Review

In these days, worship albums are presented in a great array of musical diversity. And so it should be, that our multifaceted Creator God, receives worship representative of the diverse humanity he created.

The Parachute Band’s latest release, “Amazing,” reflects the creative nature of God through a range of styles and thoughtful studio work. Tight vocals are presented over hard driving beats, some R&B and a number of simple quiet ballads. The project was mixed in Nashville by Bryan Lenox, (Michael W. Smith, Sonic Flood and DC Talk). It shows. “Amazing” is this New Zealand band’s fourth album. They have experienced success in their homeland and have become recognized internationally as a true worshiping band. Their live performances are, unapologetically, worshipful expressions. Lead singer Libby Huirua explains that “Worship, first and foremost, is about God and about Him feeling loved, adored, and honored. This is what we want to do when we play live. Our heart is that people would meet with God in a worship time and that change would be affected in their lives. I love to see people responding to God in that atmosphere of worship, and seeing them open up to Him. His touch on their lives is like watching a miracle take place before you. It's an amazing thing to be involved in.'

This deep commitment to a real relationship with a supernatural God permeates their latest recording. There are the simple, deeply worshipful and singable songs like Complete, which expresses a complete dependence on God’s interaction in a life. This is followed by Shepherd, which will paint the 23 Psalm on the canvas of your mind as you follow its dynamic movement. The most fun moment of the album for me is Shepherd (intro) into the gospel / hip-hop tune Sovereign. The song fills you with the hope and assurance that all is possible through the power of God in a life devoted to Jesus. Another real cool thing about this group is the organization they are an extension of: Parachute Music. It’s a charitable trust working in the New Zealand music industry to bring the heart of worship into the “business” of Christian music. A website worth visiting: parachutemusic.com, has samples and download sheet music of this album, and others too. This is a group worth paying for, because they’re not just good musicians and lyricists, but they seem to know what it means to worship in spirit and truth.

Reviewed by Greg Dille