Album Downloads: Hillsong UNITED - Wonder (2017), Tasha Cobbs - Heart. Passion. Pursuit. (2017), Hillsong Worship - The Peace Project (2017) and Casting Crowns - It's Finally Christmas EP (2017)

I know you guys have missed me on these streets (happy winks), and yes, I'm back! And I hope that I'll be as active as I can be, God willing.

Now, to motivate y'all and as a welcome-back gift, here are 4 major downloads for your listening pleasure this festive season: 

Note that all the 4 albums I'm sharing are zip folders that either need a file manager like Solid Explorer File Manger (on Android) or Bandizip (on Windows) to open. Please click on the highlighted links to download the app or program if you don't have an alternative.
 

1. Hillsong Worship - The Peace Project (2017) 

Summary info on the album:
The Peace Project is an album done with collaboration members the Hillsong band (Y&F, UNITED and Worship). It is an interesting project which features seven new, original songs including “Prince of Heaven,” “Seasons,” and “Peace Upon The Earth” along with new arrangements of five of the most beloved Christmas classics like “Hark,” “O Holy Night” and “Joy To The World.”

Artist: Hillsong Worship.

Album: The Peace Project.

Number of tracks: 12.

Album length: 57 minutes, 20 seconds.

Date of release: October 20, 2017.

Record label: Hillsong Music.

Music genre: Christmas.

Download link: Hillsong Worship - The Peace Project (2017) (55MB).

Hillsong Worship - The Peace Project (2017) official album cover art

2. Casting Crowns - It's Finally Christmas EP (2017)

Summary info on the album:
Grammy-award winning and Multi-platinum selling Christian band Casting Crowns have just unleashed their 2017 Christmas EP with the typical Casting Crowns sound we all love.
It’s Finally Christmas is all about the little details that make Christmas. From twinkling lights, to ‘the smell of cookies baking’, to singing Nat King Cole classics - family traditions are at the heart of the song. Christmas is a time for coming together, and looking forward to warmth of family and friends, wherever you are. Even die-hard Christmas fans may find earnest lines like ‘If you’ve got love, you’ve got it all’ a little cloying, but the song rounds off with a return to the heart of it all - remembering the Christmas story together. - Eden Magazine

Artist: Casting Crowns.

Album: It's Finally Christmas EP.

Number of tracks: 6.

Album length: 25 minutes, 38 seconds.

Date of release: October 20, 2017.

Producer: Mark A. Miller

Music genre: Christmas.

Download link: Casting Crowns - It's Finally Christmas EP (2017) (24MB).

Casting Crowns - It's Finally Christmas EP (2017) official album cover art

3. Hillsong UNITED - Wonder (2017) 

Summary info on the album:
Hillsong UNITED (the band) had several recording sessions for Wonder at The Record Plant in Los Angeles. Lead vocalist Joel Houston felt that the album's title and themes reflected returning wonder to both faith and worship, saying, "This is the challenge, and this is what worship - if worship can be summed up as an expression of art and music and story - is ultimately designed to do. To elevate the conversation, re-awaken the soul to something other, and lift our eyes to the wonder of a superlative truth." "Splinters and Stones" was described as having "striking vocal modification and pulsing bass samplings" while containing personal lyrics. - Wikipedia
Note: "So Will I (100 Billion X)" is my favorite song on the album. (That's why I have attached an acoustic bonus of the track done live at the Worship Together studios, which is not on the original album.)

Artist: Hillsong UNITED.

Album: Wonder.

Number of tracks: 13.

Album length: 71 minutes.

Date of release: June 9, 2017.

Record label: Hillsong, Sparrow and Capital CMG.

Music genre: Contemporary worship/Christian music.

