ALBUM TITLE: Jesus at the Centre ARTIST: Israel & New Breed BEST TRACK/S: Jesus at the Centre, It’s Not Over (When God Is In It), Your Presence is Heaven, Jesus the Same, No Turning Back, Rez Power, More Than Enough OVERALL RATING: 5/5
From the very first listen, one easily gets the feeling that “Jesus at the Centre,” the first release from gospel worship act Israel Houghton and New Breed in five years, is no ordinary project. From the worshipful opening strains of The Intro, in which Houghton and a few members of New Breed sing, “From my heart to the heavens, Jesus be the center, it’s all about You,” then read the Colossians 1:25-20, to the closing lines of More and More, where the congregation sings, We want You more and more, this release is clearly about one thing and one thing only: the complete, total, and unequivocal worship of Jesus Christ.
Houghton and New Breed have always been excellent at producing praise and worship music that raises the roof in glorification of God, and on the double-CD Jesus at the Centre, they take their praise to a whole new level. Song-wise, this may be Houghton & New Breed’s best-written work to date. Take, for instance, Jesus the Same. The song starts off with horns and synths, which is why when Houghton launches straight into the chorus right away and the music cuts off, such that it’s just the congregation that claps and sings in unison, it’s just an unexpected, breathtaking moment. Jesus the Same is indicative of what the project seeks to showcase: total worship. Faithful powerful wonderful Jesus is beautiful, merciful, supernatural, highly mighty, worth, gracious, patient generous… you get the idea.
Jesus at the Centre is chock-full of tremendous praise songs. The unusually titled Rez Power – short for resurrection power, natch – is topnotch, as is the funk-alicious Aaron Lindsey-led No Turning Back, with its bass line that will not quit. The group turns up the Latin flavor with Te Amo, featuring Christian rapper T-Bone, then ups the ante even more with More Than Enough featuring Onaje Jefferson and Krystle Harper. Houghton & New Breed’s vocal firepower is virtually unequaled in modern gospel music, and with the quality of these six songs in a row, well, Houghton and crew don’t blow the roof off the stadium, they blast it off like an explosive fireball.
After the power of these songs, well, the worshipful ballads that follow are like a balm to the spirit and soothing to the soul. Of these, the highlights are clearly the title track, Your Presence is Heaven, and More and More, which re-opens the spirit to the natural inclination to worship. The three medleys that follow More and More are beautifully made. I particularly appreciate the medley of To Make You Feel My Love, written by Bob Dylan, and Name of Love, penned by Houghton, Aaron Lindsey, and Tommy Sims, which is particularly inspired.
The beauty of the lyrics of these songs is scriptural yet accessible, which makes for a quality worship experience. I Call You Jesus, for example, contains Healer, Mender, Master, Savior, Lover, Giver, Name above all names, Ruler, Redeemer, Risen Conqueror, Jesus,, in the verse alone! The chorus of Your Presence is Heaven reads, Treasure of my heart and of my soul, in my weakness, You are merciful, Redeemer of my past and present wrongs, holder of my future days to come.
The highlight of the entire album, however, is the Lindsey-led It’s Not Over (When God is In It). I confess that I was not in a good place emotionally speaking when I listened to this album, and most of the songs uplifted my soul. When I got to It’s Not Over (When God is In It), and the razor-sharp harmonies of New Breed repeated So look to the sky, Help is on the way, our God is faithful, He’s faithful to save, heading into When God is in it, there’s no limit, When God is in it, it’s not over, It’s not over ’til God says so, so I’ll count it all joy, You make all things new…, well, I broke down in tears so badly that I had to pull my car over to compose myself. It’s been a while since I heard a song that spoke so clearly to me with the voice of God, and for this alone, I will always be grateful for this album.
Israel Houghton & New Breed kept us waiting for five years, but the wait was well worth it. With 21 songs on this album, almost two hours worth of music, and a DVD that captures the energy and passion of the men and women of Israel & New Breed, Jesus at the Centre is a topnotch worship album that is arguably the best of the group’s long and storied career. Musically, lyrically, vocally, production-wise, Jesus at the Centre is probably the closest to a worship experience in Heaven as I’ve ever experienced to date.
