MARCUS CHEONG listens to Keith and Kristyn Getty’s latest album…
Keith and Kristyn Getty
Confessio – Irish-American Roots
In A Word: Folksy
“The power of the hymn is that it contains poetic lyrics, grounded in good doctrine that is instantly singable. Confessio captures this strength with an intimacy that brings the listener closer to both the melody and the meaning.”
Northern Irish duo, Keith and Kristyn Getty, have established themselves as celebrated modern-day hymn writers. Their latest album, Confessio, embraces their Irish background and fuses it with a dash of country music influence.
Confessio features a handful of new tunes and reinterpretations of some well known classics, which include In Christ Alone, When I Survey The Wondrous Cross, Amazing Grace, It is Well with My Soul and Be Thou My Vision. The repertoire is presented in the Getty’s signature style which is heartfelt, reflective and authentic.
New song Pass the Promise is upbeat, catchy and sure to be adopted by many worship teams around the world with its toe-tapping, anthemic rhythm. Embracing a collaborative approach to the album, the Getty’s have assembled a wide array of guest artists including Alison Krauss (In Christ Alone), Sandra McCracken (All My Heart Rejoices, Pass The Promise), Kirk Whalum and Dana Masters (Amazing Grace).
The first single from the album, It Is Well With My Soul, is particularly emotive with full choral backup and haunting strings in accompaniment of Kristyn’s vocals. The song is featured in the film, Sabina: Tortured for Christ, the Nazi Years, which shares the true story of Sabina (Oster) Wurmbrand and her husband Richard, founder of Voice of the Martyrs.
The album closes with a new take on their most influential hymn, In Christ Alone, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The now familiar hymn features the tender vocals of Alison Krauss accompanied by acoustic guitars, a folk song string section weaving a traditional Irish atmosphere that clearly signify the heritage of the authors.
The power of the hymn is that it contains poetic lyrics, grounded in good doctrine that is instantly singable. Confessio captures this strength with an intimacy that brings the listener closer to both the melody and the meaning.
