Kristian Stanfill – Mountains Move
Jan 18, 2011 CD Reviews
Kristian Stanfill
“Mountains Move”
Grade-A
Kristian Stanfill, worship leader at Passion City Church in Atlanta, has returned with a second worship album after the success of his debut release “Attention”. “Mountains Move”, Kristian’s newest album is packed with heartfelt, worshipful lyrics and catchy tunes, creating easily-accessible songs for anyone to enjoy. I was fortunate enough to get to talk to Kristian about his new album for a while, just after the release of the record. Kristian said that the driving force behind the record was to create worship songs that people of any age could relate to. The album has a very personal feel, accomplishing his goal and more.
My favorite track would probably be “You Will Reign”, an encouraging track reassuring listeners that the God they serve is always going to be in control, no matter how impossible the situation may feel. Another track that really caught my attention was “My Reward”, which reminds listeners that Jesus is ultimately their reward in life, death, and ultimately eternal life. Each track is filled with Kristian’s poetry-like lyrics and ultimately fulfills his goal of leading people closer to their God.
The songs engaged me immediately, making my first run through the CD a very worshipful experience. Kristian definitely takes what he does seriously. His passion and adoration for his God definitely shine through each track on this record. He and his band poured their hearts into the project and it definitely shoes. I would recommend this album to anybody looking for music they can relate to and ultimately draw them closer to God.
Kristian was a blast to interview! I really enjoyed talking with him. Be sure to check out the full interview with Kristian!
Tom F.
Kristian Stanfill (Full Text)
Jan 18, 2011 Feature
Full Text – Interview with Kristian Stanfill – 01/12/2011
Tom: Congratulations on the big release, yesterday. How’s that feel?
Kris: Thank you, bro, thank you. Man, it feels so good. So much hard work goes into something like this, so to have it out and see the fruit of so many people’s hard work is a really rewarding thing. So we’re excited, man, we’re glad to get these songs out there.
Tom: That’s awesome. It must be a great feeling, I mean, you’ve worked on this thing since it was an idea and a dream back in the early phases of writing and recording and now it’s released to the public, so that’s pretty cool.
Kris: It’s very cool, I mean, I actually spent some time thinking about what you just said. Last week I was just thinking back on all of 2010 and all the different things that God did that helped make this record happen, and get recorded, and get the songs written. It’s pretty overwhelming and honestly, it’s a little bit emotional, you know, to start thinking about it, and look back now and see how God has directed the steps of everything. It’s pretty cool, man. We’re really excited about it.
Tom: I definitely enjoyed the album. The first time through it was a really worshipful experience for me. It really inspired me and spoke to me, and I’m sure it will do the same for many other people. I can’t wait to see how it impacts them.
Kris: That’s awesome, man. Thanks so much. That’s a huge complement, thanks so much.
Tom: No problem, man. So throughout recording and writing the album, was there a certain message or theme you wanted to get across most?
Kris: Well, honestly, the only goal that we set before us in the songwriting process and throughout making the record, we just wanted to have simple songs that everybody could find accessible and sing to God. I mean, honestly what you just said, was the goal of this record. That it was a worshipful experience and led you to God, and that is the only thing-I set that before my band and set that before our producer, Jason Ingram. I said, ‘look, all I want to do is have a record, that if you’re 15 or 50, you can find your voice in these songs.’ So that was really the goal, I mean, I’m a worship leader, and we are a worship band on a worship label, and so the whole goal of what we do, when we make records and write music, is to write songs the church can sing to God, and lead people to God. So, that was really the whole goal, but grammatically, the way God always does it-you know the songs that come out do have a theme, and there’s this current through the record of having faith in God, and believing His promises for our lives. And while we are worship leaders and we want to lead people, I do understand and know that we are leading very real people, and they are dealing with very real things-these mountains in their lives. So, this record is really calling people, to have faith in this God, who is alive and capable of moving those mountains, so that was the goal. You know, what you just said is so cool and poignant, and it’s exactly what we want people to do-to just experience God through these songs.
