New Albums Worth Checking Out – Spring / Summer 2012

Zac HicksAlbum Reviews, Hymns Movement News & ReviewsLeave a Comment

The number of quality albums from independent artists continues to be on the rise.  These latest few continue to show that a growing number of young church musicians are embracing different values as compared to the industry (speaking both musically and theologically, and perhaps even financially) for the songs they write and produce.  Many of these albums expand the sonic and geographic reach of the rehymn movement.

Todd Hoover, The Whole Spirit: Redemption Songs
Tasteful, musical, liturgically-oriented, congregation-friendly songs, thoughtfully wedding old worship forms and songs with new settings.  Folk-indie, while more classically-oriented in singing and some instrumentation.

 

The Sing Team, Oh! Great Is Our God! 
Mars Hill music gives us a singable, happy, uppity, and communal EP.  Small on our effort, big on the gospel.  Explicitly and implicitly connected to the Psalms in themes and content.  Folk-indie with a smattering of Motown and “Brady Bunch era” goodness.

 

Citizens, Already / Not Yet 
Another Mars Hill music band puts out a musically fresh EP of reimagined hymns and new songs.  Great production and original musical flare.  Indie rock.

 

 

Edbrooke Collective, Rewritten
A young downtown Denver church does some hymn rewrites and new songs, all through the grid of the objectivity of God and Christ as opposed to the subjectivity of our experience.  (Read my review.)  Indie/ambient/rock.

 

Cardiphonia, Hymns for the Ascension
A compilation of old ascension hymns set to new music by songwriting worship leaders across the US (and now UK!).  With each successive album, Cardiphonia’s production- and song-quality improves. (Read my review.) Indie/folk/electronica. 

 

Kristen Gilles, The Whole Big Story
Sojourn music continues to expand its reach with side projects from its artists.  This one from Kristen Gilles is an EP focusing on the “big story” of Christ from the beginning to the end of Scripture.  (Read my review.)  Bluesy alternative rock.

 

Rain for Roots, Big Stories for Little Ones
Kids’ songs put together by artists connected with the Indelible Grace brand of the rehymn movement (Sandra McCracken, Ellie Holcomb, Flo Paris, Katy Bowser).  Perfect for families, but loaded with great, accessible theology!  Folk.

 

Daniel Zott, Hymns
Great experiment in wedding hymns with original music.  Very fun listening.  Indie/electronica.

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