Be Lifted High

Bethel Music is proud to present their latest live album Be Lifted High – a sonically and lyrically refreshing work where God is exalted and His love is on display. This album was created with excellence in mind and combines anointed worship and quality production to create a truly epic album. Be Lifted High sets the stage for God to move through these original songs and moments of prophetic worship where you’ll find your passion rises and hunger for the Lord is stirred. This album features Bethel Music artists: Brian and Jenn Johnson, Jeremy Riddle, William Matthews, Amanda Falk, and Steffany Frizzell. Jeremy Riddle is the writer and singer of the amazing worship song “Sweetly Broken,” a Vineyard Worship song and one of the great songs on Jeremy’s solo debut album on Varietal Records Full Attention, which was one of my top albums of 2007. He has an earnest, sincere songwriting and singing style that will immediately remind you of Bono from U2, Chris Martin from Coldplay, and also worship leader Matt Redman and Martin Smith from Delirious?. Since I love those artists and alternative rock style praise and worship, I’m predisposed to like Jeremy Riddle and Bethel Live.

Be Lifted High begins with a new worship classic “You Are Good,” and the energy and enthusiasm of the crowd is infectious. I knew when I started singing and clapping along with the live recording that I was in for a real treat. The next hour and all 13 songs kept me hooked with the incredible vocals, stellar guitar playing and the amazing audience participation. This is what a live recording is all about. The vertical worship and number of songs I could imagine singing in union with fellow believers in a corporate worship setting is another highlight of this very solid album. Some of the songs that would be great additions to church services are “You Are Good,” “One Thing Remains,” “Furious,” “Be Lifted High,” “Hopes Anthem,” “Love Came Down” and “Deep Cries Out.” “One Thing Remains” is led by Brian Johnson with the amazing chorus “Your Love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me.” “Furious” is led by Jeremy Riddle and is one of my favorite songs of the year with the biblical truth: “His love is deep, His love is wide, And it covers us, His love is fierce, His love is strong, It is furious, His love is sweet, His love is wild, And its waking hearts to life.” I love the bridge of “Hopes Anthem”-“He’s bringing hope to the hopeless, giving His heart to the broken, sharing His home with the orphans, He is the hope of the nations, He is the song we’re declaring, He is the joy, He is my joy!” The song is challenging and uplifting I can’t get enough of it.

“Deep Cries Out” is one of the best “dance” worship songs I’ve ever heard. You can’t help but move your body while belting out this incredible new anthem, which makes me think of David dancing before God in worship. “God I Look To You” has that classic Jesus Culture worship experience feel and will have you lifting your hands in worship to our King, as the bridge declares over and over “Hallelujah, Our God Reigns, Forever all my days, Hallelujah!” The album ends as great as it begins with closing tracks “God Of The Redeemed,” which features Jeremy Riddle, along with “Forever and a Day,” which has that Jesus Culture feel again and “One Thirst,” which features the entire worship team. “One Thirst” will have you singing along with the Bethel Church congregation as they close with the chorus “Hallelujah come, yes Hallelujah come, we wait for You to come and show Your glory here today.”

CLOSING THOUGHTS

If you like the song “Sweetly Broken,” you’ll love the album Be Lifted High. If you like Brit-Rock style praise and worship artists Hillsong UNITED, Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, Jesus Culture and Delirious?, then you can’t go wrong with Jeremy Riddle and the Bethel Live worship team. Every song on this album has quickly become a staple in my playlist of my favorite worship anthems. Every song is worshipful and catchy. For sure, this will be among my top worship albums of the year. My best description of this incredible album is to remember the first time you attended a worship event that really made the hair stand up on your neck and if you want to re-live that experience, then you need to get Be Lifted High.