Listen. Do you hear it? That hissing sound. It's the sad sound of air leaking from a Caedmon's Call balloon that once flew so high and was full of promise. Ever since the departure of Derek Webb in 2003, the band has sorel... more »y missed his songwriting and creative contributions. Never has it been more evident than in In the Company of Angels 2: The World Will Sing, a follow-up to the group's solid 2001 release In the Company of Angels: A Call to Worship. Certainly Cliff and Danielle Young continue to produce pleasing AC rock with tracks like "Great and Mighty," "Rest Upon Us," and the catchy and bouncy "Sing His Love." Those are topped by the highlighted mid-tempo hymn "Draw Me Nearer" and Danielle Young's poignant vocals on "Be Merciful to Me." But the bulk of the release is dragged down by bland, uninspiring music like "The Story," "The Fountain," and "We Give Thanks." Unfortunately the energy (or lack thereof) of these tracks pales in comparison to the 2001 Company release along with much of the band's earlier catalog. The dynamic between Webb and the Youngs, which often yielded melodic yet challenging light rock, is no longer there. This is what helped catapult the band into the upper echelons of Christian music. And its absence is what is now bringing them down, back to Earth. --Michael Lyttle« less
Listen. Do you hear it? That hissing sound. It's the sad sound of air leaking from a Caedmon's Call balloon that once flew so high and was full of promise. Ever since the departure of Derek Webb in 2003, the band has sorely missed his songwriting and creative contributions. Never has it been more evident than in In the Company of Angels 2: The World Will Sing, a follow-up to the group's solid 2001 release In the Company of Angels: A Call to Worship. Certainly Cliff and Danielle Young continue to produce pleasing AC rock with tracks like "Great and Mighty," "Rest Upon Us," and the catchy and bouncy "Sing His Love." Those are topped by the highlighted mid-tempo hymn "Draw Me Nearer" and Danielle Young's poignant vocals on "Be Merciful to Me." But the bulk of the release is dragged down by bland, uninspiring music like "The Story," "The Fountain," and "We Give Thanks." Unfortunately the energy (or lack thereof) of these tracks pales in comparison to the 2001 Company release along with much of the band's earlier catalog. The dynamic between Webb and the Youngs, which often yielded melodic yet challenging light rock, is no longer there. This is what helped catapult the band into the upper echelons of Christian music. And its absence is what is now bringing them down, back to Earth. --Michael Lyttle
"I confess that when I heard that Caedmon's Call's follow-up to their amazing _Share the Well_ would be this sequel to the original _In the Company of Angels_ (_ItCoA_), I was not terribly excited. Artistically, it seemed like a regress, done for commercial reasons. Then I heard the opening track, "Great and Mighty," which seemed to confirm my suspicions. It was catchy but fluffy--the kind of song you'd expect to hear on an average Christian radio station, but not worthy of Caedmon's Call. Despite my misgivings, I bought _ItCoA II_, thinking that even if this wasn't Caedmon's magnum opus, it would still contain plenty of Caedmon's typical excellence. I am glad I did.
Overall, I have little but praise for this recording. Caedmon's signature unselfishness is evident throughout, with each band member making excellent contributions without any one dominating the soundscape. The percussion section does its typical excellent work, the background vocals are tasteful, and the songwriting is solid. All three singers are in good voice, and Danielle Young's voice in particular has never sounded better. Most impressive is how Caedmon's Call loved this project enough to make it lovely, even though it isn't what they originally had in mind for their follow-up to _Share the Well_. In other words, though the record company didn't let them do the record they wanted, they acted like grown-ups and produced something excellent anyway.
The standout tracks:
_ItCoA II_ hits its stride with tracks three through five. Andrew Osenga's adaptation of "Sing His Love" is an exuberant reflection on the mercy and covenant faithfulness of God, and the verses are lovely and though-provoking. Laura Story's "Rest Upon Us," a plea for the presence of the Holy Spirit, has some of the best lyrics on the album, a pastoral musical backdrop (courtesy of Osenga's wonderfully understated guitar accompaniment), and a wonderful vocal by Danielle Young. And Osenga's "The Story" extols God for his wondrous ability to somehow bring good from all of humanity's sad history, while gently chiding us for our tendency to forget that "we were loved before we opened up our eyes--such foolish pride."
