26th October, 2006

JUSTIN MICHAEL   

Artist: Chris Tomlin
Album: See the Morning

Label: Sparrow/Sixsteps

Enhanced content: No

In A Word: Arrived

"This is one of those albums where most people could sing the key melodies back at you after one spin - sometimes after half a spin!"

The writer of congregational music is a unique person for reasons that become obvious if one is a regular at a church with a band. He or she must write lyrics that capture grand reflections of the divine as well as deep theological teachings and give encouragement to the saints. The lyric must be bedded in palatable music that most people can attempt with some confidence of getting it right, even with only three chords up their amateur sleeves.

This is not an easy task simply because it is too easy to end up with a copycat effort that isn’t as good as the favourites people are used to hearing - a result which means the songs are never adopted by the wider church. Tomlin, I believe it is safe to say, is loved like Redman, Hughes, Zschech and Morgan by the wider church. His songs are everywhere.

Tomlin is the whole package. He is a master of melody and song structure, and seems to stick very stubbornly to the ‘simple is beautiful’ ethos of a great pop song writer. This is one of those albums where most people could sing the key melodies back at you after one spin - sometimes after half a spin! Anyone who has heard the new radio hit, Made To Worship, could probably hum it right now after reading the title.

Tomlin - the winner of nine Dove Awards including Artist of the Year in 2005 for his 2004 release Arriving - now finds himself releasing it’s follow up, See the Morning, while the debut is still holding strongly in the top 10 selling CCM albums. He has  achieved gold record status for Arriving and is part of the Passion movement led by Louie Giglio. In January 2006, Passion recorded the album Everything Glorious where a lot of these songs were road-tested - including the Chris Tomlin/Matt Redman co-authored Glorious. This glory theme continues through songs like Glory in the Highest, a powerful, epic melody that will stay with you just as How Great is Our God and Indescribable did after you heard Arriving for the first time.

I have spun this record many times now, and find it a listen that inspires every time. With the beautiful reflection on the nature of God in Uncreated One and the inspiring, and some would say fearless, version of Amazing Grace (including a new chorus written by Tomlin and Louie Giglio), Tomlin once again shows that this music is from a heart that is inspired to sing praise and to inspire others to the same.

In the liner notes of See the Morning, Tomlin writes: "There is something about the morning that awakens the God who never sleeps nor slumbers. Yes, something about the dawn that causes our God to ‘Arise’ all through our history. In the scripture we find that God lives the morning. He loves meeting His people and displaying His glory and greatness in the morning". He goes on to deliver a mini bible study and back this statement up.

See the Morning will indeed continue to see Tomlin’s star rise, but one gets the feeling that was never the intention for him personally. And therein lies the brilliance of it all. It seems that in God’s economy, we receive the greatest return when we have the least personal agenda. Tomlin has the equation down pat.

Justin Michael can be heard weekday mornings on Geelong-based radio station 96.3 - www.rhemafm.org.au.