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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

All I Have is Christ: The Hymns of Jordan Kauflin
****

Jordan Kauflin is a worship pastor, and writes songs for churches to sing, primarily with Getty Music and Sovereign Grace Music. This album of ten songs, each of which Kauflin wrote, or co-write, was recorded at the 2025 Sing! Getty Worship Conference in Nashville, and was produced by Nathan Nockels. The album includes a number of special guests, including Laura Story, CityAlight, Kristyn Getty, Bob Kauflin, and Bryan Fowler. The album includes four new hymns and six favorites that are sung by churches around the world.
In my reviews I usually list my favorite songs on the album. I’m not going to do that this time as all of the songs are excellent – well written and performed.
Below are a few comments about each of the ten songs:

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  • More of this review and a review of Live from the Ryman by Wilder Woods
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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ “Say So” by Jordan Kauflin and Bryan Fowler

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Far Country – Ellie Holcomb
*** ½ 

Ellie Holcomb returns with her fourth full-length studio album Far Country, a solid follow-up to Canyon, one of my favorite albums of 2021. The new album features eleven new songs born from a season of profound grief and spiritual exploration. Holcomb co-wrote all of the songs. The album was produced and engineered by Cason Cooley and executive produced by Holcomb’s father Brown Bannister, and Samantha Steele.
The songs feature Holcomb’s strong and expressive vocals. The album contains themes of being made for a different place, there having to be more than this, light, love, hope, and the goodness and mercy for the Lord.

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  • More of this review
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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ It Really Is Amazing Grace by Phil Wickham and Crowder

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Andrew Peterson Presents: A Liturgy, a Legacy & The Songs of Rich Mullins – Various Artists
****

On September 24, 2017 a number of artists led by Andrew Peterson and Ben Shive gathered at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Rich Mullins. They performed a note-for-note concert of Mullins’  best album, A Liturgy, a Legacy, and a Ragamuffin Band, complete with strings, special guests, and an appreciative audience.
Peterson and friends followed a concert format that he has used over the years on his Behold The Lamb of God Christmas tour. The first half of the concert had each of the guest artists sing a Mullins song of their choice, with Peterson singing a few of his own choices in along the way.
The first half set list:

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  • More of this review and a review of Somebody Tried to Sell Me a Bridge by Van Morrison
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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Taste and See (The Love of Christ) by Bryan Fowler and Matt Maher

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Music Review:
50 Years from Home: I Gave You Everything I Had – Vince Gill
****

Vince Gill is celebrating five decades in the music industry, which includes twenty-two Grammy awards, including time with Pure Prairie League, and the Eagles since 2017. Over the next year, he will release a series of EPs called 50 Years from Home. The first of the EPs is I Gave You Everything I Had.
The new EP includes six new songs, which Gill has described as “very personal”, as well as a newly recorded version of “Go Rest High On That Mountain”, which features a new third verse. All songs were written by Gill, who also produced the project.
The songs feature Paul Franklin on pedal steel, Gill on guitar along with Tom Bukovac, Jedd Hughes and Jack Schneider, keyboardist John Jarvis, multi-instrumentalists Stuart Duncan and Jim “Moose” Brown, banjo player Russ Carson, with Gill’s wife of 25 years, Amy Grant, and daughters Jenny Gill and Corrina Gill singing background vocals. The songs were recorded at Gill’s The House studio.

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– More of this review
– Music News
– Song of the Week Lyrics~ Stand Firm by CityAlight and CXMMXNS Continue reading →


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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Life & Breath – Matt Redman

Life & Breath – Matt Redman
****

After releasing twenty albums, Matt Redman has done something he hadn’t previously done. Life & Breath, Redman’s latest album, was recorded as a “live studio” album in Nashville, allowing him to achieve the precision of a studio while still capturing the energy and breath of a live worship setting. The album was produced by Steve Marcia, includes nine new songs, and has collaborations with worship leaders Joe L Barnes, CalledOut Music, Charity Gayle, and the Lipscomb University Gospel Choir.
I’ve long enjoyed Redman’s music, and Life & Breath is a fine addition to his catalog. It will surely be on my list of favorite albums for 2025.
Redman co-wrote each of the songs. Here are a few brief comments and a key lyric from each of the new songs:

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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Rise With the Sun – CityAlight

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

The King is Still the King – Chris Tomlin
****

Chris Tomlin returns with The King is Still the King, his eighteenth studio album, and first since 2022’s Always, which featured the song “Holy Forever”. The new album features sixteen new recordings, including four emoji-titled interludes.
I’ve long enjoyed and been blessed by Tomlin’s music. This new praise and worship album is an excellent addition to his catalog and will surely be on my top albums for 2025.

