My Current Favorite Worship CD

I own probably over 800 CDs, most of them produced by Christian artists, and many of them in the "worship" genre. As a piano/synth/organ player in church and elsewhere, I feel a responsibility to try to keep up to speed on what's happening in contemporary Western worship music.

I'm opinionated about music. I'm cynical about CCM lyrics that sound like they've been pumped out of an RCCG ("Random Chrisitanese Cliche Generator"), about vocals that aren't believable, about instrumentation and chord progressions that are uncreative, about production that strips the life out of a performance, and so on.

All that to introduce my current favorite worship CD: "O For That Day" by Enfield. Enfield was the house band for the Resolved conference I attended last week.

Most of the songs on the album deal with heaven: our desire for it, our impending experience of it, and so on. A theme lacking in most CCM.

The lyrics are fresh and meaningful, the musicians play with skill, the production is undistracting, the vocals are believable and facilitate worship. I had a chance to chat with some of the guys in the band while at the conference, and clicked with them. Unpretentious, upbeat, real. I'm looking forward to featuring music from this album in a forthcoming episode of our podcast.

I highly, highly recommend this album. I'm pointed toward heaven because of it.

Comments

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1. Matt from DC said the following at 9:02 AM on Jun 23:

This is the second time I've heard about this conference in a week. I think I'm going to download the messages and buy the CD. Thanks for the tip Ted.

Here's the link to their website: http://www.resolved.org

A friend recommended that the sessions be listened to sequentially as they build on one another.

Come Lord Jesus.

2. Melissa S. said the following at 11:49 AM on Jun 23:

I'm listening to the CD right now. My favorites are "O For That Day", "Finally Home", and "Here Am I". I really like how the words follow a thought pattern, like hymns do. They don't just play the same chorus 25 times. :)

3. Claire said the following at 3:05 PM on Jun 23:

Who would you say are some of your favorites of all time? Say Top 10 or 20?

4. Bek said the following at 3:24 PM on Jun 23:

What are 'believable' vocals? I don't think I've heard that phrase before!

5. Ted Slater said the following at 5:29 PM on Jun 23:

Bek -- great question! Sometimes when someone is singing a song, their intonation gives the sense that they're more into performing the song than in really engaging what they're saying. The lyrics may be saying one thing, but the emotion in the voice is saying something quite different, for example. Those times, I don't believe the artist really means what they're saying, and it feels somehow phony.

But sometimes the artist sounds like they really mean the words they're singing. When the lyrics are joyful, and the vocalist sounds that way, there's no incongruity. When the lyrics are pensive or yearning, and the vocalists sounds that way, I think the vocals are "believable."

I am so tempted to name names, but I'll hold back. :-)

Claire -- that's a great question, too. I'll get back with you on that one.

6. James said the following at 6:54 PM on Jun 23:

If we're talking CCM artists that are actually expressing themselves instead of generating songs out of the "christian-ized" candy-pop-song generator, I ran across another good band called Tenth Avenue North. They have some VERY soul-stirring stuff that is the stuff of prayers that we can only give to God in feelings. I'm not much for modern CCM stuff (good worship music, I do love) and when it comes to normal listening I tend to drift towards good brass-filled classical and (on the other end of the spectrum) symphonic and progressive metal. So, when I say a CCM band captured my attention, I mean it.

I'll also give Enfield a try. Because sometimes the best way to pray to God is to hear (and pray in agreement with...important there) a good heart-felt prayer to God put to good music.

7. Dorene said the following at 8:56 PM on Jun 23:

Thanks for the recommendation. It's nice to know what other people are listening to ... I heard a few clips and it does sound refreshing...I'm not a musician but as a worshiper you do connect when you hear something that is real. Like Claire I'd luv to know what your top 10/20 are... Cheers

8. Rachael said the following at 12:03 AM on Jun 24:

Thanks for mentioning this band. I just bought a few of the songs from the CD on iTunes. I wouldn't mind casual talk about desiring heaven pop up more often. A great hope lies ahead...Romans 8:23 says: "Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."

9. Denisha said the following at 2:15 PM on Jun 24:

Wow, that seems pretty cool. Lately I been trying to listen to more "Christian" music than secular.As much as I enjoy singing and worship to God when I'm driving down the road, its kinda hard for me to listen to some of the songs.

Some of the worships songs on the radio are boring and dull, you easily place a "him" or "her" in the place of God's name.

I do want to listen to bold Christian music that doesn't sound like secular music.(blah rock music)

Any ideas? :(

10. Athena said the following at 7:26 PM on Jun 26:

In response to Denisha from #9:

It depends on what you mean by "bold Christian music." I'm loving Zelos! That is still my favorite band that's featured on the Boundless Show so far. Probably because they have a different sound than the regular Christian tunes on the radio.

Yes it will also be cool to have CCM on the radio containing more thoughtful lyrics. While liking or disliking any melody can be subjective, it's definitely the lyrics drawn from God's word that makes a "great" vs a "generic" kinda Christian song. Actually, for me it's that powerful combination between melody and biblical lyrics.

11. a sister said the following at 4:46 PM on Jun 29:

well maybe I'll get that -- heaven and the cross are my most productive subjects for meditation. thanks for the recommendation. do you have any fav songs on the CD & are any of them available for download?