Music Review:

Adore: Christmas Songs of Worship by Chris Tomlin
****

This new live Christmas album was recorded at Ocean Way studios, a former church building, in Nashville, the same location that Tomlin recorded his first Christmas album Glory In The Highest: Christmas Songs Of Worship six years ago. Tomlin is one of my favorite artists, and consistently delivers quality worship songs. In fact, as this album releases he currently has the number Christian song in the country with “Good, Good Father”.

The album features several special guests, including Laura Daigle (who recently won the Dove Award for “New Artist of the Year”), Kristyn Getty, All Sons and Daughters and more. There are eleven songs included, a mixture of new, and traditional Christmas songs with Tomlin’s interpretation.

Below are a few brief thoughts about each song:

He Shall Reign Forevermore – This song was co-written with Matt Maher, who was unfortunately too ill to record it live with Tomlin, which is a shame. The song is still excellent and is the first single from the album. It has the sound and feeling of a traditional Tomlin worship song.

Adore – this worshipful song written by Graham Kendrick and Martin Chalk begins with a piano intro and builds into the chorus:

Adore, come let us adore
Adore, come let us adore Him!
The Lord, worship Christ the Lord
Let all that is within us
Adore

This would be a wonderful song for congregations to sing.

Midnight Clear (Love Song) – Tomlin takes the classic “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” and makes it a song of love to Jesus. He sings that Jesus is the love song of God.

Noel – This song features Laura Daigle on lead vocals and is written by Tomlin, Ed Cash and Matt Redman. Tomlin is known for sharing the spotlight with others, such as including Audrey Assad’s “Winter Snow” on his first Christmas album. This time he give Daigle the lead vocal opportunity.

Hymn of Joy – With Ed Cash, Tomlin adapts “”Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” and “O Come O Come Emmanuel” into this acoustic Christmas hymn of joy.

Silent Night – This song features more of the congregation’s vocals than Tomlin’s. Kristyn Getty reads the famous Christmas passage from Isaiah 9 in the middle of the song.

What Child is This? This song features All Sons & Daughters on lead vocals and is primarily driven by acoustic guitar. I liked when they sang acapella toward the end.

It’s Christmas – This is probably my favorite song on the album. Written by Tomlin and Ed Cash, it’s a fun, jazzy medley with finger snaps that brings in “Away in a Manager” and “Go Tell It on The Mountain”. I loved the horns toward the end of the song.

It’s Christmas!
The angels are singing
And I know the reason,
The Savior is born
 
It’s Christmas!
The bells are ringing
And I feel like shouting
Joy to the world!

A King Like This – Written by Tomlin, Jonas Myrin and Matt Redman, this is an intimate ballad of worship that builds to include congregational singing.

He is Christ the Lord
He is Christ My Savior
I bow my heart before
No other name
I bow my heart before
No other king

Bethlehem – Written with Ed Cash, this ballad builds into the chorus:

Bethlehem
Bethlehem
Behold Your beautiful Savior!
Fall down, worship Him
The King born in Bethlehem

A Christmas Alleluia – This song features Laura Daigle and Leslie Jordan and is a fitting closer. Written with Jonas Myrin, the song builds powerfully into a worshipful song about the coming of our Savior, who has the highest name of all.

This album, like Tomlin, is a wonderful gift to the church. Highly recommended.

• Winter Jam 2016. Watch the promo video and see the artists included. I’m most excited about Crowder, Trip Lee, KB and Tedashi. I may try to catch the March 20 date in Peoria. Check out all of the dates to see if there is one near you.
• Joy Has Dawned/Angels We Have Heard On High (Medley/Live). Watch this video of a song from the Getty’s new album Joy: An Irish Christmas LIVE.
• The Top 5 Lost Jon Foreman Songs. With the release of the final The Wonderlands EP, Mary Nikkel of New Release Today lists the top 5 Jon Foreman songs yet to be recorded.
• Andy Mineo on The Eric Metaxas Show. Andy Mineo appeared on The Eric Metaxas Show on October 28. You can listen to that episode on the show’s podcast.
• Tedashii: How I Went from Called-Out Chump to Christian Rapper. Read Tedashii’s testimony in Christianity Today.
• Praying for Rain. Don Henley recently filmed an episode of Austin City Limits in support of his chart-topping album Cass County. He was joined by guests Ashley Monroe, Martina McBride, Trisha Yearwood and Jamey Johnson among others.  Here he sings “Praying for Rain”.
• Watch U2 and Patti Smith Perform ‘People Have The Power’ Together in London. U2 and Patti Smith performed U2’s 1981 single “Gloria,” and Smith’s “People Have The Power,” off her 1988 album Dream Of Life. The band has been using the latter song as their walk-on music throughout the Innocence + Experience Tour.

Before Our Time by Jon Foreman

Our song of the week this week is Before Our Time by Jon Foreman from his excellent The Wonderlands: Dawn EP. Watch this live solo acoustic performance of the song.

January, February, March
The days are marching forward
April, May, June and July
They fly like a hummingbird

August, September, October
The year is almost over
November, December arrive
Now the year is gone

Time is illusion
Time is a curse
Time is all these things and worse
But our time is now
Our time is now

Oh Oh Oh Oh
Our time is now
Oh Oh Oh Oh
Let us sing before our time runs out

Time is illusion
Time is a curse
Time is all these things and worse
But our time is now

Oh Oh Oh Oh
Our time is now
Oh Oh Oh Oh
Let us sing before our time runs out