Stuart Townend

"There is a hope" DVD has arrived

I now have the "There is a hope" DVD in stock - finally! It features all the songs on the CD, plus quite a few other bits and pieces people might find useful.

There's some "behind the scenes" material taken during the recording, talking about the songs, the band members, and how the project came together. Then there are 3 bonus tracks of material shot during the filming of a DVD in Colorado Springs a year or two ago, featuring the songs "Grace", "The power of the cross" and "How deep the Father's love".

And finally, there are some short video pieces showing the extraordinary work that Kingsway are involved with in the Brazilian rainforest, (all the profits from the Northern Ireland concert went to this).

Although worship DVDs are a relatively new resource, I think it's true that people are finding it's a useful tool for really 'getting into' the songs - it's one step closer to actually being there, if you like! And musicians can find it helpful to actually see what the band are playing ("oh, he uses THAT chord shape" etc etc). So hopefully is will be a useful resource as well as an enjoyable and uplifting experience!

 

To order the DVD, click the link below in the usual way. 

US CUSTOMERS PLEASE NOTE: this is a PAL DVD (not NTSC), so will only work on DVD players that will read the PAL format. Please check your DVD player will play PAL DVDs before you order.

"There is a hope" DVD

The DVD of the album reviewed below, with all the songs from the album, plus interviews with Stuart and the band, and 3 bonus video tracks of three of Stuart's best known songs, "Grace", "The Power of the Cross' and "How deep the Father's love" recorded in the USA in 2006.

Christian video is not always the best quality (as viewers of God TV will sometimes witness), but this is superbly shot and edited by the Last Word team, and really conveys the atmosphere of the evening - and it really is a pleasure to watch a band as good at this do their stuff!

In short, a highly watchable and enjoyable DVD.

US CUSTOMERS PLEASE NOTE: this is a PAL DVD (not NTSC), so will only work on DVD players that will read the PAL format. Please check your DVD player will play PAL DVDs before you order.

 

Now available - the new live album!

The exciting news is that the new live album is now available from this site! "There is a hope - live worship from Ireland" arrived at my door earlier today, and is available for purchase. Simply go to the "Stuart's albums" section on the right of the page, find the "add to basket" button below the review of the album, and pay either through your PayPal account if you have one, or with a credit card if you don't. (You can check what's in your basket on the main page towards the bottom left of the screen.)

It's actually not yet available in the shops, so this is a special opportunity to get your copy early!

(CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER VIEW)

I've also loaded up some audio of a few of the tracks, so you can get an idea of what it sounds like. And when you get a copy, drop me a line to let me know what you think.

The DVD of the recording will also shortly be available, but there have been a few last minute editing problems, so that won't be available for a couple of weeks. But I'll let you know when it's ready.

There is a hope - live worship from Ireland

REVIEW BY ANDREW SUTTON

A lot has happened for Stuart Townend over the last 18 months. Following his groundbreaking “Monument to Mercy” album in summer 2006, then the release of the bestselling “Best of Stuart Townend live” double album in 2007, it seems Stuart’s name is everywhere. For churches and events across the land, Townend or Townend/Getty songs now help form the backbone of many a worship leader’s repertoire.

So the prospect of a new offering of songs from “today’s finest modern hymn writer” (as the back cover unashamedly describes him) is a mouth-watering prospect. And this album does not disappoint.

Recorded live in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, the album boasts an impressive line-up of musicians, including Mark Edwards on keyboards, Andrew Small (Massive Attack, Kylie Minogue) on drums, and Troy Donockley (Iona) on whistles and uilleann pipes, to name but three. In addition, US worship leaders Aaron Keyes and Kelly Minter perform their own co-writes with Stuart, adding another dimension to the album.

The sound is varied, but has an unmistakable celtic influence which suits Stuart’s more hymn-like songwriting approach. But the band can also ‘kick’, as “Hear the call” and “Psalm 103” clearly indicate. The arrangements are classy and interesting, the congregational sound is full, and the recording is of the highest quality.

But let’s face it, worship albums stand or fall finally on the songs. What are the latest Townend offerings like?

In a word, stunning. “Salvation’s song” is already getting many people excited with its powerful expression of devotion and praise, while the title track “There is a hope” will, I believe, take its place as one of Stuart’s finest and enduring hymns. “Communion hymn” and “Benediction”, aside from being beautifully crafted songs in themselves, make an invaluable contribution to the liturgical life of the church at large. “Spirit of heaven”, “Psalm 62”,  “Glory be to God” and “Let the earth resound” will all find their way into many a church’s CCLI report.

In short, this is a songwriter at the top of his game, and the church is very much richer for it.

Andrew Sutton

Track listing:

Across the lands
Let the earth resound
Salvation’s song
Hear the call of the kingdom
There is a hope
Psalm 62
Every promise
Psalm 103
Healing streams
Glory be to God
Spirit of heaven
Communion hymn
In Christ alone
Benediction

"There is a hope" CD/DVD due out in February

As some of you will know, I got the opportunity to record a new live album and DVD in November. We hired the Riverside Theatre, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, for two nights, and recorded 14 songs, many of which were being performed for the first time.

Why Northern Ireland? Well, although I've made Brighton my home for the last 20+ years, I have been making regular visits to the north coast of Northern Ireland over the last few years, not least to lead worship at the annual New Horizon event, and I have to say it's become something of a second home to me. And the Riverside Theatre was the perfect venue to shoot a video - although it seats 300, there's a nice, intimate feel to the place.

I was privileged to have a great band with me - Andrew Small (drums), Kevan Frost (bass), Matt Weeks (guitar, trombone, flugel horn), Lawrence Johnson, Maria Martin and Ruth Waldron (bvs), Julian Ferraretto (violin), Troy Donockley (whistles, uilleann pipes), and Mark Edwards (keys, accordion) as arranger and MD.

I'm delighted with the way the album has turned out. A couple of the news songs in particular feel very strong to me - "Salvation's Song" (co-written with Andrew), and the title track, "There is a hope" (co-written with Mark), and I'm looking forward to seeing how they are received by local churches.

Both the CD and the DVD will be available for purchase shortly on this site, so watch this space.