Tom: I could really feel that when I listened to it. I could tell you guys were on fire for God when you were writing and especially when recording. So, when you were writing and recording, were there any life experiences that really helped you, as an individual, shape the album, because it had a very personal feel to it. (3:42 into the interview)
Kris: Without going into a lot of detail, I mean, 2010 was a pretty interesting year for my family, so a lot of the songs that came out on this record, have come from a really personal place, you’re right. “Holding My World” and “Always” and “Day After Day”-a lot of these songs have come from a pretty personal place of just saying, “I need to hear it, I need to believe it, right now. God is my strength and He’s holding my world together, and He’s unshaken, He’s always reigning.” Those were things that I needed to say to God, you know? And so I will say though, that through this past year, even though it was kind of a hard year, and my wife and I felt pretty pressed on every side, through all of that, we really came to know the personal side of our God and were just reminded in 2010 how personal our God is. When we pray to Him and cry out to Him, He hears us. When we see Him come through on our behalf, it’s an amazing thing. It just showed us a side of God that we always believed was there, but we really just saw that side of God this past year.
Tom: That is really awesome, man. Well, I hope and pray that 2011 is a great year for you and your family.
Kris: Thanks so much, man. We appreciate that.
Tom: So I’ve got to ask, when you were writing and recording this album, was there a song that really stood out to you more than the rest? Maybe a favorite one?
Kris: You know, really, in the early stages of the record, the song called “You Will Reign” was the song that I was and still am really excited about. It’s where the title of the record came from. I think grammatically and content-wise, “You Will Reign” serves as a kind of anchor for this record. That has always been a song that stood out to me, but now at this point, it’s a new year-we’re just getting into 2011, and I just keep asking God, if He would help me live out “My Reward”. If I could live that song in 2011, I would just love His help in doing that. “My Reward” has become a song for me and my wife and band to say, like Paul said in Philippians, “For me to live as Christ and to die is gain”. In this life, if I live, I’m going to proclaim Christ and live for Him. If I die, I get to be with Him. So in life and in death, Jesus is our reward. That song has become my cry for this year, just saying “Lord, help me to live that out.” So those two songs are really standing out to me, but to be honest with you, man, I’m so happy about the whole record, so it’s hard for me to pick a favorite. You know, each song-when I hear each song I hear the story behind it and I hear how it was written. So each song means a lot to me. Those two in particular though.
Tom: I have to agree with you there. I think “You Will Reign” is probably the one that grabbed ahold of me the most. It’s been on repeat a lot over the past week or so. I really liked that one a lot.
Kris: That is awesome, man. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much.
Tom: Well, now I’ve got to throw the impossible question at you, so be ready. (both laugh) Do you have a favorite song in general? It could be yours or someone else’s, or maybe it’s one you like to lead most.
Kris: Oh wow, man, I am such a music nerd, bro, like I listen to music all the time. So, you know, it’s constantly changing for me. I will say, right now, at the moment, I think maybe my favorite song to lead, and it’s not one of our songs, it’s a song called “Forever Reign”. It’s a Hillsong song that Jason Ingram and Reuben Morgan wrote, and that song, man, it is just blowing up in my heart and also wherever we go, we lead this song and it’s just blowing up. So I think right now, at the moment, “Forever Reign” has got to be the number one song for me to lead. I will say though, apart from worship music and just diving into favorite songs, there’s a song right now that you may have heard. It’s by Andrew Peterson, called “Dancing In The Minefields”. Have you heard this song?
Tom: Absolutely, I love it.
Kris: Bro, I mean, killer, killer record. I mean “Counting Stars” is one of my favorite records in a long, long time. The second track on that record is called “Dancing In The Minefields” and it is just a phenomenal song. It’s a love story about him and his wife and what it means to be married. I just love that song right now too. I could honestly talk for another hour about these songs, I just love music so much. Another one that I love is Coldplay’s Christmas song. Have you heard that one?
Tom: Yeah, I have, I loved it.
Kris: Bro, that was on repeat at Christmas time. It is so fantastic. Um, Chris August has a song called 7×70.
Tom: Yeah, I love that one too.
Kris: Man, oh my gosh, that song is gorgeous. I think God is going to use that in huge ways in people’s lives.
Tom: I saw his music video for that last week actually.
Kris: Yeah, I mean, doesn’t that just bring you to tears? It’s such a beautiful song and the video is gorgeous. I love that one too. So, anyways.
Tom: Hey, there’s nothing wrong with having several favorites, right?
Kris: I know, I know.
Tom: So I hear you’ll be doing some things with Passion 2011 this spring? What are you looking forward to most about that?
