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Matt RedmanAlbums ReviewedWake Up My Soul (1994)Passion For Your Name (1995) The Friendship and the Fear (1997) Intimacy (1998) The Father's Song (2000) Where Angels Fear To Tread (2002) Facedown (2004) Blessed Be Your Name: The Worship Songs of Matt Redman (2005) Your Name's Renown (2001) Wake Up My Soul(1994)English worship leader Matt Redman has done a lot to repackage worship music so that it's accessible for the next generation of the Church, forming the youth oriented Soul Survivor Records, mentoring younger songwriters such as Tim Hughes and Chris Tomlin and writing a stack of fantastic songs ('The Heart Of Worship', 'Once Again', 'Better Is One Day'). As much as I'll happily defend Matt Redman's later work, his debut album is fairly inauspicious. Despite collaborating with Martin Smith and Stuart Garrard from Delirious, it's squarely in the adult contemporary camp, full of perky soft-rock rhythms, gentle pianos and saxophone solos. While Redman is generally less adventurous and less youth-oriented than Delirious, his other work is markedly less clichéd and more idiosyncratic than this; Christian singer-songwriters of the Wake Up My Soul ilk are a dime-a-dozen. The predictable arrangements weigh down some potentially strong songs, while he even drops into bright country in 'You Give Me Love'. His lyrics are also less interesting than on subsequent albums, and although he's eloquent, he's touching on mostly straightforward themes and it's noticeable that the better songs are derived from specific Bible passages. Wake Up My Soul isn't a total washout since it's still a typically melodic and conscientious effort from Redman, but feel free to skip it unless you really want to hear everything Redman's ever made. There are some traces of song writing potential among the rote arrangements, including the opening title track and 'The Work Of His Hands', which both show some burgeoning melodic and lyrical sophistication. The highlight is the Jeff Searles cover 'Now Unto The King', which stands up as a pretty good song despite the warm synth tones and penny whistle that threaten to turn it into soft-rock mush. All in all though, this might just be the worst album I own on CD and the only thing that saves it from being moved to the Sell pile is that it's in a double pack with the markedly better followup Passion For Your Name, where some of the tracks don't sound like he's trying to make music for people who find Elvis Presley too rocking to stomach. 
Passion For Your Name(1995)For the first seven minutes and twenty seconds of this record, it seems that Redman has managed to shake off the adult contemporary malaise that dominated his debut - 'It's Rising Up' is a youth anthem with a rhythm pulsing and genuine excitement. It's still relatively gentle and mannered, with an elegant piano solo, but it's a long level up from anything on Wake Up My Soul; at least Redman isn't aiming for the forty five year old demographic here. Otherwise, as guest appearances by Paul "The Living Years" Carrack on three tracks indicate, he hasn't completely shaken off his awkward phase, but the songwriting is at a much higher overall level and at least two other songs here will go down as among his most loved; namely the ultra sincere 'I Will Offer Up My Life' and 'Better Is One Day', presented here in a monotonous arrangement that buries a potentially dynamic song and prolongs it unnecessarily with aimless guitar twiddling in the conclusion. Countering these, most of the second side is devoted to slow and uncreative songs like 'This Means I Love You' and 'Friend Of Sinners', both of the tuneful and simplistic type of piece favoured by Scripture in Song in the mid-1970s. Redman's writing is as workmanlike as ever, but the lack of stylistic variety and the bland sound means that outside the major compositions (the opening trio and the closing 'Better Is One Day') the record is heavy going. This isn't bad, but the following albums are more diverse with more expansive arrangements, and the sound-alike cover of Delirious' 'The Happy Song' is particularly redundant. Delirious' Martin Smith produces, cowrites several tracks and provides mandolin and backing vocals, while the group's guitarist Stu Garrard is also present on several tracks. If we did deduct points for bad cover art at the Fyfeopedia, this album would be a leading candidate, with particularly tasteless photos playing up Redman's choir boy looks.
