Review

One of the challenges you face when you're the writer of some of the most sung songs in churches all over the world is to keep it going. Chris Tomlin continues to show he's still got his finger on the pulse of today's worship. Even after all the accolades showered on him after his last album, "Arriving", he has come back strong with "See the Morning".

Before writing this piece I took an internet walk back through some of Chris' earlier work. "Famous One", "Be Glorified", "We Fall Down", "How Great is Our God", "Mighty Is the Power of the Cross", "Enough", and on, and on, and on. His body of work is so amazing, so prolific. What is it that God has given him to be able to create songs that resonate with us so? Well Lord, I just bless what You're doing in Chris' life and just pray for more!

I honestly didn't care too much for the album when I first put it on. But that's normal for me. I usually start off listening to a new CD in my car on my way to work (I know you find it hard to believe that I don't make my living full time giving my opinion of the music you're considering ?). So, I put the CD on, and wend my way through traffic. And sometimes the first few songs are just background noise for me. But I was at a red light when track 5, "Glory in the Highest" came on. Nice, soothing piano to begin... and his words were just so perfect. He took a timeless truth, that God is the Alpha and the Omega, and sings it like this:

"You are the first, You go before,
You are the last, Lord, You're the encore".

Well put. The song builds to a crescendo, singing the title of the song, and I find myself vamping off the vocals, asking more out of my voice than I can deliver, thankful I'm in the car.

"Awesome Is the Lord Most High" follows, and it is straight ahead rock and it has the feel of another across the board anthem for the church. But wait, so will the next song, "Glorious", be.

When I finally made it back to the top of the CD, I was feeling it a little more. Producer Ed Cash collaborated with Tomlin on quite a few of the songs, and he guides the album very well. It pushes for awhile, then calms down a bit.

The review for Worshipmusic.com of Tomlin's "Arriving" album noted that a lot of the songs would be making it in to the church's worship rotation. It's almost unbelievable that he would do it again, but he has. And the thing is, if you don't pick this album up to learn a few new classics, you'll just be hearing them at the next church you visit. So, might as well stay ahead of the curve!

Review by John Ausmus