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United Pursuit Band: EP
Every now and again, you come across music that just hits the spot. You find a spark, a flash, a reflection of creativity, raw passion, and intimacy that burns you to the core. I’ve felt this spark on only a few albums, and hardly any of them were mainstream worship recordings.
I’d like to introduce you to a couple of incredible songwriters and worshipers: United Pursuit Band. First, I invite you to head on over to their Myspace music page and listen to them right now. I suggest you begin with Story of Your Grace, which is El Ben’s favorite.
Now, lest it sound like I’m a moon-struck puppy, I’ll go ahead and give you the difficult parts of the album.
First of all, it was recorded in their house. Don’t get me wrong, these guys are great sound techs, but it still sounds (in parts) like it was recorded in a house.
Secondly, this album is very experimental. We’re talking the worship equivalent of Bob Dylan here. If your congregation doesn’t roll that way, then you’ll be limited on how much you can use this to pull from.
Thirdly, some of the vocals on this album have to grow on you. Take, for instance, “Come Away.” The first couple of vocal bars of this song sort of took me by surprise. It’s not that the vocals are bad. They’re not, not even close. They’re just…different, which is great!
Now, on to the good stuff.
First, I love any album that makes me want to write my own stuff after listening to it. Creativity breeds creativity and this albums REEKS of creativity.
Secondly, the writing on this project is just…amazing. Lyrically, these guys are wonderful at packaging anything from frank statements of doubt to lush declarations of God’s beauty.
Thirdly, the songs are easy to play and sing. Most of the chord patterns and rhythms (with the exception of the odd 3/4 to 6/8 transition on “Even Now”) are simple enough for even the greenest worship leader to tackle.
Fourthly, there’s an underlying theme of grace and redemption that flows through the whole album. It really is a whole listening experience, not just an album of one-shot songs.
Now, to truly appreciate the band, you have to hear their story. Drummer Nathan Fray says “United Pursuit isn’t so much a band as a movement…We pretty much just started meeting in someone’s basement to worship and revival broke out.” Nathan, along with friends Will Reagan and Jake and Brandon LeBoeuf, found themselves in Africa for three months, where they lived, worked, and served under Heidi Baker and her ministry until they felt led back to their home state of Tennessee to start UPB, where they bought a house and were blessed with the money to build a studio.
United Pursuit Band, after releasing their EP last May have, according to Fray, “not traveled hardly at all. It’s all word of mouth. We have people from Europe e-mailing us about our music and how it’s blessing them.”
Ladies and Gents, El Ben would not steer you wrong. Check these guys out and do it sooner rather than later. UPB gets 4 out of 5 stars.
El Ben’s Final Word: Myspace to listen, iTunes to buy, then enjoy.
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