Picture credits here, here, and here. Disclosure: A review copy of the 2-CD and the DVD was provided for review by House of Praise.
It’s a third week at number one for Forever JONES on my personal top 10 with Hold Me Still, fending off pretty solid debuts by Israel Houghton and New Breed and Group 1 Crew.
This week on Billboard’s Top Christian Songs chart, Matt Redman’s 10000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) spends a seventh non-consecutive week at number one, fending off Tenth Avenue North’s Losing, which swaps places with tobyMac’s Me Without You, 3-2. New to the Top 10 is Big Daddy Weave’s Redeemed, which moves up 11-7; Sidewalk Prophets’ Live Like That slips again out of the Top 10. Hotshot Debut honors go to Sanctus Real’s Promises – oddly enough, #81 on the Hot 100, ahead of Redman, tobyMac, and a host of other acts – and Greatest Gainer honors go to MercyMe’s You Are I Am, which leaps up half the chart, 44-25.
Of course, the big news is tobyMac’s number one debut on the Billboard 200 with Eye on It. It’s the first Christian number one album since Leann Rimes’ You Light Up My Life in 1997.
Contemporary Christian singer/songwriter Britt Nicole has released Stand as the follow-up to the top three hit, All This Time, from her third release, Gold. The message of Stand is encouraging and powerful; the bridge in particular is clearly scriptural: on Your promise, I will stand, all other ground is sinking stand. Musically, Stand is catchy, but vocally, it’s more challenging than anything Britt has released to date, especially with all the belting at the end of the song. I can see why Britt would have wanted this released, even thought it wasn’t a stand-out track for me, and from the response on Christian CHR – most added, most increased airplay – it may very well be Britt’s latest number one hit.
STAND Lyrics
Britt Nicole
I wake up to another day
I don’t know if I can face
All the fears, that is tearing me down
Yea, I’m trying to be brave
But I’m afraid, about to fade
I wanna stand but I don’t know how
I look up and all I see is Your love holding me
When I feel like giving up
When my heart is hurt too much
Feels like I’ve reached the end
No, I won’t turn and run
This battle will be won
When I’ve done all I can
I stand stand stand
I stand stand stand
Some days I lose my place
It’s a fight to keep my faith
But You are with me, I am not alone, no
But all around my work is late
Toss like an ocean wave
You are my rock and the storm clouds blow
I look up and all I see is Your love holding me
When I feel like giving up
When my heart is hurt too much
Feels like I’ve reached the end
No, I won’t turn and run
This battle will be won
When I’ve done all I can
I stand stand stand
I stand stand stand
On Your promise, I will stand
Oh look the ground is sinking sand
On Your promise, I will stand
Oh look the ground is sinking sand
Sinking sand oh who woooh
It’s sinking sinking, yea ye
When I feel like giving up
When my heart is hurt too much
Feels like I’ve reached the end
No, I won’t turn and run
This battle will be won, yea yea
So I’ll stand stand stand
I stand stand
Fresh off its number one hit, He Said featuring Chris August, Contemporary Christian duo Group 1 Crew has released His Kind of Love off its new album Fearless (out in digital and CD formats on September 10). The radio singles that Group 1 Crew has released thus far have both been very radio-friendly, leaning certainly more towards pop-rock than the hiphop R&B that the group used to create back when it was a threesome with Pablo Villatoro. And as much as I hate myself for saying this, I rather like G1C’s new sound. (and wish Villatoro all the best.)
Now His Kind of Love is all kinds of hot. I didn’t think that Manwell could sing that well – and August still kinda shines above him in He Said but his vocals are crisp and clear. Of course, we’ve all known that Blanca can sing the phone book, so together, this is a pretty collaboration that should do well on Christian CHR and AC – a top 10 hit certainly, another number one not out of the question. Good job, you two!
