Music Review #3 - Hillsong Live: "This Is Our God"

Artist: Hillsong
Album: This Is Our God
Label: Integrity
Release Date: August 12, 2008

Rating: 6/10

So I LOVE Hillsong United. They have basically shaped youth group worship sets since their 2001 release "Look To You". Anyone who has attended a youth worship service or camp has heard their popular songs "Salvation Is Here", "The Time Has Come", and "From the Inside Out". That being said, Hillsong (the church's adult band) has recently released an album that I can't say I'm all too thrilled about.

Long time worship leader Darlene Zschech has noticed United's worldwide success and has minimized her leadership role on the Hillsong team, allowing new and old faces and chance at the mic and pen. Unfortunately this also causes a problem: not everyone can write corporate worship songs. You have to listen to the first 5 songs before you can get to the first song that is up to Hillsong caliber, "High and Lifted Up", and surprise surprise it's the only song Zschech wrote on this album.

A new (and good) face to the Hillsong and Hillsong United team is Brooke Frasier. Not only does she work with the Hillsong teams, she is also a successful Aussie songwriter herself. Her two contributions to "This Is Our King" are the songs "Desert Song" and "You'll Come", both strong worship songs. The big ripple in the pond for me is the song "Healer" by Mike Guglielmucci. Guglielmucci wrote this song after he was diagnosed with a terminal cancer, and during the recording concert he actually had to wear an oxygen machine in order to perform. This does not hinder the worship though, and "Healer" is the one song I can recommend to anyone who listens to Christian music. Zschech herself said that she had never heard the church sing before quite like did during "Healer". On the DVD, Guglielmucci beings the song by reading the passage from Isaiah about by "His wounds we are healed", a very emotional and inspiring opening to an amazing song.

Unfortunately four songs are not enough to redeem a 16 song album, so I can't exactly recommend this CD as enthusiastically as I would like to. If you want to get the highlights, get the songs "High and Lifted Up", "Desert Song", and "Healer".