|
1. All Around [Listen]
2. Take What's Left Of Me
3. How He Loves [Listen]
4. We Can Be Renewed
5. Heavy Hearted [Listen]
6. Falling Into You
7. Come, Heaven
8. Sustain
2. Take What's Left Of Me
3. How He Loves [Listen]
4. We Can Be Renewed
5. Heavy Hearted [Listen]
6. Falling Into You
7. Come, Heaven
8. Sustain
The Hope That Lies In You
[Release Date: August 25, 2009] (BEC Recordings)
Track Listing:
Track Listing:
9. Breathe Life Into Me
10. Awakening
11. The Hope That Lies In You
12. Sweet, Sweet Sound
10. Awakening
11. The Hope That Lies In You
12. Sweet, Sweet Sound
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
3.9 out of 4
2.7 out of 3
2.0 out of 2
0.7 out of 1
9.3 out of 10
Message
Music
Production
Creativity
Overall Score
| 93% A- |
Like so many college students have during the course of their studies, The Glorious
Unseen’s frontman Ben Crist also struggled with that one big question while attending
Nashville’s Belmont University: What am I supposed to do with my life? After college
Ben starting meeting in a living room with 10-15 people, and the experience certainly
wasn’t church as usual. In fact, because of that little Sunday night community of
believers, Crist wound up becoming a worship leader by accident.
As Ben grew in confidence as a worship leader, he began penning his own praise songs.
Ben’s music wasn’t about to have a small audience for long, however. Once a
representative from Tooth & Nail Records stumbled upon a recording of Ben’s original
songs he knew this was worship music that would resonate with a unique audience.
Now as the band The Glorious Unseen, Ben and his band, which includes guitarist Ryan
Stubbs, bassist Ben Harms, drummer Jon Todryk and pianist Patrick Copeland, have
written a new collection of authentic reflections on the ups and downs of the Christian
life.
“The Hope That Lies in You” is the second full-length album by The Glorious Unseen,
following up 2007’s “Tonight The Stars Speak”, which featured “Hear Our Prayers” and
“Close To Your Heart”. First song “All Around” is a poignant reminder that even when
everything around us may seem like it’s crashing down, we’re still alive in God. “There
are times in our lives when He’s the only one we can lean on,” Ben shares. “When we’re
not allowed to rely on anything else, this is when we grow closer to Him.” That theme
of looking for purpose in the midst of struggles continues with “Take What’s Left Of
Me” and “How He Loves”. “We Can Be Renewed” features a great crying out “it’s
falling apart, what can we do, after all that we’ve been through…here’s hoping that we
can be renewed”.
Also serving as an anthem to the questioning soul is “Heavyhearted,” the album’s first
single that mixes a happy, melodic sound with pensive, thought-provoking lyrics.
Summing up the theme of the album is the hopeful title track, “The Hope That Lies in
You.” Serving as a battle cry of optimism in our increasingly pessimistic world, Ben
wants to encourage listeners to not to live in fear and isolation—even when the media is
saying everything is a disaster.
This is one of the most worshipful and introspective albums I’ve heard this year. If you
like fellow BEC Recordings band Telecast and the worship albums “Take Everything” by
Seventh Day Slumber and “Strong Tower” by Kutless, then you should enjoy The
Glorious Unseen. The sound is very ambient and reflective. I find myself in a state of
deep reflection and prayer every time I listen to this great worship album. Musically, this
album will appeal to fans of Ruth, Copeland and Coldplay.
Closing Thoughts:
For me, the standout songs are “All Around”, “Take What’s Left Of Me”, ‘We Can Be
Renewed”, “Heavyhearted”, “Falling Into You” and title track “The Hope That Lies In
You”. Whether as an album to set the mood for reflection and worship or for personal
times of devotion, I rate “The Hope That Lies In You” highly for fans of ambient
worship.
Unseen’s frontman Ben Crist also struggled with that one big question while attending
Nashville’s Belmont University: What am I supposed to do with my life? After college
Ben starting meeting in a living room with 10-15 people, and the experience certainly
wasn’t church as usual. In fact, because of that little Sunday night community of
believers, Crist wound up becoming a worship leader by accident.
As Ben grew in confidence as a worship leader, he began penning his own praise songs.
Ben’s music wasn’t about to have a small audience for long, however. Once a
representative from Tooth & Nail Records stumbled upon a recording of Ben’s original
songs he knew this was worship music that would resonate with a unique audience.
Now as the band The Glorious Unseen, Ben and his band, which includes guitarist Ryan
Stubbs, bassist Ben Harms, drummer Jon Todryk and pianist Patrick Copeland, have
written a new collection of authentic reflections on the ups and downs of the Christian
life.
“The Hope That Lies in You” is the second full-length album by The Glorious Unseen,
following up 2007’s “Tonight The Stars Speak”, which featured “Hear Our Prayers” and
“Close To Your Heart”. First song “All Around” is a poignant reminder that even when
everything around us may seem like it’s crashing down, we’re still alive in God. “There
are times in our lives when He’s the only one we can lean on,” Ben shares. “When we’re
not allowed to rely on anything else, this is when we grow closer to Him.” That theme
of looking for purpose in the midst of struggles continues with “Take What’s Left Of
Me” and “How He Loves”. “We Can Be Renewed” features a great crying out “it’s
falling apart, what can we do, after all that we’ve been through…here’s hoping that we
can be renewed”.
Also serving as an anthem to the questioning soul is “Heavyhearted,” the album’s first
single that mixes a happy, melodic sound with pensive, thought-provoking lyrics.
Summing up the theme of the album is the hopeful title track, “The Hope That Lies in
You.” Serving as a battle cry of optimism in our increasingly pessimistic world, Ben
wants to encourage listeners to not to live in fear and isolation—even when the media is
saying everything is a disaster.
This is one of the most worshipful and introspective albums I’ve heard this year. If you
like fellow BEC Recordings band Telecast and the worship albums “Take Everything” by
Seventh Day Slumber and “Strong Tower” by Kutless, then you should enjoy The
Glorious Unseen. The sound is very ambient and reflective. I find myself in a state of
deep reflection and prayer every time I listen to this great worship album. Musically, this
album will appeal to fans of Ruth, Copeland and Coldplay.
Closing Thoughts:
For me, the standout songs are “All Around”, “Take What’s Left Of Me”, ‘We Can Be
Renewed”, “Heavyhearted”, “Falling Into You” and title track “The Hope That Lies In
You”. Whether as an album to set the mood for reflection and worship or for personal
times of devotion, I rate “The Hope That Lies In You” highly for fans of ambient
worship.
Review Written By: Kevin Davis [kevin.davis@christianmusicreview.org] Date Written: July 29, 2009
Review Rating
How do we rate our reviews? Click here for more information.
Additional Reviews
Main Review & Closing Thoughts
+ None
| [Album Review] |
| The Glorious Unseen |