HIS KIND OF LOVE Lyrics
Group 1 Crew
There are no words, no phrase I could create
There is no melody that I could make
How do you sing about the love so deep
Without feeling like you missed something
I could try but I could not explain
His kind of love (His kind of love)
Is reckless for us
His kind of love is will never give up
‘Til the whole world knows how far He went to show
His kind of love
His kind of love
His kind of love
His kind of love
Tell me what kind of God would choose to save
The bruised, the broken, the sinners, the runaways
How do you ever try to comprehend this love that knows no limit
I could try but I could not explain
His kind of love (His kind of love)
Is reckless for us
His kind of love is will never give up
‘Til the whole world knows how far He went to show
His kind of love
His kind of love
His kind of love
His kind of love
This is our God
He is strong and His mercy is our song
He won’t stop chasing us
That’s just His kind of love
His kind of love
His kind of love
His kind of love (His kind of love)
Is reckless for us
His kind of love is will never give up
‘Til the whole world knows how far He went to show
His kind of love
His kind of love
His kind of love, His kind of love
His kind of love, His kind of love
This is our God, He is strong and His mercy is our song
His kind of love, His kind of love
Contemporary Christian supergroup Newsboys follows up the Top 2 hit God’s Not Dead (Living Like a Lion) with the equally catching Your Love Never Fails. Honestly, while I miss Peter Furler, I am liking the Michael Tait-led Newsboys. There’s something about the vibrancy of Tait’s voice that adds an unmistakable passion to the group that, while not unpresent in the Furler-led Newsboys, kinda took a back seat to the slick pop-rock gloss for which Furler’s songwriting was most appropriate. Things are looking bright for Tait and company.
YOUR LOVE NEVER FAILS Lyrics
Newsboys
Nothing can separate
Even if I run away
Your love never fails
I know I still make mistakes
You have new mercy for me everyday
Cause Your love never fails
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Your love never fails
The wind is strong and the water’s deep
But I’m not alone here in these open seas
Cause Your love never fails
The chasm is far too wide
I never thought I’d reach the other side
But Your love never fails
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Your love never fails
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Your love never fails
Contemporary Christian singer/songwriter Christy Nockels has released Sing Along as her new single for Christian Soft AC/Inspo, and so far, the song is doing well. It’s one of the top five most added-songs at Christian Soft AC; it is also registers one of the top five highest increases in airplay, so altogether, great things to be in store for Ms Nockels’ new single, lifted off both Passion’s White Flag release and her own Into the Glorious.
SING ALONG Lyrics
Christy Nockels
From babies hidden in the shadows
To the cities shining bright
There are captives weeping far from sight
For every doorway there’s a story
And some are holding back the cry
But there is One who hears us in the night
Great God
Wrap Your arms around the world tonight
Around the world tonight
And when You hear our cry
Sing through the night
So we can join in Your song
And sing along
Yeah
We’ll sing along
For the farthest corners of the earth
Still His mercy reaches
Even to the pain we cannot see
And even through the darkness
There’s a promise that will keep us
There is One who came to set us free
Great God
Wrap Your arms around the world tonight
Around the world tonight
And when You hear our cry
Sing through the night
So we can join in Your song
And sing along
Yeah
We’ll sing along
Great God
Wrap Your arms around the world tonight
Around the world tonight
And when You hear our cry
Sing through the night
So we can join in Your song
And sing along
Yeah
We’ll sing along
So let Your song rise
And fill up the earth
And let Your hope ring out
Let Your heart be heard
So let Your song rise
And fill up the earth
And let Your hope ring out
Let Your heart be heard
Great God
Wrap Your arms around the world tonight
Around the world tonight
And when You hear our cry
Sing through the night
So we can join in Your song
And sing along
Yeah
We’ll sing along
Forever JONES earns a second week at number one on my personal top 10 with Hold Me Still, fending off a spirited jump by Luminate’s Banner of Love. Andrew Peterson debuts at number ten with the acoustic ditty Rest Easy.
K-Pop supergroup Super Junior slips to number two with Spy. Who replaces them at number one? Psy, of course! Gangnam Style lives up to its K-Pop royalty standards.
