Review: Hillsong’s Faith+Hope+Love CD

In 2008, Darlene Zschech stepped down as the worship leader of Hillsong Church and handed the position over to Reuben Morgan. She still sings on the albums, and I am glad for that! Since then, there has been a little bit of difference, but it is still Hillsong. The 2008 album “This is Our God” was fantastic! It was another album that was hard to pick favorites on. Their 2009 album, Faith+Hope+Love is definitely different from their previous style, slower-paced, and though the sound quality of the music was great, it had a little less of their typical live-feel. (I never did like live music until I heard Hillsong, now I think their live stuff is the best!) Live worship music is definitely more “alive” than studio-recorded.

The songs that really got my attention were “It’s Your Love,” “I Will Exalt You,” and “The First and the Last.” I also really liked “The Wonder of Your Love,” “We the Redeemed,” and “His Glory Appears.” The 13-track album kicked off with “The First and the Last” written by Joel Houston, which calls on Jesus, the Almighty who sees the beginning to end, to guide us. This was a very nice song, medium-paced, with a totally catchy chorus. I would say it definitely had the Joel Houston signature.

Mia Fieldes wrote “It’s Your Love,” a song that focuses once again on the cross. I definitely think this is one of the best songs about the cross I have ever heard, and Mia Fieldes’ best work next to Savior King. Darlene sings this song, and toward the end she exhorts the congregation to remember the cross, to focus on the deep meaning of the words of the song. It was perfectly followed by “I Will Exalt You.” It’s a very simple song, with few words, but I was actually captivated by it. I honestly can’t explain why, whether it was the truth of the song, or just the presence of the Lord. Actually, what I think is neat about the song is that at about three different times, you can briefly hear worship leader Brooke Fraser Lighterwood praying in tongues. You don’t hear that on an album very often!

The only other song that Darlene sings on the album is “The Wonder of Your Love.” This quickly became another favorite. “You inhabit the Praises of your people/ You delight in the Glory of your Son/ In the love of the Father we will worship/ In the kingdom of God we find our home/ The Wonder of Your Love will break the chains that bind us/ The power of your touch releases us to worship.”

Jill McCloghry, who sang “Desert Song” with Brooke on the previous album, sings “We the Redeemed.” This was a really sweet song; with the words “There is nothing like Your love/ No exchange for all You gave/ To be welcomed into life/ So I can know the love that saves.” (She sounds a lot like Christy Knockels!)

“His Glory Appears” is a slower, piano-themed song sung by Brooke Fraser Lighterwood. It’s a simple song lyric-wise, but very pretty. Music-wise, it is very creative. It is basically themed around the simple: God’s glory is simple; it came in the form of God sending His Son, and creation still shines with His glory; the angels never cease to sing His praise!

The rest of the songs on the album are, in my opinion, the ones that would be rated “nice” that is, not awesome, but not bad (I don’t think Hillsong’s stuff falls into the last category very often!) It still had the declaration of God’s goodness, the confession of His Word, the praise for what He has done, the expression of love. That is what has made me love Hillsong over the years! “Glow” and “God One and Only” are the only two that that really didn’t appeal to me. A new guy I’ve never heard before sings “Yahweh” and “Glow,” so it was a change to get used to.

I have to say, though, that I really missed Marty Sampson on this project. I think his is the best male voice on the band, and I have really loved his “one-to-one with God” song style (Good examples are “Home,” “Better than Life,” “Take All of Me,” and “From God Above.”) He contributed a couple of songs on the album, but this is the first time in ten years (wow) he has not appeared on a Hillsong project. I was also slightly surprised to hear Reuben Morgan’s voice only on the 12th track, “We Will See Him.” He has been writing songs for Hillsong for many years, and they still come out fresh. The album certainly had a nice variety, different lyrical, musical, and vocal styles, so it didn’t get boring (but I did miss the older style a bit!)

All in all, this was a nice album; I don’t think it was one of their best, but it certainly was not bad! The song “It’s Your Love” would be worth the whole album, in my opinion. But everybody’s got different taste, so you can pick your own favorites. So, we await the 2010 release from Hillsong; in the meantime, the old stuff really doesn’t get old! I hope that this review is an improvement since my last music review! (I think it was like 2,000 words). At least I didn’t include every song’s entire lyric! It helps to defend yourself against over-detailedness by showing how more detailed you could have been. Haha! Anyhow, I hope this review helps someone out there!

As a bonus, here’s my favorite, “It’s Your Love.”

“We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father.” ( 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3)

“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)