What’s a bit of hyperbole among friends?
For 10 years, a collection of Christian labels has compiled contemporary Christian hits and issued discs under the “WOW” title. To mark the effort’s 10th anniversary, the group has released “WOW #1s,” a two-disc set containing “31 of the Greatest Christian Music Hits Ever.”
The discs are, indeed, loaded with great music — with tracks ranging from the incomparable “Awesome God,” by Rich Mullins, to the tremendous “Redeemer,” by Nicole C. Mullen. Many of the best artists on the contemporary scene are represented by their biggest hits.
And, of course, the discs are very contemporary. Only five of the songs were written more than 10 years ago, and a huge percentage are from the last five years. So, don’t go looking for “Amazing Grace,” “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” or other centuries-old tunes that would be included in a disc that actually delved into the “greatest Christian music hits ever.”
As is the case with most “WOW” compilations, there’s a mix of styles that really don’t mix. Those who really enjoy the syrupy “Butterfly Kisses,” by Bob Carlisle, are likely to be freaked out by dc Talk’s edgy “Jesus Freak.” So, while there’s certainly something for you on the discs, there also something that’s likely to turn you off.
One interesting track is “In Christ Along,” which was originally recorded by Michael English. The song has been rerecorded by Brian Littrell — making his Christian debut after gaining fame as a Backstreet Boy. The ballad also will appear on his CD, which is scheduled to be released in the fall.
The disc is a solid introduction to contemporary Christian music but, if you’ve been following the genre closely, you probably have many of the songs on other CDs.
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Australia has had an immense impact on Christian music over the last 10 years and one of the major contributors to that trend has been Hillsong Church in Sydney.
The Hillsong worship team, which includes the gifted Darlene Zschech, has given us “Shout to the Lord” and other great worship songs.
Now, it offers the live discs “United: Look to You” and “UP: Unified Praise,” a live collaboration with Delirious?
“UP” offers some excellent music, such as the modern worship standards “Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble?”, “Everyday” and “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever.”
However, it suffers from uneven pacing, some major lulls and a bit of an echo. The concert before 20,000 people at the Sydney SuperDome must have been wonderful, but any sense of excitement or awe eludes this recording.
“Look to You” offers a dozen new praise songs, capped by “Awesome God.” The production values are much better, almost giving the listener the sense of being at the concert. However, none of the songs stand out. Many are somewhat repetitive — a common complaint about youth-oriented praise music.
Combined, the discs offer a glimpse of the modern worship movement but neither really captures its depth.
Today’s Praise is a roundup of news and reviews from the contemporary Christian music industry. It appears on the Religion page.
