Cappa’s own strong belief is evident on the uplifting “Perfect” where he stays focused on the words of John 16 and how God sees us as His children in the midst of this broken world: “No matter what you say, no matter how it seems, you’re perfect to Me.” “God showed His perfect love through Christ, and in His eyes we are perfection waiting to happen,” he says. “We are more than our earthly hardships, because Christ overcame the world.” Adam echoes that message on “Sail Away,” encouraging a life-weary friend to rest in the Lord. The OneRepublic-like electronic pop musical style reminds me of hit songs “I Will Follow” by Chris Tomlin and “Light Up The Sky” by The Afters.  He puts active faith in God’s promises on “From the Inside,” a strikingly positive, acoustic-driven pop song about desiring spiritual growth that confesses: I need you to change me. At the heart of The Rescue is “Washed Over Me,” a stirring expression of worship based on Ephesians 2 that Camp offered to share with an enthusiastic Cappa. “My jaw dropped when I heard the chorus—I was so excited to work on it,” admits Adam. “The message is just so bold and clear right out of the gate. People won’t have to sit back and wonder what this is about”–-“I’ve been washed; I’ve been cleansed; I have been made free. I’ve been bought by the blood my King has bled for me. The sweetest victory won at Calvary, where Your love washed over me.” In light of that saving gift, other standout songs like “Only a Glimpse” and “What’s at Stake” keep in mind eternity and lovingly urge others to do the same. Closing worship song “How Worthy” has quickly become a personal worship anthem for me as I love to sing to Jesus “How wonderful, powerful is my God, How loving, forgiving is the Son, How worthy is He.” Amen to that!



CLOSING THOUGHTS

“Washed Over Me”  and “How Worthy” are both great worship songs that I can imagine singing with fellow believers.  This is a great collection of joyful, encouraging worship songs. Other highlights for me are “All I Really Want,” “Perfect,” “From the Inside” and the debut hit single "The Rescue." I found myself relating to the songs right away and I enjoy singing along in worship. If you like The Afters, Chris Tomlin and Kristian Stanfill, you'll enjoy Adam Cappa.

Another single, "Mine To Love," addresses Dave singing about parenthood as he and his wife recently had their first child. The song is sung to his child, “By your side, let us be the ones you need…you are the answer to all those midnight prayers, you’re mine to love, we have all been waiting on you.”  Parenthood is a gift to be cherished, and this tender and sweet song perfectly captures the emotion in the bridge: “Every time that my heart was broken, every time I lost my way, I forget when I look into your face, you’re mine to love.” Having three young daughters, I can totally relate to that unconditional love relationship with my children. The album flows with more signature folk-pop style songs, all about love and life, with “Heaven Help Us” and “Love Will Be Enough For Us” including more relatable references. I truly enjoy the ability to insert myself into just about every song on this extremely catchy album. The song that breaks the mold a bit is the stirring “Seventeen.” The story-song will have you hanging on every word as Dave perfectly captures the raw emotion of the song in the first person. “Missing You” also addresses regret over a relationship issue including Dave’s telling listeners, “take it from one who knows.” "Stories To Tell” has a great chorus: “There’s life to be lived, stories to tell, lessons to learn, we don’t know yet, nothing like looking back knowing that we lived it well, with stories to tell” which sums up the themes of this album perfectly. “One Of Us” closes out the story-telling with more catchy and relatable lyrics addressed to Dave’s son. The tender lullaby song perfectly captures the emotions of parenthood.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Stories To Tell by Dave Barnes is loaded with honestly crafted songs with a strong pop sound. There are songs for those who are hurting, have regrets and want to express their emotions. Just like “God Gave Me You,” this album expresses the impassioned feelings of someone who puts into words and catchy melodies the everyday experiences of life, love and heartbreak. I find myself singing many of these songs in my head throughout the day. The songs invite you into Dave’s life and leave you with the desire to better express your emotions to your loved ones. Dave’s lyrical “gourmet” phrasing in his relatable and catchy songs has established him as the pre-eminent folk style singer-songwriter in the business. 

