Review

Unshakeable is the soundtrack for a revolt against apathy, the battle cry for a generation of believers and music for a new revolution of worship, according to the liner notes enclosed with the CD. One listen to “Unshakeable” and you’ll know that they’re not kidding. In fact, by the time I heard the third song I knew that this CD was something that every worshipper who considers themselves “young” or “young at heart” sincerely needed to hear. Why? Not because of the rockin’ songs, even though there’s no shortage of them on this disc. Not because of the exceptional talent displayed on these songs, even though the level of artistry is about as high as I’ve seen in years, and not because of the production, even though you’d have a very, very hard time finding anything on the shelves that could match the seamless, dynamic and professional mix of these songs. But, simply because “Unshakeable” delivers on the promise above.

This is music for a new generation of worshippers. There are no pretenders on this disc. None. Standout tracks are “I Wanna Be Clean” by Nick Gonzales of the band Salvador, “The Wonderful Cross” by Ron Luce and Brad Olson of The Waiting, and “History Maker” by the band Plumb. However, there’s really not a bad song to be found. The opening track “Holy Moment” by Superchic[k] is a rare blend of hooky guitars, glossy vocals and infectious grooves, followed by the edgy-but-fun “Fill Me” from Jeff Deyo which segues perfectly into the tender “I Wanna Be Clean” and it never disappoints from start to finish.

As a reviewer, I’ve listened to far too many “Gen X” worship CD’s in my time. There have been many that were “pretty good” but fell short in one area or another, or were simply re-recordings of great songs you’d already heard one too many times before, and so I couldn’t really recommend them. Still others were pre-packaged attempts by a record company hoping to cash in on the “Gen X Worship” trend of late. However, “Unshakeable” is far and above the rest of the pack. Not only is this a great “Gen X” worship CD, it’s a CD that I will personally be listening to years from now. It’s a CD that I will make a point to share with my friends and recommend to my family members.

I’ve often boasted to friends that I can tell the difference between a CD that has been produced in Nashville and one produced by a California studio. Now, I was born in Tennessee, and I live in California, so I’ve got no real bias towards one place or the other, mind you. Typically, the Nashville-based companies tend to prefer slick, polished and perfectly produced songs, whereas the California-based companies lean more to the “less-is-more” side of things and enjoy a more transparent production that allows the organic nature and vibe of the song to filter through. I’m happy to admit that this CD has made a fool of me. Every track was produced and recorded at a Nashville studio, but my ears never caught a thing. Even though production is state-of-the-art, it never gets in the way of the true heart of the recording. A hard thing to do, let me assure you. Evidenced by the fact that it so seldom occurs.

Yes, there are some re-recordings of great songs found here, and yes, there are some new songs on “Unshakeable” that you’ll hear for the very first time, but taken as a whole, there isn’t a better CD that I’ve reviewed this entire year to date. What more do you need to know?

Review by Keith Giles