the songs echo the plaintive cry of the psalms of lament. For a church seeking to enrich their canon of congregational songs with lament, this album creatively combines biblical and contemporary contextual language. There is an undercurrent of fervent hope that carries these songs along and lyrically connects them despite their various genres of music.

Musically, instrumentation ranges from folk to spiritual to pop, all in minor keys, with strings playing an important sonic role on many songs. Although the songs may include more instruments than a local church may have available, the melodies are strong and clear. Songs are also pitched very well for congregational participation. Voices are layered in rich harmonies as appropriate, and songs with swelling dynamics are balanced with songs that use sparing instrumental support.

Notable songs for congregational singing include Shelly Moore’s reimagining of “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms,” which keeps the chorus as remembered while adding a triplet feel to refresh the verses, and “The Glory Shall be Thine,” with its shape-note sensibility and hymn meter that invite the listener to sing.

THE CONCLUSION

This album is released at a time when it is necessary to equip the Church to express biblical lament. Although some of these songs may be more intricate than what a smaller church could accomplish, a church may be served by simply reflecting on the song as a soloist gives voice on behalf of the congregation. Every song on this album draws from the Scripture and enables the listener/singer to participate in lament, even if they are not personally experiencing the sufferings of their neighbor. Accordingly, one of this album’s strengths is as an aid to personal worship and private lament, even as it connects us to one another.

 

The album is currently available only via Bandcamp: https://cardiphonia.bandcamp.com/album/daughter-zions-woe

 

Review provided by David Calvert, who is the Creative Arts Director for Grace Community Church in rural North Carolina and a PhD graduate in Theology and Worship from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

 

The Context

Matt Boswell and Matt Papa have been cowriting hymns for over a decade, and this album represents the fruit of their co-labor. Boswell is a lead pastor at a church in Texas while Papa serves as artist-in-residence at a Nashville church. Papa has described their regular practice of connecting using video chat or phone call every Wednesday over the years, sharing the melodies, tunes, and lyrics that they were working on independently. Some of these hymns were birthed in just a session or two while others gestated for years in various forms before the writers would agree that they were finished. Boswell and Papa are part of the network of hymnwriters that Keith Getty (host of the annual Sing! Conference in Nashville) has gathered over the years, providing new hymnody for evangelical churches.

 

The Content

Musically, these hymns are built upon piano and acoustic guitar and are thus replicable in many local church contexts. Adorning the basic acoustic instruments are the typical ‘praise band’ arrangement of electric guitar, bass, and drums. There is occasional use of a pad or synth wash, but the focus of these songs is on the melody and lyric. Many of the hymns are also metrical, connecting them to hymn tradition in a meaningful way. Songs are pitched well, with a group vocal (congregation) in the background of the recordings illustrating how these songs might sound in the local church. These songs do not contain the necessary octave jumps or melodic inconsistencies of other, more popular, albums marketed in the “

Lyrically, these songs are robust theological reflections on the person and work of Jesus Christ. Some hymns chart the life, death, resurrection, and soon return of Christ, especially “Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery” which features Kristyn Getty as a guest vocalist. There are two songs that are properly Advent hymns, focusing on the birth of Jesus and the implications of His incarnation. Even with the focus on theological language, the songs are singable and resonant with issues that Christians endure.

Notable songs include “Lord, From Sorrows Deep I Call” which is based on Psalm 42 and captures the struggle of doubt and faith in the midst of suffering; “Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor” which draws deeply on the nautical metaphor for the assurance of Christ’s faithfulness; and “Come Adore the Humble King” which closes the album and would be a solid addition to any church’s Advent hymnody.

 

The Conclusion

For churches led by acoustic guitar or keyboard/piano, these songs are a valuable addition to available hymnody. Most songs are already pitched well for congregational singing, and the strong melodies and theologically-rich lyrics will make the songs attractive to folks of many generations. Though the hymnwriters are firmly within the evangelical sub-culture, many of these hymns could (and arguably should) be used by Christians of any denominational background for the joy of their congregations.

 

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST

ITUNES

 

Review provided by David Calvert, who is the Creative Arts Director for Grace Community Church in rural North Carolina and a PhD graduate in Theology and Worship from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

 

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