Recorded live in concert at the Cascade Theater in Redding, California, vocal powerhouse Kim Walker-Smith leads a crew of supremely talented musicians, including her Jesus Culture cohorts, drummer Josh Fisher, bassist Brandon Aaronson and guitarists Jeffrey Kunde and Skyler Smith in this hour-plus treasure.
Long on highlights and jam-packed with
Bat Out of Hell-length Spirit-filled epics,
Still Believe kicks off mightily with "Alive" — one of the most chilling songs that I've heard in a (very) long time. In fact,
Still Believe was released only a few weeks ago and already I've heard a band cover this tune.
Other highlights include "Waste it All" and "The King is Here" — two gems that ooze honest, pure passion and emotion.
Possessing true "
Born to Run"-like warmth and beauty, "Yield My Heart" offers absolutely brilliant string performances from Lewis Patzner, Anton Patzner, Hannah Jeanpierre and Allison Wyatt, as well as from Dwayne Corbin on glockenspiel. Kudos, kids!
More than a highlight, the
Jim Steinman-like arrangement and seven-minute performance of "Miracle Maker" is a show-stopping masterpiece.
Throughout
Still Believe, Kim delivers numerous Spirit-led revelations — particularly during the title track when she boldly proclaims, "Pain has no place. Disease has no place. Sickness has no place. Weariness has no place. Depression has no place in your presence Lord." Wow, now
that's some good preachin' right there!
Still Believe ends as strong as it begins, with the record's crowning jewel, "Healing Oil." And how else but in the Spirit can two simple lines, a mere twenty-one words, morph into an eight-minute opus?
I can feel your healing oil running down my brow.
I wouldn't trade another lifetime for how I feel right now.
(from "Healing Oil")
In sum, Still Believe is a must-have record, indeed!
-Christopher Long
(March 2013)
