Reviews

MUSIC

Mixed bag of favourites

Top 25 UK Praise Songs, Maranatha! (Authentic Media), 2 CD Set £13.99
The 500 Series – Volume One, Kingsway Music, 3 CD Set, £16.99
BBC Songs Of Praise – Your Favourite Hymns and Music, BBCMusic/Alliance Music,
CD £13.99

Although they’re not wholly representative, CCLI Copyright Licence returns provide some measure of the current popularity of worship songs. Maranatha! Music used these statistics to compile a Top 25 album – recruiting several renowned British singers and worship leaders, and encouraging them to interpret these songs in their own individual ways.

Interesting results – assorted contemporary Gospel flavours from Tracey Riggan (Knowing You and Give Thanks), and Carla Hayes (The Servant King and Only By Grace), exquisite work on ballads Shout To The Lord, Be Still and There Is A Redeemer by Louise Fellingham, an Elvis-meets-World music delivery of Majesty courtesy of Dave Bilbrough, and Paul Oakley’s punk influences emerge as he tackles Jesus Is The Name We Honour.

My alternative hypothesis is that the producers played their version of the 'song styles' round from TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, devising some unlikely but appealing combinations – As The Deer (Britpop – Paul Oakley again), and the almost outrageous Shaggy-like Shine, Jesus Shine, featuring The Watchman.

Kingsway used these same CCLI statistics for their 50-song, 3CD collection The 500 Series – Volume One, so the top half of its track listing is identical. Further down the Top 50 are the likes of Be Bold, All Hail The Lamb and Thank You For Saving Me, the most highly-ranked worship song from Martin Smith at number 40.

Produced by Christopher Norton and a UK/US studio team, who have previously collaborated on a string of albums linked to The Source and other associated songbooks, The 500 Series arrangements have a disappointingly nondescript, middle-of-the-road feel.

Heavily reliant on programmed keyboard accompaniments, there’s very little to hold a listener’s attention. With a further nine volumes planned (and less popular songs at that), they would do well to emulate Maranatha’s more adventurous stylings.

BBC Television’s Songs Of Praise serves a different demographic constituency, and that’s reflected in the content and style of Your Favourite Hymns And Music. Recorded at the Royal Albert Hall at a lavish 40th birthday celebration, rousing congregational hymns are much in evidence – All People That On Earth Dwell, Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah and Lord For The Years.

Amongst the choral pieces are The Hallelujah Chorus and The Day Thou Gavest, plus solos from Jonathan Veira (Amazing Grace) and Daniel O’Donnell (Make Me A Channel), finishing reflectively with Rest In Peace (And Rise And Glory) from Peter Skellern and Libera. A cherished broadcasting institution at its best.

Gospel challenge

TBTB…The Beat Goes On, by The Tribe. Alliance Music (CD) £4.99

It looks like an ordinary audio CD package, but the latest "Introduction to Christianity" from The Tribe is much more than that.

First, there’s the CD – 14 daily chunks of clear and concise Christian teaching, delivered by The Tribe’s current line-up, each framed with a track segment from Take Back The Beat or Frantik. Easily-digested – four or five minutes per day of music, talk and prayer, with topics including God’s love (God Squad) and “Who is Jesus?” (Truth), going through to the Bible (Eat The Word), prayer (Got To Be With You), worshipping together (Jumping In The House Of God) and "telling your mates" (Shout It Out).

Over the fortnight they tackle most issues that you’d encounter in Alpha or similar courses, though obviously not in such detail. But dare I suggest that this approach might engage better with teenagers?

Running to 48 pages, the sleeve booklet complements the CD – Part One is a challenge to commitment (plus a suitable prayer), penned by Tribe founder Andy Hawthorne. Part Two is a clearly laid-out copy of Mark’s Gospel (New International Reader’s Version), just right as a way into the Bible for any new believer or serious enquirer.

Christian basics for the Discman generation.

Peter Dilley is a bass guitarist and co-ordinator/mentor for a support scheme for young people with learning disabilities with the charity InterAct

© Christian Family Network
is run by CPO, supported by
Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting,
Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.