Download link: Hillsong UNITED - Wonder (2017) (77MB)

Hillsong Worship - Wonder (2017) official album cover art

4. Tasha Cobbs-Leonard - Heart. Passion. Pursuit. (2017)

Summary info on the album:
When the Grammy-award winning Gospel artist Tasha Cobbs-Leonard announced that she was going to feature Nicki Minaj (yeaaaah, some of y'all yelled, "of all people!") on her album, her Instagram went ablaze...
"How could she?" "Why, Tasha, why?" "I can't believe this!"... Went the comments.
But during her interview with Essence, Tasha came out to defend the reason why she involved Nicki on her album by saying, 
"I've seen the Nicki that is off the stage and that Nicki has a great relationship with God. My assignment with this song was for a particular audience. Some [of the listeners] have never experienced God ever and she exposed that audience in her way, to the God that she loves."  
She also added by saying that this partnership with Nicki Minaj served as a healing process for those she’s come into contact with:  
The testimonies that have come because of this – I would absolutely do it again. I’ve had thousands of people say to me, ‘This is the first time I’ve ever bought a gospel album. This is the first time I’ve ever felt God. I didn’t believe in God until I heard this song.'”

Well, fellas, download the album, move over to track number 8 and be the judge...   

Artist: Tasha Cobbs.

Album: Heart. Passion. Pursuit.

Number of tracks: 16.

Album length: 89 minutes, 37 seconds.

Date of release: August 25, 2017.

Record label: EMI/Motown Gospel

Music genre: Urban contemporary Gospel/CCM.

Download link: Tasha Cobbs-Leonard - Heart. Passion. Pursuit. (2017) (85MB)

Tasha Cobbs-Leonard - Heart. Passion. Pursuit. (2017) official album cover art

***********************************

Well, I guess that is a full dose for today, guys.

See you next time!


Bonface Morris.

Downloads: Casting Crowns (The Very Next Thing) and Hillsong Young & Free (Youth Revival) 2016 Free Music Album Downloads

Hello people!!

It seems I may not have time to review these two albums, in full so lemme just share them anyways...

1. CASTING CROWNS - THE VERY NEXT THING (2016)

Summary info on the album:
This long-awaited album from Casting Crowns comes after two [little known] albums that were released last year (2015); Glorious Day: Hymns of Faith and A Live Worship Experience (this one had covers of some of their great songs and others like the now so famous worship song Good, Good Father). 

Album: The Very Next Thing
Date of release: Available from 16th September, 2016
Artist: Casting Crowns
Record label: Sony BMG
Music genre: Contemporary Christian/Gospel, soft rock, Christian rock & bluegrass
Number of tracks on the album: 12

Download the full album here (50MB): Casting Crowns - The Very Next Thing (2016) 

Album cover art:

The official album cover art for Casting Crown's 2016 album "The Very Next Thing"

2. HILLSONG YOUNG & FREE - YOUTH REVIVAL (2016)

Summary info on the album:
I was supposed to share this album kinda 6 months ago, but I got busy and [somehow] forgot I had to... Anyway, here it is at last... It is an album with a music style typical of Y&F (I even noticed a few very interesting guests at their album launch event earlier on this year.) Y&F also happened to do a [little known] remix project in December last year (which I refuse to talk about for now.) This is music for the millennial, and I'm sure most guys will love it.

Album: Youth Revival
Date of release: Available from 26th February, 2016
Artist: Hillsong Young & Free
Record label: Hillsong Music
Music genre: Contemporary Christian/Gospel, Christian pop, Christian EDM and dance-pop
Number of tracks on the album: 13

Download the full album here (58MB): Hillsong Young & Free - Youth Revival (2016) 

Album cover art:

Official album cover art for Hillsong Young & Free's 2016 album "Youth Revival"

Here Is the MP3 Download for Hillsong Worship's 2016 Easter Single "Grace to Grace" Plus Lyrics

Hillsong Worship - Grace to Grace (2016 Easter song)

Click here to download MP3 audio for Hillsong Worship's 2016 Easter Single 'Grace to Grace' (5.2mb)

Scroll below to find the lyrics and chords.

