Review: Come Away by Jesus Culture

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Released today (November 22, 2010), Come Away, the fifth new full-length recording from Jesus Culture, was recorded live at the Jesus Culture Encounter Conference in Redding, CA earlier this year in front of a full house of passionate youth and young adults.

Known as one of the most influential youth movements around the world, Jesus Culture has ignited a generation with energetic, passionate and authentic worship music. “Our prayer is that this album will be more than just another release from the Jesus Culture Band, but it will release a sound that will capture the hearts of a generation who are looking for something more,” said Banning Liebscher, Jesus Culture director.

The Worship Community is pleased to have three of our contributing members share their full-length (links) reviews of Come Away. Featured today are excerpts from those full-length reviews. Leave your thoughts and comments in the comment section and be sure to visit our contributors’ reviews as well!

Melanie Siewert:

Jesus Culture’s Come Away is a must listen! I must admit Jesus Culture intrigues me. Their music is not the standard verse-chorus-bridge-guitar solo-chorus format. They intend for their music to invite others to join them in a time of worship and adoration for the Savior, which means they repeat choruses and bridges several times as the crowd joins them. At first listen, I was drawn in. Live albums help in that aspect because listeners easily connect with the crowd in those recordings. Jesus Culture has an uncanny ability of inviting the crowd into their personal worship time as evidenced by how they lead spontaneous worship.

Every song has “crowd participation.” The band backs down so the crowd is welcome to sing louder than the lead vocal on stage. When this happens, it’s a beautiful sound. Although the bridges and choruses repeat often, the dynamics change enough to avoid needless repetition in a live recording. The songs are longer than usual recordings due to the live nature, yet this simply means there is more music to love and worship with.

Are these songs usable for any congregation? Absolutely! In reality, any Jesus Culture song is adaptable for congregational singing. Their songs are designed that way. My personal favorites are Rooftops, You Are My Passion, My Soul Longs For You, Let It Rain, Show Me Your Glory, and One Thing Remains. Every melody flows smooth enough that an average acoustic guitar player can choose a song, and arrange a “camp fire” worship time for any venue.

The song order seems intentional, which is not surprising to me. Come Away begins the album from the perspective of the Father inviting his children to join Him in life together. From there, the songs move into surrender, proclamation, adoration, longing for the Spirit, and faith in the moving of the Holy Spirit. The album concludes with One Thing Remains which is a perfect example of spontaneous worship. Half way through the song, the band and vocals cut out completely, and the crowd keeps singing and clapping. After a few bars of crowd-only music, the band’s drummer joins the crowd with the kick drum. One by one, musicians join in, and the full band continues the song in its powerful chorus.

Spontaneous worship, when done effectively is very powerful. Jesus Culture sets an amazing example of spontaneous worship for other worship bands. Come Away is yet another amazing live recording from Jesus Culture that will not disappoint.

Full Review

Mat Reames:

I have been listening to Come Away which is the fifth worship offering from Jesus Culture over the past few days. While it is a solid album, It took a while to grow on me. I have been listening to Jesus Culture since their first CD Everything and Come Away is not a radical new direction for the band, but a solid progression of the groove they have set up.

This album does begin to move more toward songwriting as opposed to just covers. The three songs I felt were the best on this album are Come Away, I Want To Know You, and One Thing Remains.

Come Away is great because it is a song where God is singing to us. Its perfect for an altar call, with the bridge ‘Open Up Your Heart and Let Me In.’

I Want To Know You is a simple song expressing a desire for more intimacy with The Creator of the Universe.

One Thing Remains is a song about the love of God. Its chorus ‘Your Love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me.’ Just hit me in the heart.

Every song on the album is easily singable and would fit well in any worship set, though some may take a little stripping down.

Full Review

Ryan Rotman:

Come Away by Jesus Culture is my first real exposure to them and it is a fantastic recording. I love their sound and their style of worship. Even just listening to this recording, I’m drawn into worship. The majority of these songs are vertical in nature. They’re singing to God, not just about Him.

You Are My Passion: I believe this will be a great song for the church to grab a hold of. It is well suited for congregational use. The lyrics are wonderful, singing straight to God and ascribing His attributes.

Let It Rain: I’m always captivated by a song with these simple lyrics, yet such a deep and intimate meaning.

One Thing Remains: I believe this is a song the current times we’re in. We are living in a world that isn’t stable. A lot of people are hurting; physically, financially, spiritually, etc. Here we have a song that’s crying out no matter what else happens in this life, there is one thing that remains, the love of a Holy God.

Full Review

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