Search - Kim McMechan, David Ruis, Rik Leaf :: The Mystery

Experimental Worship

J Lee Harshbarger | Ypsilanti, MI United States | 05/31/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Bible says, "Sing a new song to the Lord." I believe that does not just mean write a new song using the same style you've always used; I think the meaning is broader than that: that we should find creative new ways to worship him, in order to keep our worship of him from becoming formulaic and mechanical.This album goes beyond just presenting new worship songs; it stretches the territory of the commonly practiced style of worship today and creates something new. What is found here, rather than a "worship service" style sequencing of songs, is more like a concept album, something that is a whole that cannot be easily broken up into pieces. This album is like a journey, a journey seeking after God, seeking to connect with him, and then basking in his presence, soaking in his love. Early in the album, a song uses an interpretation of Song of Solomon that is a take-off of an interpretation found in church history, that of Christ and his bride, the church, rather than its direct meaning of the love of a man and woman. When the words are spoken, "I looked for him but could not find him, I called him but he did not answer," it is evident in the context that this usage of the Song of Solomon is referring to an individual's relationship with Jesus. The song this is taken from, "Anything For This Love," musically expresses the desperate running through the streets, searching "for the one I love." Definitely experimental worship."I've Got A Friend" has a hauntingly beautful dark piano sound that reminds me of the music of the 80s European technopop group Ultravox...another example of a style not normally found in worship music.At one point on the album, it gets so experimental that I can't quite figure out what the point is: "Tribal Tephilah Session" is some fast-moving percussive Native American tribal music--in stark contrast to the mostly slow tempo of the album--which then switches to the sounds of a city street, along with car alarms blaring. I can't figure out how this fits into either the song that precedes or follows this, so I'm not sure what this is about.But I'd rather see somebody try something daringly different and maybe not quite pull off what they intended than be safe and not try anything new, for if you never try anything new, how can you ever grow and stay fresh?As a whole, this album is a work of art. The dominant theme of the album is, as the title suggests, wonder at the mystery of God, particularly wonder in his amazing love. To listen to this album is to marvel at God's mysterious beauty and to bask in his wondrous love.This is a 2 CD set. The album liner notes state that while they want to stretch and try new things, they still want to make songs that are accessible for churches to use, so the second CD takes the songs from the concept-album first CD and gives them an entirely new treatment: How would these songs sound sung in a small-group setting? So the second CD is particularly for those who want to use the songs in their church or small group. It can be interesting to hear how different the songs sound in those two settings, but for the most part I only listen to the first CD. It contains the artful masterpiece, the total journey into the mystery of God.I got this CD in 2003 and listened to it more than any other worship CD in 2003. It just seems to never get old."