Kees Kraayenoord - Speak The Words
Artist:
Title:
Speak The Words
Type:
Album
Released:
05 Dec 2010 (US), 07 Mar 2011 (UK)
LTTM Rating:
Your Rating:
Review
With an ever growing number of worship leaders releasing worship albums, it takes a lot for a new album to stand out from the ever expanding crowd. Step up the mark Kees Kraayenoord (pronounced Case Cray-Nord) from Holland, who has been crafting his songwriting skills for over eight years at his local church. He now releases a 16 track worship album called Best of Kees Kraayenoord - Speak The Words.
Kees released his first studio album Broken back in 2005, the album was recorded in Switzerland and reached number one in the Dutch praise charts. Kees goes on to explain about...
Read More With an ever growing number of worship leaders releasing worship albums, it takes a lot for a new album to stand out from the ever expanding crowd. Step up the mark Kees Kraayenoord (pronounced Case Cray-Nord) from Holland, who has been crafting his songwriting skills for over eight years at his local church. He now releases a 16 track worship album called Best of Kees Kraayenoord - Speak The Words.
Kees released his first studio album Broken back in 2005, the album was recorded in Switzerland and reached number one in the Dutch praise charts. Kees goes on to explain about Broken, "Worship is not about getting over your brokenness so you can be close to God, but rather getting close to God even in your brokenness". 2006 was the release of Kees first dutch language album which made a major impact in Holland, the album was Kees' attempt at modernising old hymns and Psalms for worshippers to use in their personal times of worship, bringing together old and new.
The releases kept coming and 2007 saw the release of a Christmas album, also sung in Dutch, then in 2008 Letting Go got it's publication with 13 worship songs produced by Henk Pool. Kees drafted in the help of some talented songwriters in Graham Kendrick, Noel Richards, Chris Eaton and Aaron Keyes to help add some variation on the album.
Kees hasn't just released album after album, he has crafted his skills at leading worship and in the last few years the songwriter has shared stages or opened for Michael W Smith, Delirious?, Tim Hughes and Third Day.
Speak The Words draws from Kees previous six albums, and it's clear to see why this Best Of had to be released. Firstly, what stands out throughout the album is the strong songwriting skills of this talented worship leader, each of the sixteen tracks vary with wonderful catchy melodies, Kees knows how to arrange and construct a good song. Secondly, the voice this man has is truly beautiful, strong enough to hold it's own in the slower worshipful songs like Help me Lord and God Of The Moon and Stars, yet Kees can give it some wellie in the uplifting worship songs like Jesus, More.
It would be very easy and obvious for me to put Kees Kraayenoord in the same style box as worship leaders Tim Hughes and Chris Tomlin, and I wouldn't be far wrong in doing that, yet for me, the style of songwriting is more like Matt Redman. Kees has a slightly more catchier pop feel to his songwriting style, this comes through in Back To You and the brilliant For The Letting Go.
As the album is 16 tracks long, it would take me a while to individually talk about each song, but some of the standout tracks for me are the powerful Glory To Glory a very catchy worship song with an interesting and memorable melody. Another standout is the album finisher, which is a traditional sounding song, God Be In Everything has a stunning orchestral concept, this shows another, different side to what Kees can do.
I was a little worried when I saw this album, 16 tracks is a lot of music from one person, yet I found myself listening to the album without skipping tracks, this shows to me that the songs on this album kept me interested and there was enough variation in styles between songs. Kees Kraayenoord is one person to look out for in the next few years, but until then, grab hold of this best of as a big taster of this talented songwriter from Holland.
Review by Jono Davies
LTTM Rating 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Standout Tracks
Glory To Glory
For The Letting Go
God Will Send His Angels Articles
Dutch worship leader, songwriter and speaker Kees Kraayenoord has grown to become one of Holland's leading voices within the church. Last year he released a best-of album drawing songs from his seven albums, featuring…
