STYLE: Pop RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 155065-23279 LABEL: Maranatha! Music 0738597233326 FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1 RELEASE DATE: 2015-03-09 RRP: £7.98
Reviewed by Ian Whitwood
This is the follow-up album to 'BridgeCity', which introduced us to this community of songwriters and musicians from Oregon's Portland City Bible Church. That particular fellowship hosted the 'Generation Unleashed' project on which lead vocalist and executive producer Jeremy Scott played a leading role. On 'Christ Be Glorified''s opening track "Light A Fire" Jeremy invites God to "come and burn all that's dead in me/Your presence is all I want" as a pounding drum beat and edgy rock guitars set the tone. The album's theme is summed up in the title track with acoustic guitar and subtle drumbeats underlying the crystal clear singing of Adam Smucker. Every track is of a high quality thanks to the work of producer Brandon Bee and a team of two dozen musicians and vocalists. The songs range from successful interpretations of gospel classics, "The Old Rugged Cross (I Am Free)" and "Nothing But The Blood" and synthesizer-enhanced anthems, "Face To Face" and "Awaken Hearts", to the contemporary styled "God You Are Good", with acoustic guitars accompanying Adam's tribute to a good God, which increases momentum with the bridge, "Even the stars tell of how great You are." The song's folky feel is reminiscent of Rend Collective. On the final track "Oh The Blood" Jeremy sings, "I offer this life, these hands I raise/Take all I am, I give it all/It's all for you" which underlines the sense of abandoned adoration which permeates the whole project.
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