Prime Cuts:  Desert Song, His Glory Appears, Cornerstone

Rightly or wrongly worship music is often accused of emotional manipulation.  Often it is easy for people to be moved to make a decision for God by the waft of the heated ardor of the moment rather than by a genuine Godly regeneration incurred by the Spirit.  Likewise, worship albums can be culpable of such a spiritual faux too.  So, thank God for the Hillsong Chapel series.  Taking some of their more well-known songs from their recent Hillsong Live and United albums and performing them live in a more intimate and acoustic live setting, these albums try to avoid such subterfuge in three ways.  First, with a more intimate delivery, it is difficult for the song leaders to hide behind the decibels and the amps. Instead of trying to win over the audience with volume for the sake of volume, the cynosure of these 12 cuts is on the words and the voices. Second, instead of making this a star-studded effort where the attention is awed upon the singers rather than the songs, this collection is led by the newer and the lesser singers from the church.   Conspicuously missing are the church's biggest worship leaders such as Darlene Zschech, Brooke Ligertwood (Fraser), Joel Houston and even worship pastor Reuben Morgan gets to sing only one cut.  Rather, newer faces such as Hayley Law, Hannah Hobbs, Dave Ware, Ben Fielding among others take on the microphone.  Third, worship rather than performance is the focus here.  Rather, than having different lead singers to sing each cut making it more like a compilation album, there is more a feel like this is a live worship experience captured on disc.

Amazingly, "Forever Reign" is the fourth output we get from this mega Australian church this year.  This disc follows on the heels of "Live in Miami," "Cornerstone" and "We Have a Savior."  Mainly because it gathers the more familiar songs from their recent albums, this CD has a much more immediate appeal relative to their other recent outputs.  Further, the inclusion of the hymn "It is Well with My Soul" and the hymn-like "Cornerstone" certainly score big points with traditionalists.  So, with the more acoustic makeover to these 12 cuts, does it work?  On certain cuts they even sound better than the originals.  Best case scenario is the Darlene Zschech and Marty Sampson composed "His Glory Appears."  While the original (which first appears on "Faith, Hope and Love") has an ethereal Enya-like feel to it, this time round Jill McCloghry and Ben Fielding give a soaring version with their beautiful two part harmony.  And bringing in a choir towards the end, this gives a heavenly depth to this God-centered ballad.  Also beautiful is Dave Ware's take of "Cornerstone."  Tagging on new verses to the ancient hymn "My Hope is Built" this newly revitalized hymn gives Jesus a warm and affirming triumphant acclaim that is glowingly powerful. 

Another song that has greatly benefited from this acoustic makeover is Joel Houston's "You." While the original was far too cluttered with screeching guitars and Houston's own muffled vocals, this time around with a more stripped down version you can actually hear the words with greater perspicuity.  Jonathan Douglass is certainly to be congratulated for his crystal clear delivery on one of the best songs about self depreciation in the light of Christ's exaltation.  Hayley Law, who is one of the burgeoning newer leaders, with her girlish vocals certainly bring a child-like trust to Brooke Ligertwood (Fraser)'s classic "Desert Song." Finally songwriter Dean Ussher is able to sing his own composition "Rhythms of Grace" (which first appeared on United's "Aftermath" CD).  And here the gorgeous Jason Mraz's jazzy piano and a more relaxed delivery by Ussher make this track a new favorite.

However, not all the tracks work from an acoustic makeover.  Though he tries, Ben Fielding just could not get the congregation enthused enough for "God is Able."  The same can be said about the title cut "Forever Reign."  These are majestic tracks that build upon their big chorus and deft of the bombastic crescendo, they fall flat.  First appeared as a charity single the hymn "It is Well with My Soul" (with a newly written bridge) was first performed by Darlene Zschech.  Hannah Hobbs is no match compared to Zschech; she gets lost vocally towards the end of the song.  "Forever Reigns," their second instalment in the Hillsong Chapel series, certainly is not perfect.  But with a more intimate feel, we get a better appreciation of the words of these favorite worship songs.  And it helps us to truly worship the Almighty God rather than just be caught up in the emotions.