9th July, 2010
JUSTIN MICHAEL
Album: Awakening
Artist: Passion/Various
Year: 2010
Label: Sixsteps/Sparrow
In A Word: Heartening
Another year, another instalment from the musical collective that is Passion. This year there’s a couple of newbies added to the roster. Australia’s Hillsong United get a guernsey as does relative newbies Fee (Rise And Sing) and Kristian Stanfill (Say, Say).
Like German soccer, the album gives the impression that it’ll be a slow starter with it’s slow opening groove and low-fi sound. But in true Tomlin style we’re swept up into the perfect epic melody of Awakening that builds into a perfect en masse statement of faith. “Like the rising sun that shines, awake my soul”.
Stand outs include, as always, the obligatory David Crowder Band epic tune. This time it’s How He Loves. It’s big, it’s affirming and it’s all good. There’s the soul stirring vocal of Christy Nockels on Healing Is In Your Hands, the new school Tomlin vibe of Fee including the 'woh-oh' call and crowd response thang with the hooky chorus on Rise And Sing.
The Brits get a look in when Matt Redman brings You Alone Can Rescue which has the classic sense of scripture turned to song. "Who, O Lord could save themselves / their own soul could hear / our shame was deeper than the sea / Your grace is deeper still / you alone can rescue, you alone can save...”
But, for this Aussie reviewer, the completely unbiased highlight is Hillsong United’s closer, the 8:39 epic With Everything. Just one of those amazing refrains that says everything so simply "With everything / we will shout for Your glory / With Everything / we will shout forth Your praise". It’s has a message, a 'woo-oh' and It’s worth turning up and savouring.
There’s a couple of album fillers here, but if you’re a fan you won’t be disappointed and if this is your first foray into the Passion albums, there’s plenty here to get your ears hooked on.
Once again a brilliant live recording that carries a great sense of ‘being there’ with the crew at the Awakening conference.
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