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Worship Album of the Year | Posted August 01, 2018
What You Need to Know:
Leading corporate worship nationwide, Phil Wickham is known for hits such as “At Your Name (Yahweh, Yahweh),” “This is Amazing Grace” and “Your Love Awakens Me.” He describes the truths he is learning with a powerful and poignant voice through enthusiastic and passionate cries of worship. After a two year wait, Wickham returns with Living Hope on August 3rd. The album was preceded by the impactful singles “Living Hope,” “Great Things,” “Song in My Soul,” “How Great is Your Love” and “Till I Found You.”
What it Sounds Like:
I've long been a fan of Brit-rock bands like U2, Keane, Snow Patrol and others who make emotional alternative rock music but don't always have edifying messages. The first time I heard Phil Wickham's song "Grace" from his self-titled major label debut, I was hooked by his enthusiastic and reverent songs, layered with a Brit-rock musical vibe. I've felt that he's improved with each new album and Living Hope takes me to another realm of holiness and thirsting for God's presence.
Phil Wickham has breathed several new worship anthems into the Church, like "You're Beautiful," "Cannons," "Because of Your Love," "At Your Name (Yahweh, Yahweh)," “This is Amazing Grace,” “My All in All,” “Stand in Awe” and “Your Love Awakens Me.” We sing all of those songs at my church on a regular basis and you’ll want to add “Living Hope,” “Great Things,” “Till I Found You” and “Song in My Soul” to your worship set-lists immediately.
Spiritual Highlights:
"You've been faithful through every storm / You'll be faithful forevermore / You have done great things / And I know You will do it again / For Your promise is "Yes and amen" are the biblical cries of worship in the heartfelt and soul-stirring song "Great Things." You’ll also instantly sing along with "Till I Found You,” “How Great is Your Love" and "Song in My Soul," which features guest vocals from Hollyn. Each song includes tender and powerful vocals and takes listeners on an emotional and spiritual journey with every lyric sung about our faith in Jesus. Every song is completely anointed, Spirit-led and emotionally captivating. A sincere desire to experience the presence of God can be heard in every song, with expressions including “Let my life be to You a symphony / Singin' out "holy, holy" / All my days / Every single breath I breathe / Singin' out "holy, You are holy" in the standout instant classic, “Song in My Soul.”
Best Song on the Record:
“Living Hope” is a biblically-inspired standout, co-written with Bethel Music’s Brian Johnson. The lyrics proclaim the cry of my heart, “The cross has spoken / I am forgiven / The King of Kings calls me His own / Beautiful Savior / I'm Yours forever / Jesus Christ, my living hope.” I'm really engaged by the emotional vocals and the deep, prayerful lyrics throughout the album. There are several standout songs. If you've always enjoyed Wickham’s corporate worship anthems, you're in for a treat with this album. It has a great balance of upbeat and reflective songs and it is chock-full of songs for the Church and songs for personal reflection and worship.
For Fans Of:
Bethel Music, Jeremy Riddle, Elevation Worship, Jesus Culture
Final Word:
This album provides listeners with songs that proclaim acceptance of God’s love in any circumstance. Living Hope provides words of appreciation and adoration of God. Phil’s enthusiastic and reverent style of writing and singing praise and worship songs has consistently been a draw for me. His prayerful sentiments are consistently filled with his personal adoration of God. I've felt that he's improved with each new album and this is my top worship album of the year. It is a completely worshipful album, in the style of Phil's previous offerings of enthusiastic praise and worship. Every single song could be added to your Sunday morning worship set.
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