Note: I have also embedded the lyrics within the mp3 file so that you can see them directly from your music player as you play it. You'll need to have an audio player that has the cappability to view lyrics in order to see them. Try jetAudio and PlayerPro for Android or MediaMonkey and MusicBee for Windows). Thank me later :-) 

Summary

In their post today, Hillsong Worship wrote and said, "Grace to Grace is our 2016 Easter single. It's a song penned by Joel Houston and Chris Davenport featuring Marty Sampson, Taya Smith, Jad Gillies and Matt Crocker. We are so excited for you to hear it and trust that it will help you again sense the wonder, beauty, pain and triumph of the cross of Jesus Christ... so central and grounding to our faith not only at Easter but daily as we continue to work out what it means to live out the resurrection. We've also made chord charts & translations available for you and your worship teams here. "Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted" (Hebrews 12:2-3, ESV)

Here are the lyrics to Hillsong Worship's 'Grace to Grace':

GRACE TO GRACE
Words and Music by JOEL HOUSTON & CHRIS DAVENPORT 
♩= 62

---

| B E |
VERSE 1
B                                 F#       G#m  E
If love endured that ancient cross
B                                F#           G#m  E
How precious is my Saviour’s blood
B                                   F#                     G#m  E
The beauty of heaven wrapped in my shame
B                            F#                  G#m
The image of love upon death’s frame

PRE-CHORUS 1
E                                     G#m F#
If having my heart was worth the pain
E                                          G#m F#        B/D#
What joy could You see beyond the grave
E                                             G#m  F#
If love found my soul worth dying for

CHORUS 1
                 B                 F#  G#m7
How wonderful, how glorious
      E         B                   F#  G#m7
My Saviour’s scars, victorious
       D#m7 Emaj7         F#       G#m7
My chains are gone, my debt is paid
          E        B                      F#            E
From death to life and grace to grace
| B F# | G#m7 E | B F# | G#m7 E |

VERSE 2
If heaven now owns that vacant tomb
How great is the hope that lives in You
The passion that tore through hell like a rose
The promise that rolled back death and its stone

PRE-CHORUS 2
If freedom is worth the life You raised
Oh where is my sin, where is my shame
If love paid it all to have my heart

CHORUS 2
         E      B                  F#  G#m7
How wonderful, how glorious
      E           B                F#   G#m7
My Saviour’s scars, victorious
      D#m7  Emaj7          F#      G#m7
My chains are gone, my debt is paid
          E        B               G#m7  F#      E
From death to life and grace to grace
| E F# | G#m7 E | B | F# |

BRIDGE
E                                             F#
When I see that cross, I see freedom
G#m7                                        E
When I see that grave, I’ll see Jesus
B
And from death to life, I will sing Your praise
F#
In the wonder of Your grace

Repeat BRIDGE

TAG
E                            F#            G#m7
How my soul will sing Your praise
                         E           B
In the wonder of Your grace
                                                F#
How my soul will sing Your praise

Repeat CHORUS 2

Empires: Hillsong UNITED Full 2015 Album Download and Review

So after Hillsong released their fourth studio album “Empires” on Tuesday last week (that is May 26, 2015), I moved around the webosphere to see what the main Christian music storehouses were saying about the new album.

Official album art for Hillsong UNITED's "Empires"

Empires: Hillsong UNITED Full 2015 Album Download (66MB)

What I met was a mixture of views (as always because it is impossible for everyone to think and say the same things about an album).

Some commentators were saying that Hillsong are no longer singing music for the congregation – music like what made “us” to really love them – like the music they did way back in the days of Mighty to Save, Best Friend etc etc.

Others were saying that this music album is more for the unchurched; yet others hailed it saying that Hillsong know exactly what their audience needs (musically and worship-wise) and they delivered excellently.

Anyways, here below is my own review of the album and the download;

Track listing

Empires is a 12 track album that lasts 71 minutes and 31 seconds. It has a bonus track, Sunburst (not included in the download I am sharing.)

