Thunder, the highly anticipated eighth recording by acclaimed singer/songwriter and author Rick Lee James, will be available beginning February 8. Produced by Chris Hoisington of Brothers McClurg at Old Bear Studio in Buffalo, New York, Thunder features 10 songs, including the title cut co-written by the late Rich Mullins along with renowned songsmiths Lowell Alexander and Phil Naish.
“It was an honor and challenge to work on a Rich Mullins song that had not been recorded before,” said James of the title cut, penned in the ‘70s for Mullins’ band, Zion. “After Rich went to be with the Lord, Lowell and Phil rewrote the verses and added a new arrangement. With the imagery in the chorus of Jesus clearing the temple, I knew it would be a fitting way to begin the album.”
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01.
Reading: Matthew 21: 12-14
02.
Thunder
03.
The Love of Christ
04.
Whom Have I in Heaven but You? (Psalm 73)
05.
Glory to God the Trinity (Trinity Hymn)
06.
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (Perfect Love)
07.
Reading: Prayer for Peace
08.
Love Our Enemies
09.
Be My All
10.
The Lord Is Our Shepherd (To the Babies We Lost)
Clearing Out The Temple| Posted January 31, 2019 What You Need To Know No stranger to leading worship, the Voice in My Head Podcast host preps his sophomore worship record, with inspiration from some great names in the business and themes of chasing the merchants out of the temple, Rick Lee James seeks to restore the sacred to the often corporate nature of Praise & Worship.
What It Sounds Like Scripture readings are peppered throughout the project, grounding the album firmly in Scripture. The title track is the first proper song and is an instant attention-grabber with a bit of a Western feel thanks to an edgy riff. During the song, I couldn't shake a feeling that it was calling to mind something the late, great Rich Mullins would have done, though I couldn't put my finger on just what it was. Sure enough, a little bit of research revealed that the song was a long lost track of Mullins', never released and only left behind through scratchy old recordings. James decided to rescue the track and finally release a properly recorded version to the world. While this undeniably makes one wonder what Mullins' would have sounded like, James does a strong job of bringing to life a lost treasure of one of the industry's greats. The song sets the tone for the entire record, with songs sounding more like something you'd hear at a small country Church than at a packed megachurch arena.
Spiritual Highlights The title track's themes of chasing out merchants from the temple resonate through much of the album. While direct praise is the dominant presence, there is also reflecting on how Christians are called to love our enemies. In the most personal cut, "The Lord is Our Shepherd (To The Babies We Lost)," James sings to the babies who died too soon. The juxtaposition of loss and worship makes for a powerful moment in the record.
Final Word Rick Lee James has crafted a unique worship project that clears out a lot of the "corporate worship" trappings for a more personal and intimate praise collection.