Genesis

Tim Hughes to the rescue!

The drought is over friends! Our friend from across the pond, Tim Hughes has brought us a new disc packed with great worship songs! In 2001 Tim released his first major label disc and it is partly because of that disc that I am doing what I do today. The songs on the CD were heartfelt and genuine. Not only that, they were memerable. How many times have you bought a CD, listened through it all and right away completely forgot how half the songs went? That was not the case on "Here I am to Worship" Tim has penned a number of popular worship songs; Here I am to Worship, Jesus You Alone, Beautiful One, Maker of All Things. Perhaps you have heard of them?

So now we have "Holding Nothing Back" the third disc from Hughes. I think this group of songs has as much if not a bit more influence on the corporate worship setting than the first. The recordings are definitely more polished than previous discs, but in this case I don't mind and neither should anyone else (I read an article that somewhat slammed the feel of the disc). Tim employs the guitar work of Stu Gerrard (delirious?) on some tracks and it definitely adds. I don't know how you could record any of Stu G's work without it sounding over produced. That guy is a nut for guitar effects and all other bells and whistles.

The album has a definite theme to it. Hughes will be the first to admit it too. He says that it is songs penned from his various concepts and encounters with God over the past several years. All this makes for some great chorus' and deep meaningful verses. The songs are catchy with plenty of good hooks built-in.

"Happy Day" and "Out of the Darkness" are two great tracks that can definitely get you going. Some other $0.99 worthy tracks are "Everything", "Almighty God" and the title track "Holding Nothing Back".

Get your vocal chords warmed up church, there's some new material on the horizon!