Reviewed by Stephen Luff

Few would argue that Matt Redman deserves his place near the very top of the modern worship tree and this, his first album for Integrity Music, demonstrates that he still has the ability to pen new songs which are memorable and well worth incorporating into the repertoires of thousands of churches. Recorded live at Free Chapel in California with a congregation of over a thousand people, Matt was joined by Brandon Lake of Bethel Music on a new electric pop anthem "We Praise You". There is also a bonus Spanish/English version of the same song with Evan Croft. There are other memorial moments such as the opener "The Same Jesus", released as a single before the album. Not all the songs register as strongly and I doubt whether we'll be hearing "Hymn Of Surrender" and "In The Name Of Jesus" in too many churches in the months and years to come. But having said that, 'Let There Be Wonder' avoids the trap of sounding like countless other live worship recordings still flooding the marketplace, and that's largely due to the strength of Matt's songwriting and some skilful arranging and production. There are no musical surprises here, but nevertheless, the album is another demonstration of a worship leader and songwriter making good use of the platform God has given him.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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