The official standard edition track listing is as below;

1. Here Now (Madness) – written by Joel Houston and Michael Guy Chislett
2. Say the Word – written by Joel Houston  
3. Heart Like Heaven – written by Matt Crocker and Joel Houston
4. Touch the Sky – written by Joel Houston, Dylan Thomas and Guy Chislett and performed by Taya Smith
5. Street Called Mercy – written by Matt Crocker and Joel Houston      
6. When I Lost My Heart to You (Hallelujah) – written by Joel Houston      
7. Even When It Hurts (Praise Song) – written by Joel Houston      
8. Prince of Peace – written by Joel Houston, Matt Crocker and Dylan Thomas and performed by Joel Houston
9. Empires – written by Joel Houston, Dylan Thomas, Chris Davenport and Ben Tennikoff
10. Rule – written by Matt Crocker and Joel Houston      
11. Captain – written by Benjamin Hastings and Seth Simmons      
12. Closer Than You Know – written by Joel Houston, Matt Crocker and Guy Chislett

13. Sunburst (bonus track) – written by Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, Scott Ligertwood and Guy Chislett.

Music style and acceptability

The music style in Empires is typical of Hillsong UNITED (that is, if you know what I mean.) UNITED’s music style is quite different from that of Hillsong Y&F’s music style, which is quite different from Hillsong WORSHIP’s music style.

Joel Houston is kinda the unofficial worship leader for UNITED, while Reuben Morgan heads WORSHIP and Laura Toggs leads Y&F. (This is my unofficial view of things.)

Back from when they did Zion and followed it up with The White Album, UNITED have rather acquired an indie-electronic sound – which is quite different from the alternative and contemporay worship we used to have from the long ago Hillsong band and the electronic-dance-pop and techno genres mostly done by Y&F. This means, Hillsong as a band, according to me, targets different audiences with their music. That is why it is not just a big band called Hillsong Church Band or any other name that may suit such a band; but that it is intentionally divided into teams with separate target audiences.

With a keen ear and eye, you’d realize that Y&F do music for the youth, UNITED do music for the mature millenial, while WORSHIP do music for a general church audience. You also discover that there is a certain consistency in how these three music groups/teams write their songs, use instruments and arrange chords.

Have UNITED climbed a notch higher? Maybe. But I think it is fair enough to say that they are simply doing what they know best: giving us an album with that “Hillsong touch”. This means that this album may not be appealing to a certain audince that prefers having a whole album that can be done for congregational worship. This album is likely to tread on a rather love-hate (lovehatric so to say) path with many listeners.

Songs like "When I Lost My Heart to You (Hallelujah)," "Prince of Peace," and "Captain" feature a more acoustic sound. They showcase a more intimate sound that churches can sing with a skeleton crew rather than needing layers upon layers of instruments.

“Closer Than You Know” has this beautiful ending with some kind of Selah moment. The title track “Empires” seems to have this extended Selah thing that runs for 2 minutes and 30 seconds before bringing back the bridge again at the end.

“Here Now (Madness)” has a beautiful repetitive theme:

“Coz I know that You are here now

Still my heart, let Your voice be all I hear now

Fix my eyes on the things that I can’t see now

Spirit breathe like the wind come have your way…”

If you would do some “local DJ’ing” and play “Here Now (Madness)” alongside “Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace)”, “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)” and Bethel Music’s “You Make Me Brave”, I promise that you’ll come out different…

Then there is that song “Rule” with a techno beat and style. “Say the Word” is more of a folk/pop styled song (is that Taya Smith doing it again?)

Album and song titles

At least Hillsong in general don’t have the tendency of making song titles short and meaningless as many musicians struggle to do. (I always wonder if they do this intentionally, out of advice from the recording company/producer or they just wanna be crazy about short song titles.)  

I am of the school of thought that a music album is like a book: telling a flowing story right from the cover (album art), to the title/name of the album, to the chapters and subchapters (choruses, pre-choruses, bridges, vamps, intros, outros, interludes and ends), to the lyrics (which are the words in the “book”.)

Unless the theme remains the same throughout an album, people will tend to think, “Aaaaah, so nobody really thought hard about that title, right…?”

Hillsong have also mastered this over the years and they have done it quite well on this album.

