Phatfish - In Jesus

So it's September. Where did August go? Posting has been a pretty rare event around here lately as Nicki has just moved to Northern Ireland and I've just started homeschooling, so spare time for us has been rare. I did manage to make it to the gym tonight though and was listening to In Jesus, the latest Phatfish album on my MP3 player.

As with their other recent albums the thing that stands out for me is the quality of the lyrics. There is hardly a word wasted, and all of them are theologically rich. One of my favourites on this album is No one like our God:

The Sun it torches the sky
A distant star bursts to life
Behind it all, there You are,
Sustaining
The raindrops water the earth
And then the harvest gives birth
Behind it all you remain,
Sustaining
Fall on your knees, there is no one like our God
Worship the Lord, King of Kings

This album definitely has a more rocky feel to it than their last and they have recruited a couple of extra guitarists, but I liked the sound. If you want to check out some samples to see if it is your cup of tea you can do that here. All I can say is that it made my workout session much more uplifting than it usually is! And they will even mail it to the USA...

There is a day

Maybe this is the end of a challenging week for you or maybe you just need a reminder of the hope we have in Christ. Anyway, watch this video of the song "There is a day" by the UK band Phatfish. It's just made my day!

For the Love of God

Recently we've been learning a couple of new songs at church written by Don Carson and set to music by Rob Smith. Lyrically, as well as musically, I thoroughly enjoyed both pieces and decided to buy for my husband (and friend) the CD for their respective birthdays.

Both my husband and I are thoroughly enjoying For the Love of God - New Songs for the People of God Volume Two. We especially appreciate Carson's lyrics which are theologically solid and saturated with Scripture. Moreover, the songs are particularly written for use in church and would certainly enhance any congregational worship in my estimation. So, if you, or your church music leaders are interested in learning a few new songs, full of meaning and easy for the congregation to sing to, this CD is well worth purchasing.

You can go here to order the CD and here to have a sneaky listen to first! Personally, my favourites are For the Love of God, Pour Out Your Grace, Astounding Grace & On that Wretched Day.

Guaranteed Good Music

I mentioned the other day that I got a few good presents for my birthday. Catriona (a.k.a fellow blogger) and the family blessed me with two fantastic pressies, one of them being the new Phatfish CD, just released this past August.

The album has been described as "energetic and tuneful, with Lou Fellingham’s vocal upfront and shining brightly. But it is also marked by a constant commitment to extolling great truths about God and the eternal destiny that he has secured for us."

You can get a free taster over at the Phatfish website here. I'd particularly recommend the songs Pouring Out and Rise Up.

Music to my Ears!

Last week it was my birthday. I received many good gifts, among them a couple of CD's and a new book. Colin purchased for us, ahem, I mean me, The Best of Stuart Townend Live! It's a 2 disc CD with all his well known songs, "See What a Morning", "Oh, to See the Dawn", "All My Days", "You're the Word of God the Father" and "O Church Arise," to name but a few. There are also some new gems such as "Lord, I'm Grateful", "We Have Sung our Songs" (How Long?) and "What Wonder of Grace."

If you are wanting the complete collection of Stuart's music then this CD is what you are looking for. If you are looking for hymns and songs, old and new, filled with meaning and truth, then this is for you.

In the Company of Angels II

I have enjoyed the music of Caedmon's Call for quite a while and at the end of last year I bought their latest worship CD, In the Company of Angels: The World will Sing. As with volume one of this series, the album features a mix of new worship songs and older hymns given a new lease of life with fresh tunes. Also, several songs are very Christ-focussed, which can be less obvious with some Christian music.

Several songs stand out for me including the new arrangements of "Draw me Nearer" by Fanny Crosby and "I Surrender All" by Judson W. Van De Venter. Another favourite is a song based on an ancient Chinese hymn text, "Sing His Love":

"Though the world may change its fashion
Yet our God is ever the same
His compassion and His covenant
Through all ages will remain"

It's a good CD for listening to in the kitchen or the car, or you could certainly use it to prompt private worship. Musically, there are no surprises, but that is partly why I like Caedmon's Call - you know what you will get, and it's usually pretty good!