Kris: Well, actually, we just did an event here in Atlanta, Passion 2011. We did an event for 22,000 college students. We were at Phillips Arena, it was an amazing few days. It was so cool. Then we’re doing one other event in April, in Dallas/Ft. Worth. We’re only doing those two events. We’re actually taking some time off from the world tour. Passion has done a world tour the past couple of years, but we’re taking 2011 off of the world tour. But I and the guys in my band will be doing some touring this spring. We’re trying to get the record out there, and we’re really excited about that. You know, we’ve had some time at home with our families. I’m married and have a few kids, I love them to death, they’re amazing, and I love being home with them. We’ve had some good time home with them in November and December. We’re ready to work hard though and get this record out there. So we’ll be doing some of that this spring as well, for sure.
Tom: That’s great, it sounds really exciting. Is there something you enjoy most about being on the road when you are touring?
Kris: You know, there’s a lot of things that I love about it. I feel like I have the personality to be on the move. I love being in new cities, I love meeting new people. I love eating in different restaurants that I couldn’t eat at here in Atlanta, you know, I love all these things about traveling. I think my favorite thing about being on the road is playing live. Just being on that stage with my band and being able to lead all these people to worship God, and really experience God is really the high of everything we do. And what we do as a worship band is so different than a pop artist. Like, a pop artist will go out and be in an arena packed full of people, and I love pop music. I listen to a lot of pop music, but pop artists sing about relationships and sometimes, some pretty graphic not-so-cool stuff. But us as a worship band-what sets us apart, is we get to sing to a God, and experience a God who is alive and real. He meets us where we are and that is powerful. That’s what changes lives, so to be able to do that, when we’re on the road-to experience God in that way, is really a supernatural thing. It’s not like anything else that we could experience here on the earth. I think that’s probably the most fantastic part of what we do, for sure.
Tom: That sounds like an amazing, amazing thing.
Kris: It’s great. I wish there was some kind of way that we could relay that feeling or experience to people, but it’s hard to explain it.
Tom: Definitely. It sounds awesome, though.
Kris: Yeah, it’s great, man.
Tom: Well, I’m really excited to see what God has in store for you this year, I feel like He has some pretty big things for you, and I know that as a reviewer on AlphaOmegaNews.org, the review website I do some stuff for, I do pray for all the artists , whose music I get to review. I definitely keep you guys in my thoughts and prayers.
Kris: Thank you so much, man. Thank you. I appreciate that so much.
Tom: No problem, man. Um, do you have a particular prayer for 2011? In general, for you?
Kris: Well, It’s like I mentioned earlier, you know, if God would help us to live out Paul’s confession. To live as Christ, to live that out and choose Jesus before everything else. If you could pray that I and my family and my band and their families could all do that, that would be amazing. You know, we want to carry this record faithfully. If you could pray for that too. God has given us these songs. He’s entrusted these songs to us, and we want to carry them the best way we can. To work hard and carry them faithfully. Um, I think a third thing would be, that since we have wives, all of us are married and three guys in the band have two kids-that they would sense God’s peace and strength in their lives while we’re gone. You know, we leave them at home and they have the harder job, Tom, I’m just going to be honest with you. When our wives are at home with the kids, it is the harder job. They work so hard. I just want to see them really sense God’s grace and strength for them, so I really appreciate y’all praying for us. It means a lot.
Tom: For sure. You guys definitely have blessed me, so it’s the least I can do.
Kris: That’s great man, it’s awesome. Thank You.
Tom: Not a problem. Well, those are actually about all of the questions I had for you. Is there anything else you’d like to add to that?
Kris: No, man, I think those were great questions. I think we covered it all, thanks man.
Tom: Well thank you for taking the time to talk with me! It was great!
Kris: No problem, Tom, I really hope we get to do it again. It was great.
Tom: Me too. Hopefully you guys will be able to come to Wisconsin some day and we’ll get to see you guys here.
Kris: I would love it. I would absolutely love to shake your hand and give ya a big bear hug. That’d be fun!
Tom: Awesome, that sounds good. I’ll hold you to it.
Kris: Alright, Tom, let’s do it man, for sure.
Tom: Thanks Kristian! It’s been great.
Trent Live-Burn Bright
Jan 18, 2011 CD Reviews
Trent
“Trent Live-Burn Bright”
Kingsway
14 tracks @ 71:17
Grade = B
This live worship record was recorded at the band’s home church, Trent Vineyard, Nottingham, UK.
Lead singer Nigel Briggs says, “We want to sing something different, something real,” says Briggs. “Being called a ‘worship’ band is a strange thing, but for us as Trent, it’s about two things. Firstly, we write songs that express how we feel about God in a way that is real and authentic to us and for church community, Trent Vineyard. Second, how we play the songs matters.