The other standout songs here are "Be Merciful to Me," which contains some of Danielle Young's best recorded singing to date, and "Fellowship So Deep," which stands out musically as one of the best songs Caedmon's has ever recorded. The vocal interplay between the three singers is spine-tingling, and the percussion is stunning.
Finally, since Caedmon's Call released _ItCoA II_, in part, to provide songs that churches can use in worship, I end with a postscript on how well these songs lend themselves to congregational singing. Some would do very well in such a setting with very few changes-e.g. "Sing His Love," "Be Merciful to Me," "I Surrender All," and "Let Me Be." Others could work with a little tweaking-e.g. "Draw Me Nearer," "Rest Upon Us" and "Fellowship So Deep." The other songs would be more difficult to adapt for congregational singing. Still, with a majority of the songs being suitable for congregations, I would call _ItCoA II_ a success in this respect."
ROOTS AND WINGS MAKE THIS ONE FLY!!!
Doctor Jay | Jackson, MS USA | 03/09/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Where does one begin with a work like this? The production is clean and crisp, enjoyable to listen to (I call it "ridearoundability," when I can put a CD into my car player, ride around, and not feel compelled to hit the "skip" button). The musicianship is outstanding, but accessable (I play guitar, and do not feel intimidated, just challenged and excited about playing along). That's good news for people in church praise teams. The signature vocals are classic Caedmon's. Cliff, Danielle, and Andrew are in top form (I love to hear Danielle sing, and Andrew could pass for Jacob Dylan). The harmonies are nicely layered without being too lavish. What makes this CD fly, however, is that the songs are grounded in sound Biblical doctrine and traditional hymns, yet interpreted and performed tastefully as acoustic and acoustic-rock numbers (case in point: Fanny Crosby's "Draw Me Nearer"). The only real problem with this CD is that listening to it is like sitting down to a great meal, eating until you are filled, and yet not wanting to push away from the table because you're still hungry for more. This CD will stay in rotation on your player for a l-o-n-g time. Get it, and buy some extra copies for your friends. You'll be gald you did!"
Fabulous CD!!!
William | Minnesota | 05/02/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Caedmon's Call is one of those groups that falls under the radar. It seems just yesterday that 40 Acres was released. I purchased this CD after a quick preview and am glad that I did. Fellowship So Deep, Sing His Love, and Draw Me Nearer are my favorite songs. But can't find one track that is weak. I like rendition of classic hymn I Surrender All. If you like acoustic/percussion driven sound, then this album is a must."
Intellectual and yet catchy
Matthew Mundt | Seattle, WA | 03/22/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Written by Jessie Roberts for Spirit1053.com:::
Throughout their twelve year ministry, the songs of Caedmon's Call have ranged from melancholy singer-songwriter types to rich hymn-like worship songs. The departure of Derek Webb in 2003 could have been discouraging, as he helped bring a distinctive richness and texture to their sound. However the band continued as before, thriving off of their core focus on ministry, and developing that focus as they continued. Consequently their sound, live as well as recorded, is as tight as a band can get (perhaps due to the fact that lead singers Cliff and Danielle are married).
Caedmon's Call takes their role as Christian music artists seriously, and accepts the responsibility of that privilege. They have partnered with Compassion International and other organizations, as well as released the globally-minded album Share the Well.
This focus and intentionality is reflected in their music as well. In the Company of Angels II: The World Will Sing is a collection of worship songs completely focused on God and the nature of the journey towards getting to know Him better.
Danielle Young is particularly a blessing on this record. She is unpretentious and focused solely on delivering the songs. We really don't get to know much about her personality or background through the music, but that feels appropriate for a worship album. Her clear vocals are not distracting, and instead point towards God through the lyrics she sings.
The songs are intellectual and yet catchy. They are a combination of old hymns and new music. Particularly delightful is "Sing His Love," the words of which are based on an ancient Chinese hymn text. These lyrics are attached to a melody that is joyful and yet smoothly contained within the aforementioned tightness of their sound.
In the Company of Angels II is the sort of album that might not grab your attention during your first listen, but will grow to become more and more enjoyable. The focus is not on entertainment, but on serious pressing into God and into a deeper understanding of Him. This album will be passed over by those with short attention spans, but those who are wiser will find a collection of sings that are catchy, rich, and moving.