From the first moments of Sarah Macintosh’s new album Current, you know that you are hearing something that stands apart. The entire album is punctuated by chamber-pop elements and instrumentation. The standard sounds you would expect in a pop song clash with small and intimate details, giving the sonic landscape a sense of familiarity but with a lushness and texture that rings new to the ears of those of us who are so accustomed to the conventional output of the record labels these days. And while these elements draw you in, it’s the voice that keeps you listening.

Sarah’s vocal style is completely captivating. Right from the opening notes of “Current,” I was hooked. Most of all, the message of the song draws me in, especially in the bridge, “Love, say that it will be so, Love, say that you won't let go, Don't let go, Don't let me go.” I feel the same way as Sarah; that our walks with God are under attack by the world. Our attempts to have Christian marriages are being torn at from every side, and we need to pray daily to God, “Face of love, tear us away, Cause we are Yours to carry away.” There are currents metaphorically physically and emotionally all  around us. The question is which currents you allow to take you. There is only One current we should all submit to as believers, and that’s God.  The lead single “We Should Run” takes the listener on a spiritual and colorful journey. Macintosh elaborates, "I hope that the listener will grab onto them and say 'Yes! This is for me!' These are the songs of my heartbeat.” The song's lyrics share: “We should run, we should be laughing, We should look and see, He is lifted high! We should shout, we should be dancing, We should call and find a Savior who’s alive!” Amen!

Rather than address the themes of each song, let me just say this is one of the most captivating albums I’ve ever heard. Sarah has a vocal sincerity and creativity that rivals Brooke Fraser, Audrey Assad and Sara Groves, who are my top female Christian vocalists of all-time. Some of the stand-out moments of the album include “Hope,” where I get completely swept up in the bridge, “We will run, we will laugh, we will  dance, we will shout, when You’re back for us, You come back for us!!” I sing those words praying for Jesus to return at the top of my lungs.  I am a believer and my testimony is that my love for music led me to Jesus Christ due to the Gospel messages of Christian music. This is a great album for your unsaved family and friends. Another highlight is the personal confession in “The Damaged,” where Sarah confesses, “red is the color of my heart as it cries hush, hush…I don’t want to be the one who’s broken, I don’t want be the one who falls apart, I don’t want to be damaged.” In discussing the album with Macintosh, her hope is that spiritually listeners enter the album on “Current” and exit the album on the last track, “Joy Comes In,” and not realize that they’ve shifted spiritually. Hopefully the Lord has moved them from one point to another and that listeners learn things about the Lord that changes and moves them. Hopefully the album will swirl around them like a current. That’s a great description of the journey of this album, as while savoring “Calling, Calling,” many times I’ve forgotten where I am and that’s the type of unique worship experience you’ll want to replay over and over and it will draw you closer to God.

The rockers on Believer are opening track “If It Ends Today,” “All Yours,” “Need” and “Gravity.” Since guitarist Nick DePartee joined the band they have really found their niche musically and lyrically and seven of these new tracks and all four rockers were co-written by Nick. He also co-wrote their previous hit songs “Amazed,” “You Save Me” and “Remember Me” from It Is Well. They are all instantly engaging and hook-filled songs that are filled with biblical Truth. I love the chorus “Raise your hands if you're with me, Raise your hands if you're ready, Say hey! hey! I'm not afraid, Hey! hey! hey! If it ends today” in the opener. As Christians, we need to remember we’re not made for this world and we need to live as though today is our last day, unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “All Yours” has already become my rock worship anthem with the vertical lyrics: “It's all Yours anyway, You gave Your life to save me, So take my life.” Amen to that! Rock single “Need” is a great rock anthem with sincere and confessional lyrics: “Help me God I do believe, But I feel lost and it’s killing me, I need You right now.” The urgency of the message fits the tempo of the song perfectly. “Need” is a great song for workout sessions.