“We also like our noise, our electric guitars and drums,” Briggs says. “When Bruce Springsteen inducted U2 into the ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’ a couple of years ago, he said that great rock bands search ‘for the same kind of combustible force that fueled the expansion of the universe after the big bang. You want the earth to shake and spit fire. You want the sky to split apart and for God to pour out.’ Now, that’s what we want to do – when we play together and lead worship, we pray that something happens that is bigger than just five guys playing music. We pray God splits the sky and joins with us, a little bit of heaven on earth.”
The lyrics are vertical but pretty simple and straightforward; “Everything I have comes from you,” (Radio), “even when I’m lost you take my hand,” (I Will Hold On) while the song Unfailing Love has bits of The Lord’s Prayer. Now and then you’ll catch similarities to delirious? (Jubilee, Skin and Bones) The piano and bass make Love Divine stylistically interesting. The song Burn Bright features what sounds like an old school Hammond organ. While it is worth seeking out, the band is entering a crowded field so one hopes they can find an audience. The DVD was not available for review.
- Rob S.
www.trentband.com
The Least Among You (DVD)
Jan 18, 2011 DVD Reviews
“The Least Among You”
Lions Gate Films
97 minutes
Grade = B-
The story of Rev. Dr. Charles Marks serves as the inspiration for the docudrama.
The story is set during the time of the 1965 Watts Riots in Los Angeles. Young “Richard Kelly” faces a choice-go to jail for assaulting a police officer or accept a plea deal and attend seminary, where, it turns out, he will be the first African-American student at that school.
The story is essentially about finding one’s way along God’s path. Richard faces racism at the seminary, family problems and more. Themes include surrender and forgiveness.
The film has an impressive cast, including Cedric Sanders, Louis Gossett, Jr., Lauren Holly and William Devane. The film was produced in 2007 but is just now getting distribution.
There are quite a few plots and flash backs going on throughout. To fully appreciate how the story unfolds in the film, I would recommend first viewing the special feature interview with the Rev. Dr. Marks. However, one of the neatest parts of the film is the role of a small piece of litter. God does work in unexpected ways.
- Rob S.
Luminate – “Come Home”
Jan 18, 2011 CD Reviews
Luminate
“Come Home”
Sparrow Records
12 tracks @ 49:12
Grade = A-
This Tyler, Texas-based band just released an EP last spring. Give them credit for their first full-length debut which features all new material.
Luminate lead singer Sam Hancock says, ““All my insecurities are on this record and they are not hidden in any artistic, poetic way. Our hope is that we’re not the only ones that deal with this stuff over and over, so we’ll share our stories to spark something in others.
“We all have a purpose and destiny in the kingdom of God,” Hancock says. “We have to choose to be a part of it. And we want everyone to be a part of it.”
Lyrics are typically hope-filled around a theme that God can fill all of our needs, vertical but not profound. Big synths abound on “Innocent” while “Healing in Your Arms” would fit nicely on the most recent work of Rebecca St. James.
I liked the sentiment in “Come Home,” “you can’t outrun grace.” My favorite track is “Hope is Rising.”
- Rob S.
www.luminatemusic.com
Hillsong United – “Aftermath”
Jan 18, 2011 CD Reviews
Hillsong United
“Aftermath”
Sparrow Records
13 tracks @ 69:28
Grade = A
“Freedom in your scars.”
That lyric from “Aftermath’s” title track neatly sums up this second studio album (eleventh overall) from the Sydney, Australia-based worship band.
Hillsong United’s Joel Houston says, “Normally ‘aftermath’ has a negative, even traumatic, connotation. At the same time, when I look at the Crucifixion as an event, it paints an extraordinarily negative and horrific picture. But the aftermath of the Cross is hope for all mankind. Its grace, freedom, peace, life and everything that is good about God. I absolutely love that picture.”
I enjoyed the up-tempo “Search My Heart,” “Go,” and “Light Will Shine.” “Nova” is very pretty despite its Tower of Babel ending while the channel shifting on “Like an Avalanche” seems unnecessary. I also enjoyed the atmospheric instrumental B.E. (Interlude). It should be longer.
Houston says, “The message of Jesus Christ is eternal, yet He continues to
reveal Himself in new ways… giving us what we need to be followers and disciples of Christ for this time in history.
“Life with God is fun, it’s an adventure, it is grace, freedom, peace and everything in between. Whether you are listening to our newest album or our very first, our prayer and passion is that you are empowered to live life with God, encouraged to stay on the course and excited about all that He has for your future.”
- Rob S.
www.hillsongunited.com
www.facebook.com/hillsongunited
