13th August, 2009

JUSTIN MICHAEL

Album:The Best Soul Survivor Worship Album...Ever!

Artist: Soul Survivor

Year: 2009
Label: Virgin/Emi/Kingsway
Web: www.missionworship.com

In A Word: Overwhelming

"More an inventory of great music than a well-constructed album, it'll be handy for all sorts of reasons including those 24-hour worship listening parties you're planning!"

I'm exhausted before I open the case - Redman, Hughes, Hillsong United, Smith, Houston, Prosch, Hall, Tomlin, Beeching, Reeves, Cash...and the list of renowned writers goes on.

The music? Well, what can you say? If you're into praise and worship tunes then you will know these tunes. To listen to the whole lot means you’re either a glutton for praise and worship music, have too much time or your hands and are possibly unemployed right now (though you're the kind that goes straight past the corner deli to the smorgasbord with the view singin' Happy Day while your mate is thinkin' Lord of the Dance, Let My Words Be Few and at the end of the meal you all gather to sing All Who Are Weary...and the list goes on).

No new recordings here, but there's plenty of great moments. I Can Only Imagine (CD 3), Shout Unto God (CD 1) or The Heart Of Worship (CD 2). In all there are 50 songs here, all of which prove a couple of things: 1) There is no shortage of great congregational songs out there these days; and 2) Soul Survivor, though not the most well known brand in Australia and NZ, have been more influential to church music culture than many of us realise.

For me though, it's too much music at once. For others, you could grab this one then add the rest of the series to your collection as well....yep, there's more three disc collections: Best Live Worship Songs Ever, Best New Worship Songs Ever and...well, you get the picture!

More an inventory of great music than a well-constructed album, it'll be handy for all sorts of reasons including those 24-hour worship listening parties you're planning!

PS: even putting a funky beat behind Lord I Lift Your Name On High doesn't make it more melodic. 'Nuff said.