I’ve seen Kutless in concert many times, and the crowd response to their worship ballads has been moving and appeals to all musical preferences from my parents to my three young daughters. The worship ballads “What Faith Can Do,” “Everything I Need” and “I’m Still Yours” were all hit songs from It Is Well. If you are a newer Kutless fan looking for that musical style, then you’ll absolutely love the remaining songs which are all in that vein. “Carry On,” “Even If,” “Hero,” “Identity,” “Come Back Home,” “This Is Love,” “I’m With You” and “Believer” are all radio-friendly and potential hit songs that will resonate with all Kutless fans. “Carry On” features the biblical Truth from John 14:6: “You are the Way, You are the light, You are the voice calling me through  the night.” “Even If” has biblical lyrics proclaiming truth from Isaiah 55: “Lord we know Your ways are not our ways, So we set our faith in who You are” and Romans 8: “We trust You always, You’re working all things for our good, We’ll sing Your praise, Even if the healing doesn’t come.” Amen. This is a very enjoyable album and I identify with the messages of every song. The closing tracks are certainly highlights. Title track “Believer” was co-written by lead singer Sumrall and is a bold statement of faith, ”There’s not a greater love that you’ll find in this life, I’m a believer in Christ.” Closing track “Carry Me To The Cross” is a great song for the Church, with the catchy and worshipful chorus:”Hallelujah! You carry me every day, You carry me all the way, Hallelujah! You carry me to the, You carry me to the cross.”

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Believer is the band’s crowning achievement featuring thirteen excellent rock worship songs. The album has a perfectly balanced mix of rockers and ballads and Jon Micah’s vocals have never sounded better. This is their most complete overall album loaded with quality songs that all draw me closer to Christ. If you’re looking for the best of Kutless, this is their top album surpassing all of their previous excellent work. For sure, Believer is among the top albums of the year.

Agnew continues with the radio single “God Undefeatable.” “‘Undefeatable’ isn’t really even a word,” Agnew explains. “It isn’t a word because it’s never needed to be a word. Every empire, every dynasty, they all eventually lost. They faded. They were defeated. But God, His power, His might does not wane. It goes back to the idea we started with. God is the main player in the story. It’s not me fighting the battle, it’s Him.” Todd’s albums have all included congregational worship songs like “Our Great God” and “Glorious Day” and this song for the Church and closing song “Your Great Name” are instantly sing-able and worshipful arrangements that you’ll want to add to your Sunday morning set-list. “Letting Go” is a fantastic re-write of a classic hymn of the faith like “Grace Like Rain” and “I Need No Other” with “Letting Go” blending the lyrics “all to Jesus I surrender, I surrender all, all to Thee my Blessed Savior” with “I’m letting go of the chains that are holding me down, I’m letting go of the lies I believed…when I let go of my life, You give me Yours, so I’m letting go.”

“There Is Coming A Day” features Todd’s signature powerful vocals and his deep faith in God’s redemption and is a great reminder to sing of God’s soon return where there will be no more tears, no more sorrow and no more pain. “Loved” is a wonderful profession of Todd’s journey from singleness to married life, his spiritual growth and learning “How to be Loved.” The parallel of marital love and the Love of our Savior is striking in the chorus, “You say you love me…and it’s hard to believe, but you’re teaching me how to be loved.” “Give What’s In Your Hand” has that Memphis bluesy musical style that I’ve always loved in Todd’s music combined with the call to action: “we are called to be Jesus’ hands and feet, you gotta give what’s in your hand, when you see the need of your fellow man, you don’t have to save the world, just do what you can.” Amen to that. “Don’t You Think” is a great depiction of God’s Word applying to us with the biblical references of Peter and the rich young ruler apply to all of us in the words: “the same invitation He gave to His disciples, Jesus gave to me, to be my everything.” “House of Boxes” is a stirring story-song about when Agnew bought his first house, moved back to Texas and became a husband  and stepfather all in the course of a weekend. I love the soothing message: “As long as I’m holding your hand, I’m already home.” Closing worship song “Your Great Name” is an incredible song for worshippers also recorded by Natalie Grant and written by Michael Neale and Krissy Nordhoff. The main message of the song is to hold on to the Name of Jesus, as something better is coming. The grace that God offers in the crux of the song, ultimately the incredible bridge “Redeemer, My Healer, Almighty, My Savior, Defender, You are My King” is what really moves me and guides me in my Christian walk, which is to live everyday for Heaven. This is an amazing song to sing at the top of our lungs “Jesus, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain for us, Son of God and Man, You are high and lifted up; that all the world will praise Your great name.” Amen.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