Audibility, singability, fluidity, quality and flow

This album is of great quality in both sound and creativity. A few songs are rather complicated to flow and sing to the unprofessional worshiper; but most are singable and likeable: with unique bridges and beautiful overlaps. Some chords and riffs are well twisted and repeated; and come out to somehow surprise the listener. (Which is a remarkable thing by the way.)

As Ryan Barbee of JFH puts it, “Empires has a minimalistic sound that relies on rich melodies and meticulous instrumentation”.

Most tracks on this album have a great emphasis on synths just as it is typical of UNITED. I am listening to the album in the background via earphones as I edit a document, and I have no problem capturing the lyrics at all. Even with the music volume at level 6 on my player, I can still hear every tiny sound and word.

The drums are done well. Not noisy, not disruptive on the vocals and not intrusive. Voice blending is good. Lead vocals and backup vocals meet well together in the songs.

The album flows well from song to another (I disabled shuffle so that I listen to the music in its original track flow.)

Lyrical content

There is no doubt that Hillsong as a band (as a whole) have mastered lyrical content in their songs. Songs that are meant to arouse emotion, do it quite well. Songs that are meant to arouse meditation, songs that are meant to drive us right into falling at the feet of Christ do it so well too. I guess they have some of the best songwriters that take Scripture and put it into music quite well.

One notable thing is that Ligertwood (remember him from “With Everything” in “This Is Our God” album?) is one of the song writers (co-wrote ”Sunburst” actually)

Conclusion

So, is this the 2015 album we have been waiting for? I don’t know.

Considering that we have had great music (with relation to this genre) from the likes of Bethel Music, Derek Johnson, Hillsong Y&F, Jeremy Camp, Plumb, Third Day (that great Lead Us Back worship album) etc etc, and because we are just in the middle of the year, I cannot draw a conclusion on this.

But you should download it, listen to it and make your own judgment. (Smily face.)

References

An Open Letter to UNITED (New Release Tuesday) 

Hillsong United: Empires (CCM Magazine) 

Hillsong UNITED, "Empires" Review (Jesus Freak Hideout)

Empires: HillsongUnited album (Wikipedia)

Bonface Morris.

Hillsong Young & Free "This Is Living" EP Album (2015) mp3 Download

This Is Living EP official album art - Hillsong Young & Free, 2015

Hillsong Young & Free released an extended play album (EP in short - which is a musical recording that contains more music than a single, but is usually too short to qualify as a full studio album) "This Is Living" last week on Tuesday, January 13, 2015.

The EP features a track by the same name with Lecrae.

Taking on electronic dance music style with a little pop touch, Hillsong Young & Free offers a glimpse at Hillsong Church's Youth Ministry with the new EP's lead track "This Is Living," which has been available on iTunes and major music stores worldwide. 

"The wait is over! #ThisIsLiving is now available worldwide," the band wrote on Twitter on Tuesday last week and this threw many fans of their music (including myself) into a rush of anticipation. 

On featuring Christian Hip-hop singer and Grammy award-winner Lecrae on "This Is Living", they wrote and said,  "For us it was a dream come true to collaborate with Lecrae who we not only love and respect as an artist, but as someone who is a strong voice for freedom to this generation... If anyone's message echoes the message of 'This Is Living', it's Lecrae."

On Tuesday last week, Lecrae (@Lecrae) voiced his own excitement for the track's release, tweeting: "My friends @hillsongyandf just released their EP & I'm on the track #ThisIsLiving. Check it out here..." as he posted a link to where the fans may access and download the new music. 

Meanwhile, the new Young & Free EP also includes a newly-recorded version of "Sinking Deep," which was first released on the group's debut album "We Are Young & Free" released in 2013. An acoustic version of "This Is Living" is also among the new album's songs. Rounding out track list for "This Is Living" are the songs "Energy" and "Pursue."

The announcement of the new EP was also done via YouTube in a clip featuring Lecrae.

Here is the download link to the EP containing 5 songs:

Hillsong Young & Free "This Is Living" EP (2015) full mp3 download (21MB) 

Note:
This review was partly obtained from  www.christianpost.com.

Bonface Morris.