The Friendship and the Fear(1997)While it's easy enough to make comparisons with Delirious, who were the pioneers for the current era of British worship, Redman's body of work is distinctive and strong enough for him to transcend his influences and stand as one of the most gifted figures in Christian music. On his third album, and the first to be released outside of the UK, Redman is still establishing his style, but there's already plenty of evidence of his skill as a writer. By this stage of his career, Redman is almost above writing bad songs; they can become monotonous due to some excessive running times, but everything he writes has well crafted and thoughtful lyrics, and memorable melodies. His problem usually concerns presenting these terrific songs; he's often trapped into mild mannered pop/rock/worship, which belies his youthfulness. He was only 23 years old when he made this, but it sounds like the product of someone well into their thirties. With more energy, more varied arrangements and shorter song lengths this album could have been more impacting, but song for song it's amazingly strong, like everything that Redman's released since. The key track here is 'Once Again'; it's impeccably crafted and instantly classic. "I'm humbled by your mercy and I'm broken inside"; Redman never slips into cliche and he always comes across as sincere. While it would be hard to argue against the hypothesis that 'Once Again' is the best song on the album, everything is uniformly well crafted. The gentle title track is one of Redman's best ballads, although it's outclassed by 'In The Waiting', the stunning bonus track that's appended to the 2002 re-release of the album. 'Can I Ascend?' hits a funkier groove, presaging the poppier direction of his later releases. The record does have it's problems; at eighty minutes long, it could do with some trimming, and it's not particularly diverse or energetic. And as with most Christian music, being a Matt Redman admirer does require apology and rationalisation; yes, his music can be often cheesy, and particularly in this album is stuck in some bland netherworld between gritty rock and well executed acoustic pop. But Redman's a rare songwriting force in Christian music, and that alone is enough to make The Friendship and the Fear a worthwhile listen.
 Intimacy(1998)Intimacy might not be Redman's best album, but it's his best known, largely due to the presence of signature song 'The Heart Of Worship'. Furthermore, this is the album where Redman's signature sound crystallises; welcome to a musical world populated by mildly danceable beats and basslines, mild wah guitars, mild Hammond organs, and gentle piano embellishments. Combined with the long running time - twelve songs run for a total of seventy minutes, and most could do with some trimming - Intimacy isn't the most exciting album ever made, but Redman's songwriting is so consistently strong that it's almost required listening for worship afficiandos. Many of these songs aren't particularly complicated - for instance, the title track is a simple three chord progression that could have been thrown together in five minutes - but Redman's thought provoking lyrics and melodic skills are almost peerless in Christian music. His lyrics here aren't as explicitly Biblical as on his other albums; they're more personal outpourings of a man seeking a deeper relationship with his saviour and creator. Whether he's giving thanks for salvation ("When I needed a saviour, you were there, you were there"), worshipping in the present ('I Am Yours') or committing to the future ("One thing my heart is set upon....To know you close, and closer still"), the title is an excellent summary of the search for spiritual closeness expressed throughout the album. 'The Heart of Worship' is famous for a reason; not merely a catchy tune, it's a worship song about worship. "I'll bring you more than a song/For a song in itself, is not what you have required" is a microcosm of Redman's intent, while the line "Though I'm weak and poor/All I have is yours/Every single breath" is another expression of the commitment of the song to pay more than lip service in worship. But it's hard to find a bad song elsewhere, either; 'What I Have Vowed', with its ringing arpeggios that release the tension of the verse into the flowing chorus, and 'When I Needed A Saviour' are two of the catchiest songs, but they hardly overshadow the remainder of the album. The last two tracks, perhaps the most ambitious, help to elevate this album's rating, with Redman exploring territory outside modern pop/rock. 'Hallelujah Song' is a portent of the more soulful feel of his following project, and the nagging melody recalls Scripture in Song material from the 1970s, while 'The Prayers of the Saints' takes a more spontaneous approach with its reiteration of the simple melody and single line over its fourteen minute playing time. If you're looking for flaws on this album, they're not hard to find; the arrangements are often cheesy and rote, and the songs are too long and often montonous as a result, but it's a significant advance over his previous record, and in the sometimes quality challenged world of Christian music we should be grateful that Redman is consistently writing material that it so well crafted, memorable and intimate. This album is a bit overrated though in that it seems to be THE Redman album to own - if you like it, make sure you check out his following records as his songwriting and stylistic range develop further.
