Stuart Townend

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