Now touring: www.caedmonscall.com
"
Amazing Album; Sure to be best of the year
blbooks | 03/08/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The latest offering from Caedmon's Call is IN THE COMPANY OF ANGELS II: THE WORLD WILL SING. The album is their second worship album. The album offers eleven new songs, many written or co-written by members of the band. (And in a world where many worship albums are just bands covering songs written and performed by countless others....it is a refreshing change.) The style of IN THE COMPANY OF ANGELS II is the traditional Caedmon's sound--acoustic rock. Fans of other albums should find this one equally to their liking.
1) Great and Mighty is a great opening song. Lyrically and musically pleasing with a refrain of "You are great and mighty God/ Robed in majesty/ You set us apart, You set us free/ When you captured our hearts/ You are great and mighty" it easily earns a full five stars. The song is about how great it is to praise God here and now in this world...but better still to look forward to the day when we will see God face to face.
2) Draw Me Nearer offers a fresh look at a hymn by Fanny Crosby with additional words and Music by Joshua Moore, one of the band members. It is another God-centered praise song. "You draw me with Your mercy/ You draw me with Your love/ You draw me with forgiveness by Your blood/ You draw me with compassion/ You draw me as a bride/ You draw me closer to Your precious side" Definitely worthy of five stars.
3) Sing His Love, written by Andrew Osenga, is partially drawn on an ancient Chinese hymn text. It is one of my personal favorites on the album. I think it stands out both lyrically and musically on the album. "Father, long before creation/ Thou hadst chosen us in love/ And that love so deep, so moving/ Draws us close to Christ above/ Still it keeps us, still it keeps us/ Firmly fixed in Christ alone" leads to a great chorus focusing on how the whole world of believers will sing of the wondrous love of God. An amazing song, definitely five stars.
4) Rest Upon Us is a slower song, a beautiful song with a refrain of "Holy Spirit, rest upon us/ Breath of God, touch my soul/ Come unfailing love of Jesus/ Rest upon us, rest upon us" It is a song inviting communion between us and God. A nice song. 4.5 stars.
5) The Story is a song about reconciling our present difficulties and discouragements with the promise of God working out all things for our good and the promise found within the resurrection. "O, can you tell me the story/ Of all of Your Glory?/ Of Your rising again?/ Cause I, I'm in love with the mystery/ Of how our sad history/ Can turn out for good" A good song. 4.5 stars.
6) The Fountain is a pleasant song about believers seeking refreshment, revival, and renewal. "I go to the fountain, I go to the well/ I hear in the waves the echoes of His voice saying/ `Peace be still'/ My hands are worn, my lips are sore and dry until/ I go to the fountain" 4 stars.
7) Be Merciful to Me is a beautiful song, again a slower-paced song. "From the garden to the cross/ Thy mercy did endure/ My soul purged from all dross/ In blood made pure." A very pleasant song. 4.5 stars.
8) I Surrender All is a pleasant acoustic song. It is about living daily in His presence. (That is acknowledging his daily presence in our lives) and surrendering our wills to His. "All to Jesus, I surrender/ All to Him I freely give/ I will ever love and trust Him/ In His presence daily live" 4 stars.
9) We Give Thanks is a great praise song. Part of the second verse goes, "We give thanks to You, O God/ For what You said will come true/ You chose the poor/ You chose the lost/ You chose the nails, betrayal, and cross/ As for us, we'll declare this forever/ We will sing to the God who loves" Definitely worthy of a full five stars.
10) Fellowship So Deep is a great praise song, and while appropriate to sing and enjoy all year long, it is especially appropriate for Lent and Easter. "For the love that knows no ending, in the wisdom of God's plan/ For the light that was descending to revive the heart of man/ Christ the Lamb was made to suffer and to die upon a tree/ So that we, sisters and brothers, could know His fellowship so deep" 5 stars.
11) Let Me Be, the closing song, is a beatiful song. Part of the first verse goes, "Though my sins are daily/ You have loved me greatly/ Removing them as far as east from west" And the chorus goes: "Let me be open/ Let me be humble/ Let me find the joy of my salvation in Your cross/ Let me be broken/ whenever I stumble/ Let me remember the great mercy of my God" 5 stars.
Overall, IN THE COMPANY OF ANGELS II is a great worship album both lyrically--doctrinally sound and appropriately focused on God and not man--and musically. Highly recommended for fans of Caedmon's Call, Chris Tomlin, Third Day, and Jars of Clay."