NATALIE GRANT - LOVE REVOLUTION

Artist- Natalie Grant

Album- Love Revolution

Label-  Curb Records

Street date- 24 August 2010

Album length- 12 Tracks. 52 Minutes 44 Seconds

Genre- Pop

IPod pick- Human

Four times GMA award winner of the female vocalist of the year award, Natalie Grant does have a great voice, but I just don’t get the point. Why does she have to channel her powerful vocals into a genre that just doesn’t suit her voice? That story was for her former albums (maybe except ‘Awaken’, that was a good one). On ‘Love Revolution’ the story changes and more.  .  .

I couldn’t wait to lay my hands on Natalie’s Love Revolution album once I heard that former winner of American Idols; Jordin Sparks penned a song (Human) for the album. With the first listen I wasn’t disappointed. The album opens up with the rock driven ‘Daring to be’ that talks about leaving one’s comfort zone to show love to others. Generally the album avoids the pitfall of cliché lyrics. Lyrics like ‘I’m waving goodbye to my pretty little life’ on ‘Daring to be’ and ‘may what I behold still my anxious heart/ take what I have known and break it all apart’ on ‘Greatness of Our God’ (which was the first single from the album and also covered on Hillsong’s ‘Beautiful Exchange’) are proof of this.

The track ‘Love Revolution’ is a rising love anthem that I fell in love with on first listen. Natalie goes the Gospel style on ‘Someday Our King would come’, an encouragement to believers and her voice does sure shines through on this one. The beaty ‘Human’ is an RnB flavoured tune which sounds like something Jordin Sparks herself or contemporaries like Rihanna and Keri Hilson would record (if they were Christian artistes). The lyrics of this song are beautiful and powerful and I’m proud of Jordin for letting God bless the body of Christ through her with such a song. Songs like ‘Beauty Mark’ would have fitted better on former projects like ‘Deeper Life’, but still goes beautifully with the album theme.

I was surprised to find ‘Desert Song’ (written and formerly covered by Brooke Fraser for Hillsong) on this album. But I tell you, Natalie grant’s version of the song is indeed beautifully unique and I love it. The good thing about this album is that the album theme runs through even on the worship tune (Your Great Name, Power of the Cross, You Deserve, Song to The King, Greatness of Our God, Desert Song). I hear someone say ‘oh it’s a worship album after all’ but how can we love others without realizing the love the Father has for us. Brace yourselves for the love revolution. I’m in on this one. Are you?

HILLSONG - FAITH+HOPE+LOVE

Artist – Hillsong

Album – Faith+Hope+Love

Label – Integrity

Street Date – August 4, 2009.

Album Length – 13 tracks. 1 hour, 15 minutes, 23 seconds.

Genre – Praise and Worship/ Acoustic Rock

IPod Pick – Yahweh

For Music that is all and strictly worship, all roads leads to Hillsong church Australia (Pastor Brian Houston). For the past decade and more, Hillsong has not failed to drop a full length album of worship songs each year ( including Hillsong United and Hillsong Kids who do the same). Their worship music has created a standard for church music all over the world. The latest addition to their worship collection is ‘Faith+Hope+Love’.

The amazing thing about Hillsong is that it consists a collection of gifted Musician and songwriters who have a heart for God. The album opener is a ‘tum- tum’ upbeat praise song (‘First and the last’). Jad Gillies smooth voice comes in next leading ‘For your name’ also upbeat. David Ware’s soulful voice comes in next on ‘Glow’. The album highlights are ‘It’s your love’ (written by Mia Fieldes and lead by her and Darlene Zschech),and ‘I will Exalt You’ (Written and lead by Brooke Fraser Ligertwood). The latter would lead you to worship in tears with Brooke’s ad lib reaching towards the heaven. The song sure has a story behind it. It’s a church ready tune for worship. Simple Psalmic lines that are easy to learn with first listen. Reuben Morgan comes in next leading ‘Yahweh’, my favorite on this project. The song lyrics are so sincere, true and directed towards God. You would be worshiping deeply before the track comes to an end, even after the last guitar string fades out.

The album picks two tracks from Hillsong United’s latest project ‘Tear down the walls’ (‘No reason to hide’ and ’You Hold Me Now’).But really this songs sound much better on this project. Jill McCloughtry’s Voice shines on ‘We the redeemed’ which is also written by her. Brooke Fraser Ligertwood appears again ‘His Glory Appears’ which is actually penned by Darlene Zschech. A mellow lovely worship song and the shortest track on the album. Darlene’s sweet voice shines on ‘The Wonder of Your Love’ a co-write between Leeland and Marty Sampson.

A fresh collection of worship and praise song is what we have all through on Hillsong latest project. For lovers of worship that leads to the courts of bliss of our God even helping us touch the hem of his garment, Faith+Hope+Love is a must listen.