How to be Loved is my new favorite overall album by Todd Agnew, surpassing the excellent Reflection of Something. There’s biblical truth married to personal lyrics in the songs “The One You Want,” “There Is Coming A Day,” “Loved,” “Don’t You Think” and the stunning “House of Boxes.” “God Undefeatable,” “Letting Go” and “Your Great Name” are incredible songs for the Church that are all instantly sing-able and worshipful arrangements that you’ll want to add to your Sunday morning set-list. We often feel ashamed and unworthy of God’s perfect Love, but that’s the point. We aren’t worthy and God still wants all of us and loves us deeply. This entire album is about giving and accepting love. How to be Loved is one of the top albums of the year.

Opening tracks “By Faith” and “Unshakeable” are both catchy, reverent and upbeat songs that reflect Laura’s journey to releasing her debut album. “By Faith” includes Laura’s autobiographical reflection in the lyrics: “Too many times / I let the voice of fear / Control the way I live / And silence every dream / Too many days / Been paralyzed by doubt / The questions scream and shout / And I waste another day / It’s time to let go / Of what I don’t know / To see what I can’t see / I’m gonna walk by faith / One step closer to You / I will live by faith / In the light of Your Truth / I’m gonna love by faith / Because You first loved me.” Title track “Unshakeable” could easily find its way onto Christian radio with the catchy musical hook and Laura’s strong vocal delivery, reminding me of Britt Nicole and Jaci Velasquez. When Laura passionately sings the bridge “Yesterday, today, and forever You will be the same / Almighty God You reign forever,” I hear in her voice a prayer of gratitude and commitment to lift God’s Name high and give her gifts back to Him. “Hosanna” is my favorite worship song of all-time and like Selah’s contemporary cover of the song originally written and sung by Brooke Fraser (Hillsong UNITED), Laura once again isn’t performing the song, she is lifting the worshipful and heartfelt words back to our Savior.

Laura closes with three more catchy songs, “Rest,” “The Love of Christ” and “Here We Go.” “Rest” once again features Laura’s vocal sincerity and prayerful offering of comfort in the lyrics: “There is a refuge and His name is Jesus / Trust Him and know that you’re not alone.” “The Love of Christ” reminds me of the first time I heard “On My Knees” by Jaci Velasquez and when Laura sings the biblical Truth in the chorus: “How high / How long / How wide / How deep / Is the love of Christ” her vocals hit another level that gives me goose bumps. Laura closes with a playful and upbeat pop song, “Here We Go.” I love the pre-chorus, “let’s get back to the days of our childhood simplicity, when our lives were the song and our dreams the melody.”

CLOSING THOUGHTS 

Rarely has a debut album included this many catchy songs and all six songs will have you hanging on every word that Laura tenderly sings. Her vocals will soothe your soul and the vertical lyrics will all direct your attention on our King, Jesus. This album displays a lot of potential for this up and coming singer and for sure I’ll be listening to these songs to nourish, refresh and soothe me. All six songs direct my attention to the Author of my faith, who is “Unshakeable.” Well done Laura, you are truly a good and faithful servant of God.

I can’t get enough of Audrey’s singing voice and the incredible and introspective messages of her great songs. “Blessed Are The Ones” is a wonderful opener which Audrey co-wrote with Derek Webb and Sandra McCracken regarding her expectations of marriage. The gorgeous bridge, “Love is all we need” leads to Audrey’s sensational vocals literally rising to another level. I hang on every single note. Audrey’s first year of marriage framed the entire writing process of this album as her husband learned he had treatable cancer and you can at times physically feel Audrey’s soul-imploring emotions in these twelve flawless and compelling songs. Audrey wrote “What It Ought To Be” for her husband before they were married, and God has used their trials to bring them even closer to Him and each other than they could have imagined. “Even The Winter” and “The Way You Move” each feature phrases that give closer glimpses of Audrey’s walk with God, with Audrey crying out “even the dark cannot disarm us…because we know that it’s worth it, sowing the seeds in the soil of our love” and “all my pride, it doesn’t stand a chance against the way You move.” Amen. “Sparrow” features Audrey’s flawless vocals and her signature introspective and prayerful message as she yearns “why should I be lonely…when Jesus is my portion, and a constant Friend I know, I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, His eye is on the sparrow, His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He’s watching me, I sing because He loves me, I sing because I’m free, He’s watching you, He’s watching me.”

