Matt Redman

Item: The Friendship And The Fear
Author: James Stewart

The Friendship And The Fear

(1997)

Reviewed by James Stewart

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Label Survivor RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth1999

modern rock pop rock worship

The latest in a growing number of UK based artists to get distribution in the US CCM market recently is acclaimed worship leader and songwriter Matt Redman. This album shares its name with his most recent UK release, but the track listing is somewhat different, combining songs from the UK release and an earlier album, Passion for Your Name.

Musically, the songs here fit together pretty well--they are all fairly mellow, with Matt's husky vocals prominent. There is a definite early U2 influence, which crops up strongly in places with a number of delayed guitar sounds and harmonics. Overall, the sound is fairly middle of the road, but thankfully retains creativity despite this.

Having heard Matt's UK releases gives me a slightly strange perspective on this, and I was interested to hear how tracks from Passion for Your Name and The Friendship and the Fear worked together, given that the two UK releases have quite different sounds. I'm not quite sure that "The Cross Has Said It All" fits too well - it's a good song, but is more upbeat (with slightly funky, wah-pedal driven guitar in places), and I would prefer that the two final tracks were switched round ("Better Is One Day" and
"The Friendship and the Fear") as I feel that "The Friendship..." is a better close. But overall the song selection is good.

The theme of striving for holiness remains from the UK release, but with a few other songs that look in wonder at the cross ("The Cross Has Said It All" and "Once Again" spring to mind), and a longing for widespread revival. "It's Rising Up" falls into the latter camp and seemed (to me at least) to become an anthem for 1996 when it was released--a mainstay at most UK youth events and summing up the feelings common at the time that revival is imminent. Those feelings remain in some groups, but I have come to realize that perhaps it became something of an unhealthy obsession for some--revival would be great, but we can't demand it of God. The song remains a heart stirring anthem, although I do prefer it live:

It's rising up from coast to coast
From north to south and east to west
The cry of hearts that love your name
Which with one voice, we will proclaim.
The former things have taken place
Can this be the new day of praise?
A heavenly song, which comes to birth
And reaches out to all the earth?

This song was co-written with Martin Smith of delirious?, who co-produced Passion for Your Name. There isn't as much involvement from delirious? as I'd expected, but their publicity man Craig Borlase takes on some guitar duties here. The instrumentalists are all top-class, weaving their playing around each other, and with some soulful backing vocals.

A song from Passion for Your Name which certainly ranks among the best Matt has written is "I Will Offer Up Your Life." The lyrics are simple but heartfelt, and it is given a sympathetic arrangement, building up as it goes on:

I will offer up my life
In spirit and truth
Pouring out the oil of love
As my worship to you.
In surrender I must give
My every part,
Lord receive the sacrifice of a broken heart.

Overall I think I preferred the UK release of The Friendship and the Fear, but these are still some top worship songs, and this is a pretty good introduction to Matt Redman. While this definitely doesn't compare to hearing Matt lead people in these songs live, it could certainly be useful for private worship or learning some new songs

(This review is of the US version.)

3.5 tocks