17th August, 2007

JUSTIN MICHAEL

Album: Saviour King : Albertine
Artist: Hillsong : Brooke Fraser
Year: 2007 : 2007
Label: Hillsong : Sony
Enhanced: No : No

In a word: Campfire-worthy : Insightful

Ok, so here’s two albums. One of which you most probably already own and the other one you may have missed and deserves a listen.

Hillsong's new one, Saviour King, is once again a collection of songs distinctly Hillsong and beautifully singable. The stable of writers has expanded again to the point that one Darlene Zschech contributes to only one song. This is one of Hillsong's great strengths and is certainly a major reason this church is able to release albums that capture the wider church each and every year.

The only reason to review this album is to suggest to the few who haven’t heard it that there are songs like the anthemic Saviour King and To Know Your Name to be discovered. There is the folk-like Brooke Fraser-penned gem, Lord of Lords, the soul stirring In Your Freedom and the hook-laden Break Free.

Saviour King is an album of well-crafted congregational songs that are surprisingly simple to play on your guitar and on your iPod; the kind of tunes that will be sung around camp fires for years to come - that’s if we were allowed to have campfires anymore!

The second album is Brooke Fraser's sophomore release on the Sony label titled Albertine. It features the radio hit Deciphering Me and the recently released opening cut, Shadowfeet.

Simply put, I find Fraser's voice to be one that intrigues and captures. Combine these vocals with a set of equally intriguing lyrics and you’ve got yourself a great listen.

Albertine is somehow not quite as engaging as the debut What To Do With Daylight, but it was always going to be hard to follow up such an awarded set of songs.

Highlights to turn up on Albertine are Deciphering Me, the C.S. Lewis Song (borrowing phrases from the great writer and giving them a melody), the insightful Hosea’s Wife and, as good a closing track as ever was recorded, the simply titled Hymn.