As if those opening tracks didn’t rock my world, then Audrey delivers the most emotionally breathtaking song I’ve ever heard, “Breaking You.” Audrey opens with “you’ve been let down, it’s true, your pain is easy to see” which leads to the most incredible bridge,  “lift up your head, help is on the way, and it won’t pass you by, you just gotta reach out your hand, love is on His way, and He won’t pass you by, you just gotta reach out a hand..” Have a box of tissues handy as I bawl like a baby every time I listen to the amazing song. “O My Soul” keeps the emotional flow going as Audrey beautifully sings during her piano-based ballad, “don’t lie to yourself, o my soul, just love your God, your worries will never love you, they’ll leave you all alone, but your God will not forsake you, o my soul.” Oh my, the tears just kept flowing. “Won Me Over” and “No Turning Back” celebrate the freedom we have in Christ, including the hymn re-write of “I Have Decided” declaration in the bridge of “No Turning Back”— “though none go with me, still I will follow, no turning back, no turning back.”  “Lament” is another standout track (they all are), and Audrey opens with the biblically based confession: “I’m Mary & Martha all at the same time, I’m sitting at His feet and yet I’m dying to be recognized.” It’s that type of transparent lyrical “gourmet” phrasing that ranks this album above any I’ve ever heard. “Wherever You Go” and “Slow” each have moments that remind me of Brooke Fraser’s stellar albums including imploring lyrical sincerity: “prophets and lovers don’t always hold true but I’m never going to stop falling for You” and “I’ve heard that faith moves mountains, I know it moves my feet to follow You, and maybe I’m a mountain because it’s moving me to follow You, Your Love moves slow, let’s move slow.” Amen. Closing song “New Song” includes another deeply honest confessional moment, “all I am is a breath and vapor, and shadow, and all I have is what I need, this I know, that I need a new song...words are failing, my melodies falter, my voice is breaking, my heart is burning, because blessing and honor, glory and power, praise and worship, they belong to You!”

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Audrey Assad's new album Heart is loaded with meaningful, engaging and beautiful songs and is the most amazing album by a female vocalist I've ever heard. Heart by Audrey Assad ranks with Invisible Empires by Sara Groves and Albertine by Brooke Fraser as a flawless and emotional depiction of the beauty and majesty of our Creator's "Heart." Thank you Audrey for blessing us with your gifted gorgeous vocals and for pouring yourself into songs that deeply stir my soul. Audrey Assad is my favorite new female vocalist and this album really captures the beauty and sincerity of her incredible vocals and stirring songs.  The House You're Building captivated me and Heart has completely “won me over.” From start to finish, all twelve songs weave a tapestry that is artful, engaging, catchy, emotional, and after several listens and goose bump inducing moments, I am convinced that this is now my favorite album, ever. If I’m ever stranded on a deserted island and I can only listen to one album the rest of my days, Heart by Audrey Assad is the album I’ll take with me.

"Love Riot" has a rock dance beat and Sean's lead vocals really grab me. I especially love the lyrics: "Love riot, turn the city upside down. Love riot, for the Name of Jesus." Christy sounds off with a catchy bridge and the song has one of the best musical beats I've heard in a while. "World Can’t Take It Away" and "Closer" keep the energy gushing with cool edgy rock beats and great guitar riffs. Some other highlights for me are "One Love,” “Higher," "Power of Your Love," and "Light A Fire" which all feature Christy's stellar lead vocals and are high energy rock worship songs. Sean leads “Taking Back,” which is a great message for the Church. Christy knocks it out of the park with her stellar lead vocals on the powerful closing song "Savior" which is a stand-out worship rock anthem and has a very catchy and convicting declaration: "We stand, we rise, we give our lives," which leads to the chorus “Savior, Savior...so come and release Your fire again."

