Think the film "Men Who Stare at Goats" with stars George Clooney, Ewan McGregor and Kevin Spacey then Awakening - the new live worship album from the hugely popular U.S. movement Passion, is the Christian music equivalent. With heavyweights such as Chris Tomlin, Kristy Nockels, and the ever-present Hillsong United, chances are that Awakening will ride into the favourite collections of many based solely on the all-star line up. To those who take a more critical view of their music, however, it may fall short of expectations: there’s your usual blend of worship anthems and energetic praise, but anyone hoping for musical virtuosity will be disappointed. Having said that, the amalgamation works well and it’s pleasing to see so many artists get up to praise God.
Chris Tomlin kicks us off with the title track, a soaring worship ballad that begins with a punctuating piano riff and builds up to a high-intensity chorus. Slightly orchestral in its approach, it combines a heartfelt plea for God’s revelation with a power ballad leaning; it’s arguably one of the better tracks on the album. Tomlin weighs in with another three tracks, illustrating his weighty presence in the CCM industry; it’s the simplicity and infectiousness of his melodies that have worshippers all over the world praising with his tunes. “Chosen Generation” is a considerably more upbeat rocker, reminiscent of “Let God Arise”; an anthem of a society chosen by God, its fist-pumping call-and-response bridge is perfect for raising the atmosphere of the gathering. Similarly, “Our God” ups the intensity through its prolonged build-up, proclaiming God’s supremacy over the whole Earth. Tomlin’s tunes seem to be the most user-friendly of the lot, inviting the crowd to join in and possessing an uncomplicated set of lyrics that are easy to commit to memory after the first viewing.
The other sections of the album are primarily dominated by mid-tempo anthems interspersed with high-octane tracks, David Crowder and his band of merry men making a welcome appearance through “How He Loves” and “Like A Lion”; the former, in particular, deviates from the typical experimentation David Crowder Band is acclaimed for, choosing an arrangement that caters to a crowd performance more than auditory pleasure. Nevertheless, the emotion is palpable in Crowder’s voice as he proclaims God’s unfailing, infinite love for humanity; the final bridge/chorus can hold up its hand as a genuine contender for worship moment of the album, as it projects an image of hands raised in total surrender to God as the band drives the intensity to a higher plateau.
Kristian Stanfill’s “Say, Say” is a fun, jumpy praise track, with crunchy guitars and a driving rhythm section not necessarily complex but a combination that works to produce a base upon which the pumped up crowd can loudly declare their allegiance to Jesus. It’s surprising that Stanfill isn’t up there with the Chris Tomlins and Joel Houstons of CCM, given the rich timbre and assured confidence of his voice; he renders a song more inviting for the crowd. “Rise and Sing” follows a similar tangent, a constant bass drum beat encouraging the crowd to “put your hands together tonight”; slightly perplexing, though, is the band’s switch to half-time choruses when the song clearly works better in full time. Overall, though, it works and allows people to praise God fully.
Charlie Hall fails to convince, though, on “King of Heaven (Isaiah 61)”; it’s a song that’s neither heartfelt ballad nor exciting praise track, and is sung in an especially uncomfortable key for both men and women. Such mediocrity is thankfully not the norm on Awakening, though, and Hillsong United’s “With Everything” is a fine rendition of utter desperation to worship God. The band’s refinement and technical excellence can clearly be seen through the confidence with which they manoeuvre the song, and it is, at 8:38, the epic anthem of the album. Awakening brings together artists for the sole purpose of glorifying God through music, and it’s safe to say that the majority of the tracks accomplish that with gusto. If you desire something in CCM other than the Australian Hillsong-Planetshakers duopoly, Awakening is a fine choice that will most probably aid you in your time of personal worship.
Rating: 4/5
Review by Josh Y
Standout tracks:
- “With Everything” (Hillsong United) – The musicianship is top-notch as we’ve come to expect from the Sydneysiders, but the sense of worship can be felt in the crowd’s wordless cries of praise and desperation to God, giving all of themselves in honour of the King.
- “Our God” (Chris Tomlin) – The first single off Awakening doesn’t disappoint; Tomlin effortlessly joins energy and worshipful intensity to proclaim God’s greatness over the Earth. A must-have.