The Father's Song(2000)As awkward as it sounds on paper, this is Redman's soul album. Of course, Redman is young, white and morally upright, so it sounds nothing like Barry White. But the increasing reliance on groove and the more soulful feel give The Father's Song a distinctive place in Redman's catalogue. More importantly, Redman's skill as a writer is improving constantly; he was no slouch before, but the melodies here are sharper and the lyrics are even more inventive. Redman is a gifted melodician, producing catchy phrases that help drive lyrics like "You have opened the way to the Father" in 'Thank You For The Cross' or "You're showing me what's on your heart" in 'Justice And Mercy'. Meanwhile, 'King Of This Heart' is a singularly impressive lyric, using the declaration of human love in Song Of Songs ("I'll search through the night for the one my heart loves") as a starting point for Redman's expression of love for his creator. Despite the increasing groove, it's the slower songs that stand out; 'King Of This Heart' has beautifully crafted lyrics ("You say it's all or nothing/ I'm saying Jesus have it all") and a soaring bridge ("Be the light from my eyes, be the strength for my feet"), and the title track is an elegant piano ballad. Best of all is 'Light Of The World', the most sophisticated song that Redman has written yet, which condenses the message of the gospel into four minutes and thirty-nine seconds ("the angels longed to see and prophets searched to find") with a nice chord progression. The most experimental piece here is 'Holy Moment', a collaboration with Sonic Flood, which shows that that group have potential when Jeff Deyo isn't around to mess things up. There are still the necessary apologies to be made for liking Redman with The Father's Song, but it's another advance in his evolution as an artist and as a writer.
Where Angels Fear To Tread(2002)Matt Redman keeps getting better with every release, and this album is no exception. Lots of the complaints that could be directed at previous releases are rectified here; it's cut down to a reasonable length and it's more diverse and balanced in mood than previously. There's a desert motif running through the album art and the songs ('When My Heart Runs Dry', "And blessed be your name when I'm found in the desert place"); it seems evident that Redman was going through a tough time while he was wring the songs for the record, and it's significant that many of the lyrics are drawn from bleaker parts of the Bible such as Job, Habbakuk and Deuteronomy. Many of the songs are acknowledgements of faithfulness during times of trial, rather than of unmitigated celebration, and there's a more mature sense of reverence ("If it wasn't for your goodness/How could I stand", "For we only sing in part/Of the grace of who you are/Just an echo, just a glimpse"). The instrumentation, engineering and production duties are performed by Rythmic, the guitar/keyboard duo who also worked on Tim Hughes' Here I Am To Worship, whose fantastic work here belies the fact that they started life as members of Sonic Flood. They allow Redman to expand his sound palette, 'Amazing' and 'Making Melody' are more insistent than anything else in Redman's catalogue to date, while 'Rejoice With Trembling' and 'Wonderful Maker' are acoustic and graceful. Despite the consistency of the songwriting, the song that stands out is 'Lord, Let Your Glory Fall', originally written in 1998. The detachment of the verses, telling the Old Testament story of the dedication of the temple, explodes into the chorus assuring that the story still has relevance: "You are good, you are good/And your love endures today." 'Where Angels Fear To Tread' shimmers with warm synths, and enda the album on a beautiful note; "in the beauty of your holiness." It's not as self-consciously clever as the most impressive melodies and lyrics of The Father's Song; in some ways it's a step down in creativity, and it's less immediate than its predecessors, but it gives the album a more timeless feel that escapes most worship cliches without losing a sense of reverence. This time, there's little need to be apologetic about liking this album; it's just plain good music, even if it's not quite exciting or innovative enough to warrant full marks.
Facedown(2004)Redman's seventh album was recorded live at a songwriter's conference in North Point Community Church Georgia, consisting entirely of new material. The live recording as an alternative rather than a supplement to the studio discography is almost peculiar to the worship genre and it does enhance the feelings of reverence and gives more depth to the reflective material, but it also stifles the stylistic diversity that Redman had been developing. With terrific sound quality and mixing, it's not difficult to forget that this was recorded live a lot of the time, and the band, including Tree 63's John Ellis on guitar, does a good job of staying low key and tight and keeping the experience focused on worship. For the first time ever, Redman's made an album that not a tangible step up from the one that preceded it; instead it's a step sideways into a different context. It's still packed with some of his best songs yet, and it's a bit of a coin toss as to whether this or Where Angels Fear To Tread is his best record. Opening rocker 'Praise Awaits You' does feel a bit forced, and the album does take a while to really get going - most of the really terrific songs are stuck towards the back of the record. More than ever it's the ballads that are Redman's strength, and he pulls out some absolutely gorgeous melodies here - 'Pure Light' is arguably the strongest in this department, but the title track, 'Nothing But The Blood', 'Breathing The Breath', and 'If I Have Not Love' aren't too far behind. The spontaneous sing along 'Lead Us Up The Mountain' is another gorgeous moment, and it would be interesting to see Redman develop it into a fully fledged song in the future. Another highlight is the Chris Tomlin duet 'Worthy, You Are Worthy', perhaps the song here most appropriate for congregational use, while 'Dancing Generation' is possibly overly derivative of Delirious. While the theme of reverence is carried over from the previous album, this album is much more positive in its focus - "We were disgraced, but You graced us with the warmth of Your forgiveness/Now You lead us ever closer to the pure light of Your holiness" proclaims 'Pure Light', as though Redman has begun to communicate the balance between intimacy and reverence that he has been seeking. The bonus disc provides exposure for other artists on the Soul Survivor label, an intelligent piece of marketing which I'm surprised that other record labels haven't used.
