Chris Tomlin, Steven Curtis Chapman - Arriving
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Free Music Notes for Arriving
Free Music Review: Very moving, pure and simple worship music
Hit: 5 Stars
I am not an evangelical, and I have not listened to very much contemporary Christian music. I am Catholic, and I was raised with the idea that proper worship music is J.S. Bach on a big church organ. Frankly, what I have heard within the Catholic Church of efforts to bring guitars into church instead of organs has largely repulsed me; the quality of the music has usually been low, and it seems to be part and parcel of the whole liberal attack on the traditions of the Faith. And I should also add that as a Catholic, I was always raised with the idea that evangelicals in general are illiterates who know nothing about theology or larger culture.
In this context, Chris Tomlin's music has been a revelation to me. The musical style is clearly contemporary. He uses the ordinary instruments of a soft rock band. What makes the music electrifying is its power, directness and passion. Virtually every song on this album is like a clear mountain spring. I find it hard to say which of the songs I like best. "Mighty is the Power of the Cross" is perhaps my favorite. Very simple, very powerful. And while I have not done an analysis of the theology involved, I heard nothing that in any way troubled me as a question of doctrine. On the contrary, other than the absence of any worship of the Virgin or the saints, Tomlin's understanding of the Faith seemed very orthodox to me.
I think that Tomlin's music could be a very powerful instrument in the ecumenical movement for Christian unity. When I hear the power of this music, I could care less about the theological differences between evangelicals and the Church; it just fills me with a sense of the joy and majesty of our common faith.
Free Music Review: Chris Tomlin's finest album to date
Hit: 5 Stars
Time and again in both his solo career and with his time with Passion, Chris Tomlin has shown a knack for good songwriting and inspired vocals. This particular album "Arriving" displays the best of both. This album features three songs that are among the most commonly performed songs in churches today ("Indescribable", "Holy is the Lord", and "How Great is Our God"). In addition to lending his clear, strong tenor voice to these outstanding songs, Chris Tomlin is credited as the writer or co-writer for all of the songs on this album with one exception ("Indescribable").
In addition to the fantastic first three songs, the rest of the album contains a few other very memorable songs as well. Outside the first three, my favorites are "Your Grace is Enough", "The Way I Was Made", "All Bow Down", and "On Our Side". In particular, I've become particularly attached to "The Way I Was Made". In many ways, this has become an anthem for my life. For my money, the depth of this album is what distinguishes "Arriving" from his other two studio albums that came out before and after it, "Not To Us" and "See the Morning", respectively (please note that this review was written after "Hello Love" came out but before this reviewer listened to the album).
So here's my final take on this album. "Arriving" has several inspired, very singable songs that makes this a praise and worship classic. If you like "Not To Us" and/or "See the Morning", you'll probably like this one as well. In fact, it is currently my second favorite Christian album, only behind the eponymous album by Sonicflood. "Arriving" is another testament to the vocal and lyrical talent of Chris Tomlin.
Free Music Review: all things well
Hit: 5 Stars
When people complain about the shallowness of all modern worship music, they haven't heard Chris Tomlin. The singer has mastered Christian doxology that achieves true praise - the adoration of God rather than the introspection of self while one worships - by wedding language impregnated with biblical vocabulary to singable melody.
The 'worship wars' among which such achievements take their place suggest that Tomlin's is no small accomplishment.
ARRIVING focuses on the Lord's glory and its saturation of a world often too dim to understand that it's been filled. But not all are sightless:
'But rising up all around
Is the anthem of the Lord's renown
Together we sing
Let everyone sing:
Holy is the Lord God Almighty
The earth is filled with his glory'
Even with his focus on the Lord, Tomlin is able to express life here below, lived in the company of this Intimate Stranger:
'You have my heart and I am yours forever
You are my strength, God of grace and power
With everything you hold in your hand
Still you make time for me, I can't understand
Praise you God of earth and sky
How beautiful is your unfailing love
And you never change, God,
You remain the Holy One
And my Unfailing Love'
This is brilliant song-writing, rooted deep in biblical faith, understated in the performance arts, contagious to those with a penchant for singing along. ARRIVING could be a university curriculum for the How To Write a Song that People Can Actually Sing major. May its graduates multiply.
Free Music Review: Possibly the Best Worship Album of All Time
Hit: 5 Stars
If you look at the title of this review, you may think I'm joking. I'm not. Arriving might well be the best worship album ever made. The only albums that I can think of in this genre that even come close to this one are Illuminate, by The David Crowder Band, Beautiful News, by Matt Redman, Hiding Place, by Selah, and Not to Us, by Tomlin himself. Every song on this disk is amazing and has a powerful message to it. Not only that, but the mixing, producing, and sound quality of the album are excellent as well. Tomlin has become one of todays' best singer songwriters in my opinion, and what he has crafted here will and should go down in history. His love for The Lord is immediately evident on the first three tracks of the album, "Indescribable", "Holy is the Lord", and "How Great is Our God". These three tracks stand out and are easily accessable by anyone. They have become staple songs in my church's worship services. However, my personal favorites are "Mighty is the Power of the Cross", which just shows the beauty of Christ's sacrifice for us, and the best song "Unfailing Love" with Steven Curtis Chapman. This track just shows us how much He loves us and through his sacrifice is willing to do anything for us. Pure beauty. If you are a lover of God, and a lover of standout Worship music, don't miss Arriving, by Chris Tomlin.Free Music Review: Great music, songs with a scriptural basis, total worship
Hit: 5 Stars
I just want to add a one point that you might not I find in other reviews: that most of Chris Tomlin's songs are solidly scripturally based. Read through the book of Psalms and you'll find a lot of lines from Chris' lyrics. I don't want to listen to songs filled with pop psychology, the health and wealth Gospel, or someone's warped theology. If you are going to be walking around singing tunes in your head, let it come from the source of all truth - scripture.
Make no mistake about it - this is a worship CD and we sing many of these songs in my church, but there is also a lot of variety here. There is direct worship (How Great is our God, Holy is the Lord, King of Glory), humility (Your grace is enough, Unfailing Love), introspection (The way I was made), fantastic homages to Christ on the cross (Mighty is the Power of the Cross) and God as creator (Indescribable, You do all things well). One more point - the music is so good, it sometimes is distracting - I sometimes need to make a special effort to let the words sink in.
I highly recommend Arriving as well as Chris' latest, See the Morning.