"Between the Dreaming & the Coming True"

Today I want to break from our Wise Words for Women to recommend some more music to you! Christmas brought a few new CD's to the Adams' household, one being Bebo Norman's latest, Between the Dreaming & the Coming True. This might not sound like much of a recommendation when I mention that it is only in the last couple of weeks that it has featured in our car CD player!

The album is inspired primarily by themes of light vs. darkness and fear vs. hope. Bebo says: "You can't understand light until you understand darkness, because that is where life is often most lived...somewhere between the two. It's messy and it's beautiful, all at the same time."

These themes are expressed in such songs as "Into the Day" that speaks of the offering of hope in a new day; "Time Takes its Toll on Us" concentrates on finding beauty amid pain and "I Will Lift My Eyes" draws on Psalm 121, reminding us where our present help comes from. For me these are three of the best on the CD.

What makes this CD different from his others is that Bebo now finds himself married! Previous albums speak much of the loneliness he experienced as a single guy, where now we find a few love songs such as "The Way we Mend" with its gorgeous melody and lyrics which speak of keeping humility in marriage.

If you enjoy Caedemon's Call, Stephen Curtis Chapman or even Michael W Smith, you'll enjoy this similar style of music. My only critique, as with much contemporary music these days, is that Jesus yet again fails to be explicitly mentioned! There is no doubt that this is a Godward focussed album, it just never mentions the saviour by name. That aside, I still find myself hitting the play button.

"The Shadow of Your Wings"

Today I want to recommend a CD that I heard for the first time about a month or so ago on a women's weekend away. Yesterday, the CD became a part of my own music collection when Colin bought me it for Valentine's Day!

The Shadow of Your Wings: Hymns and Sacred Songs is the 11th album from Fernando Ortego, released last October. It is a mixture of hymns and new songs written by Fernando, beautifully arranged with merely a piano and at times accompanied by a chamber orchestra.

The CD can be described as pensive, reflective and definitely appropriate for the more mellowed listening ear. Much of the inspiration is taken from The Book of Common Prayer, specifically sequenced for quiet and reflective times. Fernando explains:

There is too little time for reflection in my life these days - too little meditation and quiet. As everything about our culture gets louder and more "in-your-face," my ability to concentrate on spiritual things feels thin and compromised. These songs were written in response to that dilemma.

My starting point was the Morning Mass from The Book of Common Prayer, a pronouncement of peace, prayers of contrition, the bending of the knee. These things bring me to a right perspective for worship.

From there the record turns to the Holy Trinity - the faithfulness of the Father, the wooing of the Holy Spirit, the sacrifice and supremacy of Christ.

I really enjoyed this CD and envision myself listening to it when needing some quiet background music. I can also see it aiding me in keeping a meditative focus on God in everyday life: when the dishes, the ironing, the dusting and cooking need doing!

Some of the hymns included are: 'All Creatures of our God and King', 'Great is Thy Faithfulness', 'Sing to Jesus and Saviour', 'Like a Shepherd Lead Us.' If you are open to listening to some of these classics set to new melodies then this CD is for you. Perhaps these renditions can't compete with the original tune which made some of these hymns great, however Fernando does bring a new and fresh appreciation of the words through his creative arrangements.

As for Fernando's new songs almost all of them are rooted in Scripture. The opening song is fittingly called 'Grace and Peace' based on 2 Thessalonians 1:2, followed by 'All Flesh Is Like the Grass' (Isaiah 40:6-8). 'Open My Lips' and 'Come, Let Us Worship' (Psalm 95:6-7) are two of the better compositions, though my personal favourite is 'Oh God, You Are My God' based on Psalm 63.

I hope you will take the opportunity to listen in on a few demos at Fernando's website here and if you enjoy it, you can buy it online or in any reputable Christian book store.

"Christmas Offerings"

Christmas Offerings is the latest instalment in the platinum-selling "Offerings" worship series from Third Day. It's a combination of well known Christmas hymns and new songs, written by the band, all distinctly reflecting the unique Third Day style.

On their website you can link to their mini-site, exclusively set up for this new album. There you can hear a taster of each of the songs on the album. I particularly like, "Jesus, Light of the World" and "Born in Bethlehem." Their renditions of "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "Silent Night" have been arranged well and bring a unique tune to these old favourites.

