Just when I was feeling a void after listening to the latest Burn Service Never Looking Back and over-playing Passion's Our Love is Loud, Darren Clarke (producer of the Burn Service projects, namely Never Looking Back) comes to the rescue for the Atlanta Vineyard. Quite simply, 1000 Generations rocks!
In the same vein as recent Vineyard projects, this one is a Windows/Mac hybrid interactive compact disc, introducing the listener/viewer to the Vineyard (Sunday Night) Atlanta worship team of Martin Reardon, Billy Somerville, Jen Reardon, and Meghan Coffee (it loaded quickly on my old Mac Performa 6300, which I'm about to put out to pasture... the computer, not the disc!). Worship leaders should note that overheads and charts are available directly from this disc, as well as CCLI number information supplied within the liner notes.
It's very tempting to think that Darren Clarke was recruited to bring some polish to the Atlanta Vineyard group with excellent worship songs (including the kicker, "All of My Love," and "To A Thousand Generations"). Not so. Martin Reardon's "Hallelujah" ("Shout to the Earth") will be a radio favorite (Vineyard suggests "Isn't This the Way You Are," too long for radio). One of two themes for 1000 Generations is "One Day," including "every tongue, every tribe and every nation...", an unparalleled worship song.
Overall, 1000 Generations is an excellent worship experience, fully encompassing the talents of the worship team. There are a few gear-shifts that keep this project from being a flawless performance. I would suggest moving the tracks "You Are So Beautiful" just before "To A Thousand Generations" (the closer, a Ryan Delmore tune which sounds like it's from the Byrds-influenced Never Looking Back), along with the very sweet "Be Still."
It's my sincere hope that the Atlanta Vineyard 1000 Generations worship team produces more recordings for Vineyard Music. There are truly wonderful moments here that prove to the listener and worshipper that more top-notch things are on the horizon for this Vineyard Music worship team.
4 tocks
