The Mandate with Stuart Townend - The Mandate: See What A Morning
STYLE: MOR / Soft Pop RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 9696-9377 LABEL: Kingsway KMCD2501 FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1 RELEASE DATE: 2004-03-19 RRP: £14.67
Reviewed by Andrew Rolfe
There's something spiritually refreshing about hearing a couple of thousand men from all over the world sing songs of love for Jesus in Belfast, the city that has seen so many other men kill and be killed apparently for the same name; Stuart Townend has a deeper singing voice which adds to the theme and quite frankly, he's a good worship leader; the instrumentation is done by a tight worship band including probably the only women in the building blending some neat Celticesque violin strings; the "Oh come let us adore him, Christ the Lord" refrain is awesome. Lots of songs were penned by Monsieur Townend alone or with Keith Getty ("See What A Morning", "My Heart Is Filled With Thankfulness", "Beautiful Saviour") including items from Mr Oakley ("I Love You Lord") and Melody Green (Mrs Keith Green who wrote the now classic "There Is A Redeemer") probably the only other woman to appear at the conference. The music style is a modern worship feel with drums, keyboard, electric and acoustic guitars: including singers they're a nine-piece worship band which sound polished. They definitely practised together more than just an hour before the gig. Most songs have a hymn flavour even if they might not classically fall under that category. Although the professionalism is plainly obvious in the playing, recording and editing, there is that "live sound" to this album inherent in anything not done in a studio.
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