The Year was 2009. I was at a conference in Nashville called Re:create. One of the nights we were going to a Night of song and story and Meredith was one of the artists that was being featured. It was that night that I was introduced to small petite woman with a huge voice. I was blown away by her writing and the nuance in her voice.
I was really excited when Word Records asked me to give my “opinion” on her new CD because this would be Meredith’s first full worship album.
“I never felt like I could write corporate worship songs, but that‟s what I always wanted to do because I am a worship leader,” Andrews states. “So I just started asking the Lord for songs and I was like, „God I don‟t just want songs to fill a record. I want to hear from heaven. I want to write your heart‟ and I was just overwhelmed with the way the Lord answered and the songs that are on this record. This album, I feel, is the most authentic to who I am. I can‟t believe the songs that we have and the way that God met us at every turn and the moments that we captured on this record.”
Honestly that quote says it all. There is nothing better than a selection of songs born out of worship and not out of an agenda of making a great hit.
It opens with the fist pumping song “Open the Heavens”. It is a great song that I will most likely trying to introduce in my own Worship Leading.
I am not personally nor historically a fan of doing song by song reviews because I know nobody reads them. So because of this let me lay it on the line for anybody that trusts my opinion… and you should.
This CD is heartfelt, inspired and holy spirit driven. It has many great songs on it and I am pretty sure many churches will be using them on Sunday mornings soon. The Production is top notch and not over-produced.
My favorite track after 4 listens is “Burn Away”. It is a great song about asking God to burn away the things that separate us from Him.
So if you haven’t figured it out yet I think this CD is a must listen if you like modern worship with a pop twist to it. I also have a test with every worship CD I listen to which is “Can these songs be done if the power goes out”. What I mean by that is can a worship leader grab the charts and just lead with a guitar or a piano and not have all the additional additives. In short I believe this album has many songs on it that would translate very well to a stripped down or small worship team.
If you have heard of meredith you will love it. If you haven’t then take a chance on it because I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
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