		MUSIC Mixed bag of favourites Top 25 UK Praise Songs, Maranatha! (Authentic Media), 2 CD Set £13.99 The 500 Series – Volume One, Kingsway Music, 3 CD Set, £16.99 BBC Songs Of Praise – Your Favourite Hymns and Music, BBCMusic/Alliance Music, CD £13.99 Although they’re not wholly representative, CCLI Copyright Licence returns provide some measure of the current popularity of worship songs. Maranatha! Music used these statistics to compile a Top 25 album – recruiting several renowned British singers and worship leaders, and encouraging them to interpret these songs in their own individual ways. Interesting results – assorted contemporary Gospel flavours from Tracey Riggan (Knowing You and Give Thanks), and Carla Hayes (The Servant King and Only By Grace), exquisite work on ballads Shout To The Lord, Be Still and There Is A Redeemer by Louise Fellingham, an Elvis-meets-World music delivery of Majesty courtesy of Dave Bilbrough, and Paul Oakley’s punk influences emerge as he tackles Jesus Is The Name We Honour. My alternative hypothesis is that the producers played their version of the 'song styles' round from TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, devising some unlikely but appealing combinations – As The Deer (Britpop – Paul Oakley again), and the almost outrageous Shaggy-like Shine, Jesus Shine, featuring The Watchman. Kingsway used these same CCLI statistics for their 50-song, 3CD collection The 500 Series – Volume One, so the top half of its track listing is identical. Further down the Top 50 are the likes of Be Bold, All Hail The Lamb and Thank You For Saving Me, the most highly-ranked worship song from Martin Smith at number 40. Produced by Christopher Norton and a UK/US studio team, who have previously collaborated on a string of albums linked to The Source and other associated songbooks, The 500 Series arrangements have a disappointingly nondescript, middle-of-the-road feel. Heavily reliant on programmed keyboard accompaniments, there’s very little to hold a listener’s attention. With a further nine volumes planned (and less popular songs at that), they would do well to emulate Maranatha’s more adventurous stylings. BBC Television’s Songs Of Praise serves a different demographic constituency, and that’s reflected in the content and style of Your Favourite Hymns And Music. Recorded at the Royal Albert Hall at a lavish 40th birthday celebration, rousing congregational hymns are much in evidence – All People That On Earth Dwell, Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah and Lord For The Years. Amongst the choral pieces are The Hallelujah Chorus and The Day Thou Gavest, plus solos from Jonathan Veira (Amazing Grace) and Daniel O’Donnell (Make Me A Channel), finishing reflectively with Rest In Peace (And Rise And Glory) from Peter Skellern and Libera. A cherished broadcasting institution at its best. Gospel challenge TBTB…The Beat Goes On, by The Tribe. Alliance Music (CD) £4.99 It looks like an ordinary audio CD package, but the latest "Introduction to Christianity" from The Tribe is much more than that. First, there’s the CD – 14 daily chunks of clear and concise Christian teaching, delivered by The Tribe’s current line-up, each framed with a track segment from Take Back The Beat or Frantik. Easily-digested – four or five minutes per day of music, talk and prayer, with topics including God’s love (God Squad) and “Who is Jesus?” (Truth), going through to the Bible (Eat The Word), prayer (Got To Be With You), worshipping together (Jumping In The House Of God) and "telling your mates" (Shout It Out). Over the fortnight they tackle most issues that you’d encounter in Alpha or similar courses, though obviously not in such detail. But dare I suggest that this approach might engage better with teenagers? Running to 48 pages, the sleeve booklet complements the CD – Part One is a challenge to commitment (plus a suitable prayer), penned by Tribe founder Andy Hawthorne. Part Two is a clearly laid-out copy of Mark’s Gospel (New International Reader’s Version), just right as a way into the Bible for any new believer or serious enquirer. Christian basics for the Discman generation. Peter Dilley is a bass guitarist and co-ordinator/mentor for a support scheme for young people with learning disabilities with the charity InterAct © Christian Family Network is run by CPO, supported by Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting, Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.