Creation Sings
There is a folky charm to Stuart Townend’s latest CD, giving a refreshing sound to contemporary church music. Townend is probably the best-known modern hymnwriter; his collaborations with Keith Getty have given the church some of the most theologically rich, lyrically poetical, and melodically manageable hymns of the past few decades. This album firmly continues that tradition, but also throws a folk tone and tempo into the mix for good measure.
The album kicks off with a new track, “Come People of the Risen King”, a rousing song calling the whole church to rejoice. It stands as an invitation to a time of musical worship, but typically for Townend it is not a self-reflexive song about the act of worship itself, but rather a call to put God at the forefront. Really, it is a rallying-cry of a reminder of God’s character and his promises for his people. As is common throughout Townend’s work, it is easy to imagine this hymn being sung in a congregational setting in a variety of styles. Townend’s melodies are uncomplicated, and are also quick to pick up. This track is one that I suspect will become common in churches, joining a number of contemporary songs which will stand the test of time.
This album has a jolly, upbeat tone to it which emerges periodically throughout. One older hymn, “My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness”, has often been recorded (and I have heard it sung in churches) with a slow, plodding tempo that would not be out of place at a funeral. But this is a song about joy, and it thoroughly deserved the more pacey recording towards the end of Creation Sings. Likewise, “O Church Arise”, which sounds like it has the weight of a couple of centuries behind it, is given a more rousing and growing beat which pushes towards a forceful climax. The title track, “Creation Sings”, includes a line to “tell the wonders of Creation’s King”. Through some of the most biblically-rich lyrics on the album, Townend tells the story of salvation and the coming new creation with a jumpy, catchy melody that, again, is sure to become a staple in churches. That is not to say that all of the tracks are jazzed up and raced through, though: there are appropriately calm moments, such as the lyrically powerful “Speak, O Lord”, a call to seek God in his Word.
There are some inventive tracks on Creation Sings: “All My Days” (often known by the chorus, Beautiful Saviour) is another old song given a fresh breath of life, this time with an almost blues-like sound. It is not to my taste, but I can appreciate the mainstream sound of “My Fault”, the bonus track. I am not a blind lover of innovation or modernity in church music, but I do believe a good hymn must have a singable melody. It is with some frustration, then, that some of these hymns sound a bit tired and plodding. Townend, with Getty, has written some beautiful hymns and nobody can expect each one to be better than the last. In an album so rich with congregational songs, it is frustrating to come across tracks like “To See the King of Heaven Fall”, which it is very difficult to imagine singing loudly or with any kind of feeling. This is not just a criticism of slow hymns – “Speak, O Lord is one example of a powerful slower offering.
Creation Sings, then, is a fantastic addition for any church’s music library. The best of these hymns and songs are easy to pick up, easy to sing, and teach great truths about God. A mix of established classics and classics of the future, this CD gives a taste of modern church music without a rock sound. It is great to see richly biblical language in contemporary songs which are suitable for a range of congregational styles – Stuart Townend should be commended on an album which is, overall, fantastic.
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Ali grew up in London, but is currently at university in the North East of England. He helped to re-launch Crossring in 2009, and has acted as Managing Editor of the website since then. He occasionally dabbles in photography and web development - he also designed and maintains the Crossring website.
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I think Stuart Townend writes some fantastic music. The words are often brilliant – highly scriptural and very thought provoking – and are usually combined with some great tunes. I’ll have to get this album!
I do thoroughly recommend it.
I meant to mention the bonus extras you get with the CD, including a DVD featuring several of the songs (for example, here’s a YouTube of a song I didn’t mention, The Light of the World). Also, the DVD features introductions to some of the songs, as Townend explains how they originated or how the recording came about.