MARCUS CHEONG listens to Australian singer/songwriter Rachel Collis’ third studio album…
Rachel Collis
To The Least Of These
2019
In A Word: Intimate
“This album is an intimate expression of Rachel’s life and faith. That makes To the Least of These a sound worth hearing more of.”
The third album from Australian singer/songwriter Rachel Collis takes inspiration from her childhood idol, Amy Grant, to fuse her faith with poetic lyrics and soaring melodies.
The album opens with the title song To the Least of These, a passionate expression for social justice paired with an authentic faith. The tracks continue to tackle topics that range from love, loneliness and the fragility of life but all through the lens of a belief in God.
The lyrics focus on Rachel’s personal experiences and the message of faith is woven in with subtlety and poetic allusion. This creates a sound that can be appreciated by wide range of audiences, no matter what their faith may be as the topics that are tackled are universal.
As a classically trained pianist and vocalist, Rachel brings a high level of skill and technique the vocals and compositions. She is accompanied by a band that compliments the clarity of her voice with a contemporary pop/rock sound. Some tracks feature strong percussive beats and guitars driving the rhythm. Other tracks feature Rachel’s signature piano accompaniment with strings swelling in the background.
Highlights of the album include the rousing but tender Speak to Me, the vulnerable All I Really Need is You and the haunting Undivided. There are moments of quiet beauty on this album and others of rousing inspiration. This album is an intimate expression of Rachel’s life and faith. That makes To the Least of These a sound worth hearing more of.
