A Beautiful Exchange

Growing old, but in a good way

Chad Taylor, St Paul, MN USA

This is the latest release from The Hillsong worship team. All of theie live cds are worth the money if you like good praise and worship music. As much as I like it, Darlene, lead worship singer only appears on 2 of the tracks...she was much more present in past CDs. I miss her vocals that were so much a part of their earlier creations. I say creations because that's what their music represents: A creation of music unlike any thing else you'll hear.

Awesome

Dancing hummingbird, SC

I saw these guys in concert just a week ago! Whether from the album, or live--the worship they bring is awesome! A Beautiful Exchange is an incredible album. The title track is so powerful. I bought the album the day it released--and have listened to it over and over! It's so simple but profound, and they focus on what's most important--lifting up Jesus and praising him for all that he has done and offered to us! Great music from an amazing group of worshippers!!

Hillsongs' Satisfying "Exchange"

Timothy Yap, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Prime Cuts: Believe, Greatness of Our God, Incense/Sometimes By Step

Hillsong rose to fame because it's worship music with a difference. Headed initially by former worship pastor Darlene Zschech, Hillsong music carved a niche for female worship leaders in a genre often overcrowded by a trough of anonymous-sounding male singers. And for 19 albums (released perennially during July), the Hillsong team has always resisted the urge to tackle cover music with the bulk of their canon coming from their own core team. However, ever since 2008's "This is Our God," Darlene Zschech has receded to the background. Her own compositions have become fewer and she was only featured as lead vocalist on a couple of songs. Taking over in burgeoning capacity is Hillsong senior pastor's son Joel Houston and the Hillsong United Team. In many ways, the rugged often rock based male led lead vocals have pilfered the team of their uniqueness that once set them apart. Like many other worship projects out there--it's again male based with heavy pop rock as their sonic template. 2010's "A Beautiful Exchange" continues on the same deprecating spiral with a couple of redeeming points: Darlene Zschech (for the first time since 2007's "Mighty to Save") is back on the CD cover and they have restricted the pool of lead singers to make the whole project more cohesive.

Naturally, the best songs are those led by Darlene Zschech. Unlike the other vocalists, Zschech shows a mastery of capturing the texture of the song's lyrics. A classic example being the gorgeous worship ballad "Greatness of Our God:" starting off softly showing her vulnerability she confesses her anxieties before God. As she abandons her smallness before God's grandeur and sovereignty, the song climaxes to an anthemic chorus with Zschech showcasing some of her most soaring moments in worship. Prepare for some faith-building moments with "Believe" (sadly the only co-composition by Zschech with Rueben Morgan) as this reflective ballad is the perfect example of what a worship song ought to be like--God-exalting lyrics set within the context of our everyday experiences. Christ's atoning work is celebrated in Ben Fielding led "The One Who Saves." Though Zschech sings only the harmony vocals, the song has a more heartfelt quality because of her vocals.

Of the non-Zschech involved songs, the standout is Brooke Ligertwood's "Incense/Sometimes By Step." Tagging on newly crafted verses to Rich Mullins' worship favourite "Step By Step," Ligertwood has strung together words from the Psalms that demonstrates a love to follow God's Word. Ligertwood's rendition is rife with Godly-passion and it truly is a high point in the worship experience. Matt Crocker's delivery of the self-penned "Love Like Fire" though a little pedantic in its lyrical content is firey in its execution. While the title cut "A Beautiful Exchange" is an over ten-minute ethereal worship piece that's a little over-indulgent. Lead single "Forever Reign" bears all the stamp of a future worship staple. With its infectious melody, thumping rhythm, and its thundery anthemic feel, these are all litanies that would make this a future Hillsong favourite. Nevertheless, the crowning moment of "Forever Reign" is the tag line in the chorus "I'm running to your arms"--a cry that gives expression of the heart for God.

