REVIEW: Ian Zumback – THE TABLE

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I remember the first time I heard Andrew Peterson‘s “Dancing on the Landmines“ on the radio – it was powerful, & like nothing else I’ve heard. It wasn’t weird at all but simply unique, standing out like a bright spot among the dull sameness of CCM radio at that time. This is that sort of album.

Though not a “worship record” in the usual sense – only a handful of these songs would likely work corporately – lyrically, it’s obvious that The Table is a Christ-centric worship project, even if the songwriting isn’t targeted at Sunday morning singing. Though there’s not a dud among the bunch, a few tracks do stand out. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Music Review, New Music Tagged With: , , ,

NEXT: Fresh New Worship – Oct ’16

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screen-shot-2016-10-09-at-3-09-47-pmI’m sorry I’ve missed a couple of months. Oddly, Hurricane Matthew’s evacuation created the downtime I needed to finish this list.

If you’re new to “NEXT”, I know it’s hard to find new corporate worship songs – there is so much to sort through, especially if you want to dig deeper than the CCLI Top 50. Well, I’ve done the work for you – culling through current releases, both indie & label, curating a list of new material worth exploring. Be encouraged to let me know which of these songs you use, & how your church responds!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Creativity, Music Review, New Music, Resource, Shannon, worship planning Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: Matt McCoy – ALIVE & FREE E.P.

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phpThumb_generated_thumbnailARTIST: Matt McCoy
RELEASE: Alive & Free
LABEL: Independent

Though I’ve known him loosely through various Social Networks for several years, I first met Matt McCoy at the Experience Conference ’13 in Orlando where he was showing his brilliant Looptimus midi-controller. By the end of the week we’d traded CDs – up to then I had somehow entirely missed that he was a musician, & a member of one of my favorite worship teams, the Vertical Church Band – & out of all of the “schwag” from the conference, I ended up listening to his for most of the ride home. When I heard that he was releasing another, I was first in line for a review! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Conferences, Creativity, Music Review, New Music, Resource, Shannon Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: Cameron Moore – self-titled e.p.

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CamMooreEPCameron Moore
Self-Titled E.P.
Independent

Highlights: “Drowning”, & “Unrelenting”

 

 

 

This past Summer I took First UMC‘s youth to CROSS MISSIONS in Charlotte, NC. While there one of the staff that led our team was a fuzzy, kind, humble young man named Cameron. He worked hard & served our team well. One morning he pulled out his guitar, & we co-led a song or two – some popular covers, & I began to see a side of him I didn’t expect. Over the course of the week, I realized he was a writer & was recording a CD – so I asked if I could hear a track before the week was out. Let’s just say that I was more than pleasantly surprised! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Music Review, Musicianship, New Music, Shannon, writing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

REVIEW: The Church by Ascension Worship

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Ascension WorshipAscension Worship
THE CHURCH
Ascension Music Publishing

 

 

 

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With rise in popularity of iTunes an increasing number of independent artists have – wisely I believe – focused on releasing single or EPs instead of full-lengths, so when I see an independent band release a full-length I often approach it with apprehension. At best, I expect I will download two tracks – the highlights – and the rest of the CD will turn out to be filler. I can count on two fingers how many full-length indie worship records have proven otherwise; Unhindered’s self-titled CD, and “The Church” by Ascension Worship. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Creativity, Music Review, Musicianship, New Music, Saint Lewis, Shannon Tagged With: , , , , ,