Louder Than The Music

What would the Christian music world sound like without Matt Redman? We would never have heard the brilliant '10,000 Reasons', we would never have been able to shout together as a church "Oh no You never let go". Tracks like Blessed Be Your Name,Heart Of Worship and Let Everything That Has Breath would have never have been the soundtrack to so many people's Christian walk.

It's when you take a small step back that you realise how many amazing songs Matt has written in his time, and yet still finds time to write fresh songs for new albums every time.

What I also love about Matt is the fact that he is always creative in his song writing, yet doesn't try to over complicate it. His songs are for God, about God, and for people to experience God - and this new album is full of songs that do this and much much more.

Following two of the bestselling albums of his career, 'Your Grace Finds Me' (2013) and '10,000 Reasons' (2011), Matt Redman returns with an album featuring new worship songs, recorded live at Abbey Road studios in London, titled Unbroken Praise.

I love how Matt records his album in a live setting. Since I heard the way he recorded the album Facedown I have always loved how it just feels so organic. If you have been in a worship setting and seen Matt lead, you know something special happens. So for Matt to capture his new songs in this atmosphere, you know the recording is going to be epic.

The album opens with the solid yet anthemic Louder, with that Pop, dance, rock, modern worship sound that everyone seems to be recording these days. But this song isn't a carbon copy, Matt Redman doesn't write songs like that. This song makes you feel like you are ready to take on the world and the troubles it might throw at you with God by your side.

It Is Well With My Soul is the hymn we all know so well and have sung before, but now with a Redman twist. This song, or at least this version, will work very much in the same vain as how Amazing Grace (the Chris Tomlin version) did. If you are part of a church that is always trying to balance old and new, this might help keep the balance. With the modern drum sounds this song really grew on me.

I love the energy and sound of songs like Flames and King of My Soul. These high power big hitting songs have classic Matt Redman written all over them.

Once you get this album you will shout aloud the chorus of Songs In The Night, and cry as you listen to the passion filled Unbroken Praise and Abide With Me. The repeated words of "You never let me go, love that will never let me go" are just so powerful.

For me the album gets more creative as we make our way through the songs. I think the latter part of the album is some of the best work Matt has ever done. It's always hard to explain how amazing a song is in words, but No Longer I really hit me. The line "Is it no longer I, but it is Christ who lives in me" left me in tears, and I'm not one to get over emotional (well I keep telling myself that). And then the album ends with Majesty Of The Most High which is a song that is musically very different to the rest of the album. It is a beautiful piece of music and a wonderful song.

When I put this album on, my first thought was, this is going to be another solid Matt album. I thought I knew what was going to happen and how it might sound. But I was wrong. This isn't just another Matt Redman album, this album has songs that hit your heart with such strength that you will not be the same after you hear them. God does something amazing in these songs. I'm just grateful someone like Matt takes the time to sit down, dig deep into what God is doing, and records songs I can listen to, leaving my world changed once again.

Review by Jono Davies

LTTM Rating 5 Out of 5 Stars
Standout Tracks
No Longer I
Louder
Flames