On the surface, Anthem Lights might look like a group that’s trying to bring back the boy band craze of the ‘90s, but their debut album reveals their real heart of worship. Their sound has a hint of a boy-band feel, but the essence of the foursome is a group passionate about releasing authentic worship, wrapped in relevant symphonic sounds, with catchy pop hooks. It’s apparent that their sound is serious about bringing a living Christ to the world. String and rhythmic progressive hooks make “Circles” a catchy track poised to climb the charts. Its music arrangement is current, wrapped in honest, clever singable hooks, impressive vocals, and transparent lyrics about the process of growing closer to God. If it’s possible to have a pop/rock/country flavor added to a passionate authentic worship song, “Can’t Get Over You” pulls off the mix well, making it a definite highlight on the record. If this promising debut is any indication, Anthem Lights’ refreshing sound will benefit Christian music for many years come.

Rating:  

Leeland’s The Great Awakening, without reserve and with great creative clarity, will stir spirits to awaken out of spiritual slumber. Once again, the band’s lyrical prowess and fiery passion for God’s presence challenges the body of Christ to shine its light to the world. Each song, in its signature way, takes you on a journey, searching the heart while seeking a deeper understanding of God. This is especially evident in “All Over the Earth”; you can sense the band’s authentic response as God’s presence descended. The spontaneous praise on this track is reminiscent of worship leader Jason Upton and legendary songwriter Michael W. Smith. This anthem emanates the awe and majesty of our holy and powerful God. The spontaneity of worship is definitely an added bonus. The Great Awakening remains true to Leeland’s musical talent and leanings toward profound lyrics of great spiritual resolve. Unlike their past CDs, this one is Leeland’s coming-of-age story, one that will ignite the passion of the listener to be a part of God’s “great awakening”.

Rating:  

God’s Not Dead is the best Michael Tait-fronted newsboys album to date. The former dc Talk-er, who took over for Peter Furler back in 2009, helps make this new worship album one that inspires listeners to praise our very much alive, Almighty God. Notable vocals from Kevin Max, Tait’s former bandmate, and radio-friendly rhythms on “God’s Not Dead (Like a Lion)” and “I Am Second” will have you recalling dc Talk’s classic tunes. Matched well, as always, the Tait and Max collaborations are probably the closest to a dc Talk reunion we’re going to get. The album features originals (“The King is Coming”, “Here We Stand”) and remakes of familiar worship songs (“Revelation Song”, “Your Love Never Fails”). A in staple Christian music, newsboys retains its status as a worthy CCM favorite with this new project.- hannah goodwyn

Album Highlights: “The King is Coming”, “God’s Not Dead (Like a Lion)”, and “I Am Second”

Rating:  

Style: Minimalist, mellow anti-pop; compare to Cowboy Junkies, Mazzy Star, Low

Top tracks: “Oceans,” “Saint Timothy’s,” “The Scenery”

This San Francisco-based duo features Steve Beck’s effects-laden guitars and Julia Sea’s sparse, plaintive piano/organ and hushed, reverb-drenched vocals. Together they create haunting, stripped-down sound collages akin to ethereal lullabies for adults. The seven tracks on this EP were recorded in a church in a California desert town, and the moody, minimalist melodies certainly fit their origin. The lyrics walk spiritually vague/poetic paths, but lines such as “your light is washing over me” (“The Plan”) ask for closer listens.

Rating:  

Style: Traditional guitar-driven modern worship; compare to Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Hillsong

Top Tracks: “Chasing After Me,” “Hosanna”

As with most modern worship albums, meaningful, truthful message and vocal quality aren’t a problem on Canadian artist Jon Bauer’s Forevermore. However, critical hang-ups with this album and much of the genre involve a lack of overall artistry in the bigger picture of composition. Writing for a communal setting means producing easy-to-learn songs accessible to a wide group of people, but worship artists often underestimate congregational intelligence with choppy phrases, predictable progressions, and general repetition. Despite these flaws, the tracks on Forevermore will still appeal to many churches with its songs of comfort and salvation.