Blessed Be Your Name: The Worship Songs of Matt Redman(2005)Recorded at the same time as Facedown, Blessed Be Your Name provides a live summary of Redman's career to date, and as such it's the type of live album that provides an alternative to a Greatest Hits record, rather than a representation of a live concert experience. The twelve songs here are almost definitively Matt Redman's twelve best and best known songs; worship standards 'Once Again', 'I Will Offer Up My Life', 'The Heart of Worship', and 'Blessed Be Your Name' are all here. If there's a quibble over track selection, Facedown, arguably Redman's strongest set of songs, is somewhat underrepresented, but that's understandable given that the two albums were recorded at the same time with the same backing band. This predictable track selection makes Blessed Be Your Name a terrific option for anyone who just wants one Matt Redman album, but for more dedicated fans this predictability can be frustrating. A lot of these songs, especially those from before The Father's Song, where Redman began to use the studio more creatively, actually improve on the originals; 'Once Again' is much sharper and more guitar driven, while 'The Heart of Worship' is more piano oriented. On the other hand, songs like 'Holy Moment' and 'Lord, Let Your Glory Fall' aren't as engaging or as creative as their studio based originals, but they're pretty useful if you're a Church worship leader trying to figure out how to adapt them for your own team. The running times are actually pretty well controlled, for a live worship album, and Redman keeps his annoying worship mannerisms largely under control. If like me you've played most of these songs in Church hundreds of times and have heard his prior albums, there's nothing too exciting here, but as a one stop Redman album it's a great summation of his career to date and home to twelve great worship songs.
Soul Survivor: Your Name's Renown(2001)Not a Matt Redman album, per se, but a live album from the Soul Survivor 2002 Festival featuring Redman and three of his clones - Tim Hughes (baby Redman), Chris Tomlin (American Redman) and Martyn Layzell (obscure Redman) - all strumming acoustic guitars and sharing band members. All four show themselves as capable frontmen individually, but it's still difficult to overlook that they're all cut from the same cloth. The impact of Soul Survivor is admirable, with their annual summer festivals drawing huge numbers and each of their albums coming with a promise of a refund if the buyer isn't impressed. Most of these songs are already available on their studio albums, except that Redman covers the worship standard 'Open The Eyes Of My Heart', while two songs from Where Angels Fear To Tread are previewed before they appeared on record. As a sample and a taster for Soul Survivor's catalogue, Your Name's Renown is effective; after hearing Tomlin's two contributions here, I'm definitely keen to track down more of his work. Tomlin contributes the edgiest moment with 'The Noise We Make', while Your Name's Renown's standout track is his revision of 'When I Survey', 'Wonderful Cross', updating the hymn into a verse/chorus format and streamlining the melody; infusing it with energy without desecrating it. He also uses an appreciably smaller backing band than the others, and his congregation (it's of course improper to label Christian concertgoers an audience) interaction is more natural than his label-mates'. Hughes runs through three of the standout tracks from Here I Am To Worship, although 'If There's One Thing' is strangely truncated, omitting the first verse and chorus. The most notable of Redman's songs is 'Making Melody', with its more assertive guitars highlighting some chord structure intricacies that aren't as apparent on the studio version. Layzell's contributions are also solid, and indeed the songcraft throughout the record is almost irreproachable. It's also well paced, with none of the songs really outstaying their welcome, as other live worship albums are prone to do. It's hard to know what to rate this album, as it's an enjoyable listen and a quality package, but it's not particularly essential. It's probably not worth paying full price for, but if you can find it cheap it's a satisfying worship session, although it's far from a definitive summary of the Soul Survivor catalogue since they issue a live festival album each year.
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Written 2001-2007, Graham Fyfe