But let me leave you with a few words from the Band as found on the cover sleeve of the album:

"Just the word 'Christmas' can bring up so many feelings. For some, it is a time of family and peace. For others, it is a hectic time of shopping and traffic. It's a couple of weeks off from school. Maybe it's a time of sadness missing a family member who is no longer here. Regardless of our past experiences and current situations, we all long for a more significant Christmas. Our sincere hope is that this collection of music will help you to draw closer to your Father in Heaven who gave the ultimate Offering for all of us: the gift of His son Jesus."

Songs for the Cross Centred Life

A few weeks ago I recommended a book by C.J. Mahaney called Living the Cross Centered Life. Sovereign Grace Ministries have also produced a CD of songs to go with the book called Songs for the Cross Centered Life, and after reading the book I ordered it. It arrived after only a few days and I have played it many times since. It is great value as it has 15 tracks and all of them focus on the cross of Christ. The thing I love about the songs from Sovereign Grace is that there are no wasted words - all the lyrics are incredibly meaningful and based solidly on Scripture.

The music is also excellent, with interesting arrangements and a variety of styles. Also included are several older hymns set to new music, including a lovely version of Alas, And Did My Saviour Bleed, by Issac Watts. My personal favourite on the album is a song called Before the Cross. Every time I hear it, it brings a lump to my throat!

"Before the Cross I humbly bow
I place my trust in the Saviour;
Your finished work captures my gaze
You bore the wrath, I know the Grace."

I've been listening to this CD in the car and in the kitchen when I'm making dinner or unloading the dishwasher. I can't think of anything better to be reminded of throughout the day than what Christ has done for us on the cross.

You can listen to excerpts from the CD here and order it direct from Sovereign Grace here.

See the Morning

See The Morning is the new album from Chris Tomlin. The album title finds its inspiration in the truth that God's faithfulness is as certain as the dawn, no matter what comes our way. As with his previous album, Arriving, this album is sure to draw congregations and individuals into a time of worship with its easy to sing music. To listen to a preview of the album, visit Chris' website here. This album is available online at this site or in any good christian bookstore.

Savior: God Become Man

While it's just less that ten weeks to Christmas and we anticipate it's arrival, let's remember why we celebrate: The coming of Jesus. The eternal God become man. The infinite One taking on human form. The Holy One living with sinners. The Savior coming to bear our sins and bring us to God. This new CD about to be released by Sovereign Grace Ministries, Savior: Celebrating the Mystery of God Become Man, reminds us of this fact and celebrates this amazing truth.

"All of heaven and earth rejoices,
For the Lamb of God has come;
He has come to rescue sinners,
Come to meet our desperate need;
He was born to bring forgiveness,
Born for Calvary."

As I mentioned previously in my post about The Valley of Vision, this CD will no doubt also be a must buy, with it's gospel lyrics and high quality musical arrangements. It is well worth pre-ordering now. The titus2talkers are on the list to receive their copy of Savior, and we encourage you to download for free one of the new songs, preview other sample songs, and watch an interview with the songwriters here.

Tunes to Treasure!

If you're looking for some new tunes to listen to I'd like to recommend this album from Lou Fellingham called "Treasure" (and not just because my sidekick Cat bought me it for my birthday!) Lou is the lead singer of Phatfish and you can buy the album here. Some of the tracks include Hard Pressed, Build This House, Treasure, Before the Throne, Holy Ground, and I Will Say. Click on a song and see what you think ;)

The Valley of Vision

A must listen to CD for me at the moment is The Valley of Vision. This CD has been produced by Sovereign Grace Ministries, a ministry led by C.J. Mahaney, husband of Carolyn Mahaney who I mentioned in my previous post. The CD is a compilation of worship songs inspired by the classical book of Puritan prayers, The Valley of Vision.

Sovereign Grace Ministries describes these puritan men and women as "giants of the faith,"who "keenly felt their own weakness. They knew their own hearts, and they knew their God." This collection of songs introduces us to men like John Bunyan, Richard Baxter, David Brainerd, and Isaac Watts and are certainly an inspiration for personal prayer, meditation, confession, and rejoicing. If you would like to hear a clip of the CD and watch a Valley of Vision trailer click here. But here's a few words of inspiration from these 350 year old prayers themselves;

The Valley of Vision

Lord, High and Holy, Meek and Lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime starts can be seen from the deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty,
thy glory in my valley.