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  • More of this review and a review of Wings (Deluxe Edition) – Wings
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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross by Keith & Kristyn Getty and Sandra McCracken

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

When I Think of Christmas – Amy Grant and Vince Gill
***

Amy Grant and Vince Gill’s annual Christmas at the Ryman is one of the most successful residencies in the history of Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium (former home of the Grand Ole Opry).
Since 1993, Grant and Gill have celebrated Christmas with hometown concerts. What began at the Opry House as “A Tennessee Christmas”, opened Bridgestone Arena, moved to the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, and finally took up residence at The Ryman Auditorium. They have now performed their Christmas show more than 100 times in front of nearly a quarter-million people. This new collection of songs captures the spirit of those shows.
When I Think of Christmas is a compilation featuring nine of Gill and Grant’s favorite holiday songs along with two brand-new recordings. The new songs are  including Grant’s version of the album’s title track and “Til the Season Comes Round Again,” a Grant/Gill duet, the song they end their Christmas concerts with.
The track list includes holiday favorites like “The Christmas Song”, “Winter Wonderland”, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, “O Come All Ye Faithful”, “O Holy Night” and more.

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  • More of this review and a review of Hallelujah! It’s Christmas by Phil Wickham and In Excelsis (EP) by Matt Redman
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  • Song of the Week Lyrics

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

I Heard the Bells (EP) – Sandra McCracken
****

This five-song project from Sandra McCracken was recorded at Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville, and produced by McCracken and Seth Talley. It features collaborations with other artists, including Dave Barnes, Cindy Morgan, and Joseph Bradshaw.
The songs have a gentle – acoustic guitar, bass, piano and drums – sound. Four of the songs are Christmas standards – “White Christmas”, “I Heard the Bells”, “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”, and “The Christmas Song”, and the final song is McCracken’s “The Space Between”, which she wrote with Cindy Morgan and Gabe Dixon.
I Heard the Bells will be an excellent addition to your Christmas music collection. Also recommended is McCracken’s 2019 Christmas album, titled simply Christmas.

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  • A review of Song of the Saints by Phil Wickham
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Rise With The Sun by CityAlight

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

The Still Point, Vol. II – Sandra McCracken and Ben Shive
****

Sandra McCracken (“We Will Feast in the House of Zion”) and Ben Shive (“Is He Worthy”) are back with a second The Still Point EP, featuring four new songs. Both are members of the Getty Music writing team. McCracken has said that the songs were born in quiet moments – piano, strings, stillness, and words to help the listener breathe. The songs were written to help the listener slow down and remember what matters most.
The songs were written by both artists, and the EP was produced by Shive. McCracken plays guitars and provides vocals, while Shive plays piano, arranges, and also provides vocals. This beautiful project is best enjoyed by sitting back and relaxing with headphones on.

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  • More of this review and a review of Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years (John’s Version) – John Fogerty
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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ The God We Love (Nicene Creed) by CityAlight, featuring Matt Redman

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS


Remembering Now – Van Morrison
*** ½

Remembering Now is the 79-year-old Van Morrison’s 47th studio album, his first of new music since 2022’s What’s It Gonna Take, and his best in many years. The album includes fourteen new songs of soul, jazz, blues, folk and country over sixty-eight minutes. Morrison’s voice is in fine shape on this album that has him singing love songs, looking back to his early years in Belfast, considering spiritual themes and a sense of wonder.
Morrison’s core band has been with him since the Three Chords and the Truth album in 2019. They are Richard Dunn (Hammond organ), Stuart McIlroy (piano), Pete Hurley (bass), and Colin Griffin (drums).  Fiachra Trench, whose history with Morrison goes back to 1989’s Avalon Sunset album, does the excellent string arrangements, performed by the Fews Ensemble led by Joanne Quigley. There are also horns, Seth Lakeman’s fiddle, and  gospel background vocals by Crawford Bell, Dana Masters, and others. Morrison provides lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitar, saxophone, and production.

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  • More of this review
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  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Christus Victor (Amen) by Bryan Fowler and Terrian

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