Thine Worship is the husband and wife team of Ian and Lisa McGlynn. Together, they write songs to lead the Church before the throne of the Eternal King. Their debut EP, Tread Upon The Heights, is their resolve to bring praise to the Living God no matter the circumstances. These songs are a reminder that God is sovereign and that we are called to worship Him even if sickness burrows in the body and vibrant hope grows faint...when a day becomes a season or injustice holds its ground.
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The Beauty of Simplicity| Posted October 25, 2017
Ian McGlynn has been making music for years as a solo artist, but something special happened when he started writing songs with his wife, Lisa. Pairing Ian's musical prowess with Lisa's congregational mindset has resulted in the new EP from the pair, known as Thine Worship, titled Tread Upon the Heights.
While the pair has written a number of songs together, they said they chose to bundle these three together, because they were written in the midst of a difficult time in their lives, and all carried a complete message. That message is that regardless of circumstances, we can rest in the power and glory of God.
All three tracks, while well-produced, are simply produced. Instrumentation is largely piano driven, with complementary elements of light synth pad, acoustic guitar, kick drum, tambourine, and even a little electric guitar. Thine Worship gives the songs the ability to breathe instrumentally, with lots of musical "white space," and yet they take a back seat to deliver Ian's standout vocals and the couple's lyrics.
Fans of early 2000s band Telecast will find much to love with these three songs, as they find a space between the crimson edge of artful, chilled out Britpop and the approachable appeal of congregational worship music.
The record opens with the beautiful, honest lyrics, "Fear and doubt are rising, surrounded by uncertainty on the shores of disbelief." The answer to that, as provided on "Before the Mercy Seat," is resting in God's power: "You are God the Sovereign Lord, You are God the Eternal King / You redeem, You will restore, forevermore."
The declarative expression runs throughout the record, as "All Glory is Yours" reads like a Psalm, talking about how God's creation and involvement in our lives bring us to a place of worship and awe.
EP closer "Even If" is the highlight of this project, referencing Habakkuk 3:17, talking about how no matter what disasters may come, the Lord is "my strength, my bravery, my joy, my victory." Written with a hymnlike structure, this one has the most widespread potential, and hearkens back to some of the great hymns of old, while maintaining a modern flair. The bridge concludes with this triumphant summary: "You make me able to tread upon the heights / You make me walk on the mountains."
The Bottom Line:
For their first national introduction to the greater Christian music world, Thine Worship has put together a confident, heartfelt and quality musical effort. In a year where worship has dominated the Christian music landscape, it's refreshing to hear something that doesn't follow the typical formulas; this does just that. We're hearing a lot of dance-pop worship and introspective, deep, reflective worship, so it's extremely edifying to come across an album that offers another alternative: declarative praise to God.
For Fans Of:
Telecast, Josh White, Remedy Drive, Stu G
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