Rating:  

Style: Teen pop; compare to Britt Nicole, Rachael Lampa, Selena Gomez, Charice

Top tracks: “Even Here,” “You Must Love Me,” “Ready and Waiting”

The 16-year-old daughter of author/pastor/speaker Francis Chan is no stranger to the spotlight, and Go is a confident freshman effort thanks to mature vocals, fine pop production, and songs likely to connect with her peer group. She co-wrote (along with producer Dave Lubben) all ten tunes, which address typical teenage topics. Some of the tracks sound too adult contemporary for her intended audience, but there’s still enough musical and lyrical relevance to get her career off the ground.

Rating:  

Sounds like: Rousing folk-pop; compare to Neutral Milk Hotel, Broken Social Scene, The Pogues

Top tracks: “The Cost,” “Desert Soul,” “Alabaster”

Modern worship groups could take some cues from the Rend Collective Experiment. This 15 strong outfit from Ireland imbues its songs with a crackling spirit and a ramshackle folk-pop sound that often feels like it could fall off the rails at any moment. But on that tightrope they walk, and they glow with pure joy during even their most pensive moments. And rather than declaim a laundry list of woes that they’ve overcome through God’s grace, the band keeps proudly proclaiming how thrilling their rebirth has been. Once you get caught in the swell of their stomping, rollicking music, no doubt you’ll do the same.

Rating:  

Style: Worshipful indie-folk-rock; compare to Coldplay, Chris Tomlin, Mumford & Sons

Top tracks: “Come Find Me,” “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms/Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus,” “Oh My God”

The David Crowder Band’s final studio album opens with the words, “Give us rest / We’re all worn thin from all of this / At the end of our hope with nothing left / Oh great God, give us rest.” It’s an honest plea from a man who almost single-handedly redefined modern worship for the 21st century, which certainly was no easy task. But before stepping away from the microphone for good, Crowder showed exactly why he and his bandmates are in need of a rest, by creating an exhaustingly epic, double-disc album. (Read our extensive interview with Crowder here.)

It’s even got an epic title: Give Us Rest (a requiem mass in c [the happiest of all keys]). The album starts quietly, with gentle piano keys over atmospheric synths, but quickly turns to stadium-filling anthems that would inspire U2 or Sigur Ros. The energy levels rise and fall, each new crescendo more triumphant than the previous. And this goes on for a staggering thirty-four tracks. The overzealousness of Give Us Rest is comparable to watching all three Lord of the Rings films in one sitting. It’s epic, inspiring, breathtaking—and really, really long. As great as it is, there are times when you can’t help but wonder how much more is possible.

Not unlike Frodo Baggins’ tumultuous expedition, Crowder trudges through a lot of emotional and spiritual terrain on his last journey. He coos quietly with an acoustic guitar on “Why Me Lord?” but shouts his lungs out on “Oh My God.” Styles range from simple country ballads a la Johnny Cash to electronic-tinged rock-outs that Family Force 5 would love. But at the core of this album, it is pure worship.

It’s clear from the first track to last that Crowder is singing for and to God. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself singing these words from “Fall on Your Knees” at your next worship service: “He spoke and stars came out / He spoke and lightning flashed and thunder broke the quiet / He spoke and my heart, it burst to life / All this mystery divine / Fall on your knees / Forgiven and clean / Forgiven and free.”

The music doesn’t sound dissimilar to Passion, Chris Tomlin, or Hillsong, but the David Crowder Band has always stood separate from that pack of modern worship groups due to its eclecticism. Crowder himself is still a wild-eyed, crazy-haired Jesus freak, and his band can play anything from keytar or Theremin to scratching on turntables and even a Guitar Hero controller. And this imaginative use of instruments may be what fans miss most, even as they continue singing Crowder’s songs in church services for years to come.

Give Us Rest sounds exactly as a “final album” should. It is a Mount Everest of worship rock albums, never to be topped. For over a decade, David Crowder created some of the most creatively inspired worship music in the world, and now he deserves his rest.

Rating: