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Mars Hill have released their Music Worship Sampler album which is a compilation of worship songs as an introduction to the bands that feature at the church.
Mars Hill Church, located in Seattle, is home to 35 worship bands such as Citizens, Kings Kaleidoscope, Ghost Ship & The Modern Post.
These bands feature on this sampler album and some have already been reviewed on LTTM in their own right. These bands have all reached top positions on the iTunes Christian & Gospel chart with previous EP releases, including The Modern Post's Grace Alone EP, which also reached the Top 10 on the...
Read More Mars Hill have released their Music Worship Sampler album which is a compilation of worship songs as an introduction to the bands that feature at the church.
Mars Hill Church, located in Seattle, is home to 35 worship bands such as Citizens, Kings Kaleidoscope, Ghost Ship & The Modern Post.
These bands feature on this sampler album and some have already been reviewed on LTTM in their own right. These bands have all reached top positions on the iTunes Christian & Gospel chart with previous EP releases, including The Modern Post's Grace Alone EP, which also reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and the Top 20 on the Billboard Christian Albums Chart.
A pounding beat, a driving guitar and a piano playing a quick riff opens the first track 'Nothing But The Blood'. This is a very unusual cover of the classic hymn. The vocals are edgy, the whole song is a little bit snazzy, and it's a version I have never heard anyone try to do before. But I love it! Musically there are guts to this one, and it's a great start from a great band called Citizens.
There is a massive change in musical style for 'Just As I Am, this time from Ghost Trip. What jumped out at me was how much this band sounded like The Arctic Monkeys, a great band to be compared to in my opinion. This song starts off as a chilled out indie number, and then out of nowhere it just bursts into life with the tempo going to another planet. There is so much energy oozing out of this song, it has such velocity and at the heart of the song it's all about The Lamb of God.
Seeing The Modern Post's 'Grace Alone' on this album was a nice surprise. I love the line "Father You love me still". This song has a bit of a Joy Division sound to it, and the bass sounds very unique - something you don't always hear these days.
If you're looking for a rock worship track in the style of bands like Kasabian, then look no further than Kenosis with 'What Wondrous Love Is This'. This is classic rock at it's best. This band like to turn their amps up to eleven and let the guitars do all the work. But what stood out for me was the drum beat, the sounds those drums make are out of this world. Again the quality lyrics match the quality musicianship.
The pace of the album slows down a little during 'In Tenderness', maybe not to ballad tempo, more like electro rock, the sort of thing you expect to hear from a modern electro punk rock band. We then move more towards a happy go lucky track called 'Oh! Great Is Our God', which is a little ditty that declares "We will sing Your praise... We will bless Your name, let everyone give thanks, because our God is Great".
The more the album progresses the more you get to hear of all the different band's styles that come out of Mars Hill. I was very surprised that so many strong bands came out of one church (and yes, I know it's a big church). But these are all bands that want to write songs that are good enough to be compared musically against the best rock bands in the world, and yet with lyrics that are all about God. Nothing is hidden lyrically and if anything the bands have tried to be creative in saying how great God is, without using the same old lines.
There are so many great original songs on this album, but the one that made me smile was the track 'What A Friend We Have In Jesus'. This well known song has some great orchestral sounds on it, even at times sounds a little bit funky. Brilliant work from The Sing Team.
Fifteen tracks is a lot of music from one sampler album, but with so much opportunity to find great music, this album is a must if you're looking for something a little bit indie rock. The track by Kin called All Creatures sounds like an Arcade Fire track. 'Lion of Judah' is Mumford & Sons folk rock done by Ramshackle Orchestra, and you will be stamping your feet to this one I'm sure.
This sampler album is pure quality, it's the kind of music I love. No holds barred indie rock that has guts and aggression. These bands are some of the best I have heard and I will definitely be going out to purchase their full albums, and I would highly recommend you checking them out as well.
Review by Jono Davies
LTTM Rating 5 Out of 5 Stars
Standout Track
Just As I Am
What A Wondrous Love Is
All Creatures
