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New Songs 2001/2002, Volumes 1+2

Beating Time

NEW SONGS 2001/2002, Volumes 1+2
Kingsway Music
Available from Christian bookshops

These are the latest in the long-running New Songs series. Intended as a resource to assist churches in their worship, New Songs 2001/2002 introduces the listener to the cream of the year's writing.

In fact, 2001/2002 is a bit of a misnomer since clearly the album doesn't contain any songs written in 2002! There are actually more songs from 2000 and a smattering of others from 1991-1999 that (presumably) haven't featured on previous New Songs albums.

The albums contain a diverse range of styles from gospel-oriented Nu-Image to the Dylanesque Brian Houston to the pop-rock of Y-Friday. Combine that with a mixture of live and studio recordings and these albums make for rather disjointed listening, although sensitive ordering helps maintain some level of cohesion.
Among the 40 songs there are a fair few duff tunes, shallow sloganeering lyrics and more clichˇs than a Ron Atkinson football commentary. Thorough sifting through reveals a few gems: 'When I Was Lost' by Stoneleigh worship leaders Kate and Miles Simmonds and 'Holy, Holy' from Irish writer Robin Mark would both be memorable additions to any church's repertoire. The standout track though comes from the writer of 'How Deep The Father's Love', Stuart Townend: 'In Christ Alone' is a hymn with a soaring tune and inspiring words: 'There in the ground His body lay / Light of the world by darkness slain / Then bursting forth in glorious day / Up from the grave He rose again / And as He stands in victory / Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me / For I am His and He is mine / Bought with the precious blood of Christ!'

It's wonderful to have worship songs written in modern styles and recorded with production values you might expect to hear in the secular world, but this has its downside. Most of the songs feature a full band and complex musical arrangements that the average church music group (for those of us blessed to have plural musicians!) would really struggle to play. As a resource, perhaps New Songs would be more effective if it featured more stripped-down recordings.

As CDs to listen to and reflect on, these ultimately fail because of the wide range of styles and varying quality. But as an on-going collection to help you keep your church music up to date, New Songs probably can't be beaten. If you can only afford to buy one volume, CD1 features 'In Christ Alone' and in this reviewer's opinion, has the better overall selection.

Jon Mason