Frankly, the nadir of the album is the duo of Joel Houston-led songs. His gravel-like vocals often lacks clarity-- try figuring out the words to "Our God is Love" without the lyric sheet. Lacking in originality and freshness, both "You" and "Our God is Love" are sonic chameleons in the world of Tomlins, Auges and Newsboys. Even Rueben Morgan's "Thank You" and "Open My Eyes" fail to live up the lofty standard he's capable of. Bring Darlene Zschech back more to the microphone and let Brooke Ligertwood's pen flow more freely, these are the two ladies that have and will set Hillsong Music apart. And rightly so, they are a unique church group and they deserve to be.

Great Album! Still room for some theological improvement.

Zachary M. Hicks, Denver, CO

Hillsong continues to prove itself to be a juggernaut in the worship music industry. Now long ago in modern worship years, worship leader Darlene Zschech put Hillsong on the international map with "Shout to the Lord," and they have never since faded in influence over Western evangelical worship (and they have decidedly broken into non-Western international contexts, as well). Hillsong is a Pentecostal megachurch, so all their worship music is colored by their charismatic heritage.

SUMMARY

Worth Getting It? Yes. With each passing listen, it ministers to my heart more and more. It blesses me most when I am listening to it with devotional intention. Unlike some past Hillsong albums, I'm finding much less to raise an eyebrow at theologically. Modern worship songwriting still needs to understand the difference between songs and expressions which are a part of private, devotional worship and songs which are intended for congregations. So, again, for the personal listener the album is great, but not every song translates into the corporate worship experience (I recognize that all these songs have for Hillsong, but I respectfully disagree that some should.)

Songs I Would Most Likely Lead in Worship: Tier 1: "Our God is Love," "The One Who Saves," "Thank You" Tier 2: "Open My Eyes," "Like Incense / Sometimes By Step," "The Father's Heart" (Read comments in the song-by-song analysis below for further explanation)

OVERALL COMMENTS

The New Face of Hillsong. This album is a testament to what is happening in the worship leadership down in Sydney. With the maturation of the first generation of Hillsong United worship leaders (United is Hillsong's youth, college, and young adult expression)--Joel Houston, Brooke (Fraser) Ligertwood, Jad Gillies, and Matt Crocker--we're seeing them graduate into Hillsong-main and appear on albums like this one. This transfer was also evident when I saw Hillsong United here in Loveland, CO several months back. Houston and Ligertwood were there, but they were also giving air time to some newer, younger faces. But personnel is not the only thing transferring from Hillsong United to Hillsong-main.

Musicality. This album witnesses a stylistic blend of the more adult-contemporary, mainstream sound of Hillsong with the gritty, adolescent fervor of Hillsong United. You could either call it a more pumped-up Hillsong or a more mellowed Hillsong United. Pick your poison. The clues are in the more edgy electric guitar work (e.g. the more punk-style opening measures of "Open My Eyes" or the detuned, feedbacky outro to "Believe"), the more aggressive United-style drumming (lots of tom-work and a more constant use of the kick drum on solid eighths or sixteenths), and a lot more ambient, "experimental" sounds from the guitars and keys. However, the regular Hillsong vibe penetrates in many of the melody lines, vocal harmonies, and familiar chord progressions. Musically speaking, then, the album is beautiful...

Accessibility. To my ear, Hillsong has always been more accessible for congregations than Hillsong United. If they're highly synchopated in their vocal rhythms, there's enough consistency to make it catchable in short order. A Beautiful Exchange is a very singable album (with the caveat that every song could be transposed down a few steps). Vocal lines are melismatic, without too many leaps in awkward places. If there are leaps, they are textually appropriate. However, it's one thing to sing these songs, and it's another thing to play these songs. I regularly underestimate how hard it is to reproduce the dynamic and ambient fullness of their musical sound in our worship context...

Theological Depth. Theologically, Hillsong has always focused on the basics...the essentials. Therefore, in every album including this one, we'll hear a lot about the cross, salvation, healing, and its interpersonal intersection with the individual Christian. This is a beautiful thing! Though I don't feel anything is flat out erroneous, I have commented in the past my discomfort with Hillsong's triumphalism--victorious proclamations of what I can do with my faith for God. Of course triumph is a reality of the Christian faith, but we must never put our stock there. We must put our stock in the Gospel...

For the full review and a song-by-song analysis, visit: [...]