Creating Growth Through Pain Posted October 04, 2022 By BraddenFord_NRT, Staff Reviewer
What You Need to Know
Elevation Rhythm is the youth worship band for Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. The team leads offer a creative and powerful experience for listeners through its diverse music styles and personal worship. They've consistently released singles since their first in 2019. The group's debut 12-song album, Growing Pains, follows the band's growth as they take their signature styles and heart into new themes.
What It Sounds Like
This album shows what a peak-level summer project should be. Growing Pains is entwined from start to finish with pop and worship influences coming together perfectly. The group doesn't follow a certain formula for their songs. Instead, they craft each song uniquely to add to the full album experience. The album features song styles ranging from electronic, alternative rock, rap (featuring Gotee Records rapper Aaron Cole), and, of course, deep moments of worship. Growing Pains is more than a creative project, but is a collection of fun and powerful anthems with something for everyone.
Spiritual Highlights
The first song, the album's title track, "Growing Pains" stood out to me: "Trouble’s a matter of time/But You’re in control/And that’s how I know/Everything gonna be okay/It won’t always be this way/At my worst/When it hurts/Won’t be afraid/Sometimes faith has growing pains." Life brings hardships, and we can't avoid them, but we can trust that God holds us through them and has a plan. No matter our present situation, life will get better. Two truths to believe in: that Jesus is God and that He will never leave us. These truths alone can take us through some heavy growth. The album carries this theme throughout, filled with declarations of whom God is in our joy and heartbreak, leading us to what to overcome in life through Him.
Best Song
It's hard to pick one favorite song on this album. As much as I love all the songs, none has captivated me like "Over & Over" ("Has anyone ever left you high and dry?" and "Fake Love" do get honorable mentions). I love the simplicity and adoration expressed in "Over & Over." The lyrics, "I could never grow tired/Of telling You You're worthy/There's so many ways I/could sing of Your glory" have reminded my heart of His majesty and presence so many times.
For a debut project, Elevation Rhythm went above and beyond. This collection of songs is more than moments of worship and fun songs to vibe with, they are anthems of the faithful love of God through the pains of life. The production, vocals, creativity, and diversity in this release are done well. The heart and sound of Growing Pains are a powerful, fun, and touching experience that solidifies its spot as one of my favorite albums of the year.