After losing the number one spot to tobyMac’s Me Without You, Matt Redman’s 10000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) returns to number one for a sixth non-consecutive week. To add insult to injury – at least for any artist vying with Redman for number one – the single scores Greatest Gainer honors for the week. With its solemn verses and straightforward melodic chorus, Redman’s new single has been called the Amazing Grace of this generation, and is a strong contender for single of the year. No new singles in the Top 10; Aaron Shust’s We Are Free debuts at number 31 to earn Hotshot Debut honors. Watch all videos after the jump.
Contemporary Christian singer/songwriter Aaron Shust has released the anthemic We Are Free as the third single off his album This is What We Believe. I like the encouraging nature of the song and the memorable chorus; the singalong quality of this song’s central choruses affirms Shust’s status as one of Contemporary Christian Music’s most viable and consistent songwriters. Great song.
WE ARE FREE Lyrics
Aaron Shust
We are more than conquerors
We don’t have to be afraid
Nothing is as powerful
As His love
Oh the way He gave His son
To give life to everyone
Not a thing can separate us
From His love
It’s the life and the hope that He brings
His forgiveness that leads us to sing
We are free to love
Like our God has loved
We are free to give like he gave
We are free from sin
We are free to begin
To forgive as he forgave
We are free
We are living evidence
He restores our innocence
Jesus stands in our defense
All for love
It’s the grace and the peace that He brings
His forgiveness that leads us to sing
We are free to love
Like our God has loved
We are free to give like He gave
We are free from sin
We are free to begin
To forgive as He forgave
We are free
Nothing can separate us
Nothing can separate us, Lord
Nothing can ever take us from You
Nothing can separate us
Nothing can separate us, Lord
Nothing can ever take us from You
From you
We are free to love
Like our God has loved
We are free to give like He gave
We are free from sin
We are free to begin
To forgive as He forgave
We are free
We are free
Contemporary Christian vocal group Phillips, Craig and Dean have released Great I Am, the first single off its new album, Breathe In. The song is rapidly picking up at Christian AC and Soft AC/Inspo, thanks to its inspired harmonies and memorable melody. After coming from Fearless, one of the group’s most successful albums of all time, it is God’s favor that the new single is earning raves.
GREAT I AM Lyrics
Phillips Craig and Dean
I want to be close, close to Your side
So Heaven is real and death is a lie
I want to hear voices of angels above
Singing as one
Hallelujah, holy, holy
God Almighty, the great I am
Who is worthy, none beside Thee
God Almighty, the great I am
I want to be near, near to Your heart
Loving the world and hating the dark
I want to see dry bones living again
Singing as one
Hallelujah, holy, holy
God Almighty, the great I am
Who is worthy, none beside Thee
God Almighty, the great I am
The mountains shake before You the demons run in fear
At the mention of the name King of Majesty
There is no power in hell
Or any who can stand
Before the power and the presence of the great I AM
Hallelujah, holy, holy
God Almighty, the great I am
Who is worthy, none beside Thee
God Almighty, the great I am
Contemporary Christian singer/songwriter Andrew Peterson has released Rest Easy, the carrier single of his new album, Light for the Lost Boy. Peterson co-wrote Rest Easy coming from his own personal faith journey with his wife Jamie, when they were in a particular season of difficulty. He says here that he wrote the song for her, as a reminder that we can rest on Jesus in the middle of the mess, that He loves us, but clearly, he wrote it as an exhortation for people who might be struggling to know that God knows them and loves them.
I’ve gone through the songs of Light for the Lost Boy in preparation for a review, and the quality of this album astounds me. Rest Easy, with its light acoustic vibe and radio-friendly hook, is deceptively simple yet remarkably profound, and gives us a little more insight into the faith workings of one of Contemporary Christian music’s more talented yet under-appreciated singer-songwriters. Look at this chorus:
You don’t have to work so hard
You can rest easy
You don’t have to prove yourself
You’re already mine
You don’t have to hide your heart
I already love you
I hold it in mine
You can rest easy
How can one person capture in such simple words the otherwise unfathomable love of God? It’s the promise of the gospel, and Peterson manages to communicate it in language that anyone can understand. That gifting should propel him to greater heights in the Contemporary Christian music community. Rest Easy is a timely reminder for a world that is hurting, and you would do well to give it a listen.
