Most people who heard Dave Bell's Lion Of Judah release, the innovative debut album of the HeartCry Praise and Worship Series, hoped, if not figured, that in time Bell would follow that effort up with another collection of songs. Of course, given the success of the first album, the release of the follow-up, Prince Of Peace, was fairly inevitable.
And what a diverse new work it is. The first seconds of the album opener, "I Set My Will," with its perky horns, laid-back acoustic bass, and brushed snare drum sounds would make most folks who heard music like this figure they've walked into a jazz club rather than a church building. Indeed, a large portion of this album-this time a studio effort, unlike the first release-is fairly unique compared to many contemporary praise works. The fuzzy, agitated guitar which opens "Oh Magnify The Lord" gives it a definite modern rock sound, and its droning background vocals at the exit only serve to heighten that effect. And the mix of R&B, blues and rock on "Exceedingly, Abundantly" make it sound like a hybrid between, say, Toto and The Robert Cray Band.
Much like the instrumental portion of the album, the lyrics and vocals are relatively atypical as well. Many of the songs have fairly involved lyrical structures for the verses, with some verses, and oftentimes the choruses as well, being sung by only a single voice. In fact, many of the backing vocals are fairly complex stylings which create intricate backdrops for the lead, rather than merely tracking it note for note as is done in much of standard worship music.
For all its intricacy, however, the album isn't free of miscues. For instance, "My Prayer" times in at over seven minutes, its copious length only making the plodding instrumental work sound that much more laborious. Still, for the most part, the rest of the songs are rather admirable additions to their respective musical genres. A perfect example is the beautiful "Exaltation Medley," whose three songs with their emotive piano parts are similar enough to preserve the feeling of uninterrupted worship, and yet different enough to keep the medley from being overdrawn or repetitive.
All in all, Prince Of Peace is a solid effort by a talented singer and musician. Indeed, the latest effort stands up quite nicely next to the impressive Lion Of Judah as the next logical step in Bell's evolving catalog of praise music.
Similar sounding releases
1998Matt RedmanIntimacy
1996Jackson FinchExperience
1998Greg LongJesus Saves
1997Aaron + JeoffreyThe Climb
2004Chris RiceShort Term Memories
2001Phillips, Craig & DeanLet My Words Be Few
