July 6, 2010
EMI Christian Music Group; $14.98; CD
The 19th release by Hillsong Live, A Beautiful Exchange captures 12 new songs recorded live in November 2009 at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. Hillsong Church’s worship teams have certainly crafted an exceptional sound during their years of service, but what is remarkable is their constant growth musically, and the freshness that comes across in their songs.
There are representatives from the different strands of Hillsong bands here, with Reuben Morgan, Joel Houston, Darlene Zschech and more leading thousands of worshipers through a focused set of worship numbers. The title of the album tells you what it is all about—how God has reversed the terrible exchange of Romans chapter 1 with the beautiful exchange of Jesus for our sins.
The album opens with two suitably energetic, anthemic songs, “Our God Is Love” and “Open My Eyes,” both of which are in line with the work of the Hillsong United team. Third on the bill, and the lead single of the album, is “Forever Reign,” which is a highlight of the collection.
Reuben Morgan sums it up well: “So often I feel like I come to God, and I’ve got nothing,” he states. “But when I feel like there is no good in me, no joy in me, no peace, He is peace, He is joy, He is our salvation. I love that confession. I love singing the chorus of ‘Forever Reign’ with both hands raised: ‘Running to Your arms / The riches of Your love will always be enough.’ It’s been humbling to see how the church has taken a hold of this song.”
One of the hallmarks of Hillsong’s compositions is the originality of their melodies and musicianship, and how they simultaneously keep those things singable for an average congregation. A great example of this would be the slower paced “Like Incense/Sometimes By Step,” which blends a Rich Mullins chorus into its rich, beautiful, nearly eight-minute length.
And if that isn’t a long enough song (come on, it is Hillsong after all!), the title track, “Beautiful Exchange,” clocks in at nearly 11 minutes. But what an 11 minutes! If you're a guitar fan, you're going to be rejoicing over the tones and layers of sounds created as this epic builds to suitably massive proportions over the beautiful refrain: “Holy are You God / Holy is Your name / With everything I've got / My heart will sing how I love You.”
The album is solid across all the tracks, possibly the most consistent release Hillsong has made in the last few years. It’s packed with songs suitable for the contemporary worship band looking to stretch its musical wings, while providing accessible, truthful worship that sets its eyes on Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away our sins.
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Reviewed by: Jonathan Griffiths, assistant pastor at Cornerstone Worship Center in Nampa, Idaho
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