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I've long enjoyed the female rock vocal style of Evanescence and Flyleaf. Christy Johnson and Rochelle Leguern really displays a similar vocal style along with Sean Loche on the stand-out songs for me on this solid album: "Arise,” “Never Look Back,” "One Love,” "Love Riot," "Higher," "Power Of Your Love," "Light A Fire"  and one of my top worship songs of the year, “Savior.” I love listening to this album during my commuting time when I want a pick me up album that glorifies God and gets me pumped about my faith. Live Riot is loaded with great rock beats, catchy melodies, and solid lyrics reflecting unashamed faith in Jesus. The live crowd response really engages me from start to finish on this very solid live worship album. If you like Hillsong UNITED, Skillet and Flyleaf, then you need to hear Live Riot by Worth Dying For.

The album kicks off with Starfield’s most rocking track to date, the ultra-catchy “Natural Disaster,” which has a rock edge like the band’s previous rock songs “My Generation” and “I Will Go.” In “Natural Disaster” we are led to see what we can become when disconnected from a relationship with God—“I’m the Raging Sea, I’m the bending trees, an unstoppable force with a wake of debris; I’m the wind and the rain, the loss and the pain, without You – I’m a natural disaster.” After that opening track, I knew I was in for a treat with a welcome return from one of my all-time favorite bands. “Burn For You” ushers in an exciting new indie-rock band sound including gang vocals resembling Arcade Fire, without sacrificing the vertical and personal lyrics I’ve come to expect from this stellar alternative rock band. I get swept up in the confession which reflects the cry of my heart with lyrics that connect to my life verse Isaiah 6:8…”Here I am, send me”—“Could You use this faith in Your master plan? If You can, here I am, I’ll burn with love and desire…I’ll burn for You.” Accessible new worship anthems like “The Kingdom,” “Heart and Flesh” and the disarming “Just Surrender” will provide today’s worship leaders with effective, devotionally rich tools to share with their congregations. Just like The City Harmonic’s hit song “Manifesto,” “The Kingdom” is the type of song I wish I was singing at my church right now. The song boldly declares a statement of faith: “we have come to testify, God is surely great, love is like a river wide, let everyone beneath His skies, lift their voice and sing, for the Kingdom of our God carries on, carries on, carries on. His Kingdom is inside of you, it’s everywhere you are.” Amen to that! This worship anthem is just the type of infusion that the church needs with its honesty and bold lyrics. I get totally swept up by the bridge, “everybody sing Hallelujah!!”

“Just Surrender” is sung from God’s perspective and provides comfort like hit song “Someone Worth Dying For” by MIKESCHAIR with the touching lyrics: “lay down your defenses, you can trust in Me, I can heal your heart, I can comfort you, don’t resist My Love, just surrender…” “Heart and Flesh” is a great depiction of ‘better is one day in Your courts,’ as Tim passionately declares “my heart and flesh cry out.” “All I Want Is You” is a wonderful Brit-Rock tinged alt-rock worship song, with a super-hooky guitar riff and engaging lyrics reflecting the autobiographical status of the band, “I don’t want fake, I just can’t take it anymore, I won’t be satisfied until You’re by my side, All I want is You...” “Innocence (And Other Things Lost)” insightfully explores what it means to be a soul in process with these poignant lyrics: “Things once certain, I no longer trust, my sure foundations have crumbled to dust; and I would scale the highest height, or search the depths to find – the path to innocence and wonder.” Starfield has found their musical identity and all ten songs entertain and challenge me to walk closer with God. This album displays plenty of Brit-Rock style rockers similar to Delirious?, Hillsong UNITED and The City Harmonic, closing as strong as it starts with the reflective worship ballads, “Speak Now Jesus” and “Light of the World,” which are responses to the Truths proclaimed throughout the album. “Light of the World” boldly proclaims: “wave the flag and join the fight, a revolution is at hand, let us learn to love our fellow man, maybe we’ll find that the light of the world will shine through the depths of the darkest night, and the captives will be set free, that the light of the world will shine through us.” Amen.

