Review

Last year there was one single worship album that defined excellence in the Alternative Worship genre. That album was “The Well” recorded live at the Vineyard in Langley, Canada. With zero marketing, this “indie” recording sold hundreds of units via positive word-of-mouth and a few supportive web-stores who knew a good thing when they heard it. If you thought that this was the best thing that Langley Vineyard had to offer, you were wrong.

The proof is W2, the second, and far superior, set of live worship from two totally new worship bands. From the opening vibe of the first song’s prayer for God to “stir us up tonight” using vocal samples, a guitar loop and drum kit groove, you know that this is a recording that doesn’t just pick up where the first one ended, it builds a completely new and fresh foundation for some of the best worship music you’ll hear this year.

Chris Janzen kicks off the disc with his infectious “Raise It Up” and it’s like nothing you’ve ever heard Chris do before. Powerful, hooky and sparkling with exuberant joy, this is the best Chris has ever offered up. When he shouts, “I can hear the sound of angels singing/ Heaven’s gates are opening wide/ And I’m lifted up/ Could it be the sound of revival coming/ Could that be the sound of fire falling/ Could it be that Jesus is calling us home”, you’ll want to jump up from wherever you are bounce along with chorus with every word.

The Wildings serve up the next track with their unique blend of alt-country that is part Vigilantes of Love, part Sixteen Horsepower, and part Burn Service all woven into a single anthem of love for Christ. Heard most recently on VMG’s excellent “Believe” project, these two young brothers have already published some great worship songs such as “Great God” which is also re-done here in its original form. Their song “River Runs” is a simple, but finely crafted worship song that declares “I fall on my knees/ When You wash over me/ Your love is an ocean/ Of waves that come pounding at my door/ And I know it’s true/ That you love me too/ And you pour it out/ And you pour it out/ I run to the Well..”

What makes this recording especially phenomenal is that it doesn’t come from a major label, it wasn’t recorded using an army of elite studio musicians, it wasn’t subjected to endless overdubs and it wasn’t created with the marketing departments stamp of approval. Yet, this is easily equal to, if not better than, most of what is produced by the “big guys” in this industry.

What does make this recording so exceptional is the raw passion of the worshippers, the songs that are written in the quiet prayer closet, and the rare whiff of sincerity in each of the worship leaders vocals. Those are things that money can’t buy, and it’s one of the things that makes this recording so appealing, so endearing and so refreshing. Even though this reviewer can’t wait to hear the next set of worship songs from Flood and Mel Thiessen (from last year’s Well), W2 is certainly more than anyone could hope for when it comes to authentic worship that is from the youth, to the youth and for the Glory of God.

Review by Keith Giles