19th August, 2010

JUSTIN MICHAEL

Album: Hope For Today Worship, Volume 2

Artist:  Lakewood Church

Year: 2008
Label: Indie/Joel Osteen Ministries

In A Word: Neat

If you’re an Osteen fan you already own this album, if you have no idea what an Osteen fan is you still may have a case to own this album. No, Joel and Victoria don’t sing on this one, this seems to be more like a companion disc to the rest of church's output.

Writers like Chris Tomlin, Israel Houghton (This Is His Church), Peter Furler, Steve Taylor and even Bill and Gloria get a gig on this one (that’s Gaither for the uninitiated).

It’s slick, well-produced modern church tunes led by voices that are very familiar these days in Cindy Ratcliff and Israel Houghton. Don’t let the ‘slick’ thing worry you though - it’s just the kind of thing the US does well, very accessible, poppy and yes, even honest!

Hope For Today Worship is like a great mix tape (remember them?) with songs that are gathered from across the decades and genre’s like the Newsboys anthem,  He Reigns, the Tomlin/Houghton penned I Know Who I Am, and the Eighties every-service-staple He Is Lord as well as the Seventies movement-defining Because He Lives.  There’s also a cover of So Great, taken from my favourite praise and worship album of recent years, Compassionart. Add to that a touch of Hillsong United as the anthemic closer with The Enemy’s Been Defeated/Shout Unto God and you’ve got a very neat disc indeed.