CLOSING THOUGHTS 

Starfield's catalog of albums has managed to get deeper and more challenging with each release, connecting with me personally and captivating me musically. The Kingdom is now my top overall album by Starfield, loaded with sing-able and meaningful songs for the Church. There are several standout songs, “Natural Disaster,” “Burn For You” “Heart and Flesh,” “Just Surrender,” “Innocence (And Other Things Lost),” “Light of the World”  and “The Kingdom,” which is now one of my all time favorite worship songs and my new favorite anthem by Starfield. What’s most impressive is how these catchy songs will have you singing along at the top of your lungs after just a couple of listens. I think Starfield has a great opportunity to reach the lost for the Kingdom of God with their transparent lyrics and incredible musical talent. This album completely rocks and is loaded with songs you can proudly share with your friends and family. The themes of this album are trusting God, loving Him and loving others as He loved us. This band has always had a knack for hitting me where I am spiritually, and this album is their crowning achievement. Every single song will have you singing along in praise and worship to our Savior. Don’t miss out on The Kingdom by Starfield, a stellar five star worship album.

The Loft Sessions is not your typical praise and worship album. It has a very warm musical style that will immediately soothe your soul and cause you to worship along with these ultra-talented worship leaders. It has a Gungor meets Mumford & Sons sonic feel to the album and I can’t get enough of these anointed songs. The album opens with an incredible recording of “One Thing Remains” led by Brian Johnson with the amazing chorus “Your Love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me.” If you’re not already singing this song at your church, this arrangement is well suited to any congregation. “My Dear” is a great upbeat song that moves me emotionally and physically when I worship along with the talented and emotive vocalist Hunter Thompson and the Bethel Music team.

“You Have Won Me” is led by Brian Johnson, and has the expressive chorus, “Jesus You have won me…You are worthy of glory and praise.” The new worship song and lead single “Come To Me” is sung tenderly by Jenn Johnson from the perspective of God singing over us--"I am the Lord your God...no evil will conquer you, steady now your heart...lift up your weary head, I Am with you, wherever you go, come to Me, I'm all you need...come to Me, I'm your everything!” There is incredible comfort and biblical Truth in this song and Jenn's passionate vocals will have you hanging on every word. “You Know Me” stops me in my tracks as Steffany Frizzell slays me with her confessional and prayerful vocal style, especially in the bridge—“nothing is hidden from Your sight, wherever I go You find me, You know every detail of my life, cause You are God and You don’t miss a thing.” That biblical Truth comes right from Psalm 139 and there is great comfort in knowing Jesus and being known by Him in every detail of our lives. Amen to that! “Fall Afresh” is sung by Bethel Music worship leader Jeremy Riddle. I’ve always wanted to hear Jeremy perform stripped down acoustic style songs, and I feel like I’m eavesdropping on Jeremy’s prayer time as he sincerely lifts his anointed voice in worship to our Lord and Savior.  The chorus of “Fall Afresh” moves me every time I sing it, “Spirit of the Living God come fall afresh on me / Come wake me from my sleep /

Blow through the caverns of my soul / Pour in me to overflow, / to overflow.” That’s also the cry of my heart. Thank you Bethel Music for these incredible musical offerings to Jesus.

CLOSING THOUGHTS 

If you like the praise and worship artists Hillsong UNITED, Matt Redman, Tim Hughes and Jesus Culture, then you can’t go wrong with the Bethel Music worship team and you’ll love the album The Loft Sessions. Every song on this album has quickly become a staple in my playlist of my favorite worship anthems. Every song is worshipful and catchy. 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 “One Thing Remains,” “My Dear,” “You Have Won Me” and “Fall Afresh.” I considered Be Lifted High among the best worship albums of 2011 and based on the gorgeous stand-out female led worship ballads “Come To Me” and “You Know Me,”  I expect big things for Bethel Music in 2012. For sure, this will be among my top worship albums of the year.