REST EASY Lyrics
Andrew Peterson
You are not alone
I will always be with you
Even to the end
You don’t have to work so hard
You can rest easy
You don’t have to prove yourself
You’re already mine
You don’t have to hide your heart
I already love you
I hold it in mine
So you can rest easy
Do not be afraid
Nothing, nothing in the world
Can come between us now
You don’t have to work so hard
You can rest easy
You don’t have to prove yourself
You’re already mine
You don’t have to hide your heart
I already love you
I hold it in mine
So you can rest easy
You work so hard to wear yourself down
And you’re running like a rodeo clown
You’re smiling like you’re scared to death
You’re out of faith and all out of breath
You’re so afraid you’ve got nowhere left to go
Well, you are not alone
I will always be with you
You don’t have to work so hard
You can rest easy
You don’t have to prove yourself
You’re already mine
You don’t have to hide your heart
I already love you
I hold it in mine
You can rest easy
Come and join Filipino Contemporary-Christian singer Acel and several worship leaders from across Metro Manila invite you to Hello to Heaven, a special night of worship, on September 14 at the Victory Greenhills Center, Level R4 (fourth level), V-Mall, Greenhills Commercial Center.
Acel, who is best known for being the former lead vocalist of Moonstar88, will be joined by fellow recording artists Yeng Constantino, Barbie Almalbis, and Emmanuel Vera, as well as worship artists Adriel Dulin, Charles Bautista, Jam Capistrano, Lee Brown, Mitchell Santiago, and Yan Asuncion.
Tickets sell for Php200 and are for the benefit of Right Start, an organization that exists to better the lives of Filipino children. For inquiries, call 0920-8505465 or email hello@acelmusic.com. Special thanks to BMI Music, House of Praise, Saved Radio, Lee Cooper, and Mansion Printing Center.
Calling all Filipino parents! This is one event we cannot miss!
From September 1 to 2, the Philippine Pediatric Society will hold the Total Family Health Care Expo. This event is envisioned to serve as a venue for the PPS to gather families and communities and to guide them in the best ways to nurture the Filipino child. It will showcase products that cater to the needs of children and will feature ideas, insights, and activities that promote a healthy and balanced lifestyle for the whole family.
September 1 will feature the following specialized talks:
Breastfeeding Basics
Swimming as a Sport for Life
Life is Better When You Surf
Healthy Cooking Demo
Dealing with Picky Eaters
Raising an Early Reader
Sing and Sway: Music for Language Stimulation
Healthy Eating for Kids
Skin and Allergies in Children
September 2 will feature the following talks:
Pediatric Eye Exam Pearls
Primer for Pediatric Dental Care
Protect Your Child from the Sun
Sports and Fitness
Bone Health
Yoga: Why It’s Good to Start Young
Lifestyle Management
Urinary Screening
When to Worry about Fever and Rash
Teenage Pregnancy on the Rise
As a parent, these talks (and access to products and services that will help Caths and me become better parents) are truly godsends! :) For more information, visit the Philippine Pediatric Society’s website or like the event on Facebook. You may also call 926-6758, email ppsincl945@yahoo.com, or follow the PPS on Twitter.
From the very first listen, one easily gets the feeling that “Jesus at the Centre,” the first release from gospel worship act Israel Houghton and New Breed in five years, is no ordinary project. From the worshipful opening strains of The Intro, in which Houghton and a few members of New Breed sing, “From my heart to the heavens, Jesus be the center, it’s all about You,” then read the Colossians 1:25-20, to the closing lines of More and More, where the congregation sings, We want You more and more, this release is clearly about one thing and one thing only: the complete, total, and unequivocal worship of Jesus Christ.
After the power of these songs, well, the worshipful ballads that follow are like a balm to the spirit and soothing to the soul. Of these, the highlights are clearly the title track, Your Presence is Heaven, and More and More, which re-opens the spirit to the natural inclination to worship. The three medleys that follow More and More are beautifully made. I particularly appreciate the medley of To Make You Feel My Love, written by Bob Dylan, and Name of Love, penned by Houghton, Aaron Lindsey, and Tommy Sims, which is particularly inspired.
