Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

JFH Music Review


Rend Collective, Whosoever
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

Rend Collective
Whosoever



Artist Info: Discography
Genre(s): Folk / Irish Folk / Worship
Album length: 10 tracks: 36 minutes
Street Date: August 26, 2022


READER RATING:   


At the risk of sounding reductive, there are few nationalities that throw a musical celebration as well as the Irish do. And Rend Collective is a group of Irishmen (and women) who can joyfully party with the best of them. But far from an empty good time, this band rocks and stomps with purpose and a true heartbeat for celebrating the Lord and His salvation, and the implications (both political and personal) that this salvation brings.

Whosoever, the latest in a fine run of joyful-yet-poignant albums by the band, is a welcome bit of good energy heading into the fall months of the year. Kicking off with the rollicking title track, the band wins points for its take on true, Biblical inclusivity: "There's no audition for true love / No matter what, you don't have to earn it / If you've ever felt like an outcast / There's good news if you've never heard I / God so loved the world /God so loved the world /He never left you out of it / Whosoever needs a shelter / Needs a Savior, come in closer / All who wander, every outsider / You are safe here, whosoever." In a time when "inclusivity" is a bit of a buzzword, the band works hard (in their typical, energetic way) to remind the listener that the Bible is clear in its language about who is welcome at God's table.

The following, blistering "Let It Roll" sounds like an Irish party mixed with the ancient Psalms. Against a wall of fiddles and harmonicas, the group wisely states that the Biblical ideas of justice and worship are not exclusive of each other: "Let worship and justice / march hand-in-hand with / The righteous tide of change and the sound of breakin' chains / Let the sound of our praises be one and the same as / Jubilee reclaimed to the sound of breakin' chains / Let it roll, roll, roll like a river / Let it roll, roll, roll on forever / Let it roll, roll like a stone from the mouth of the grave." The "let my people go" repeated refrain in the bridge of the song connects it to old spirituals and is a great call back to socially conscious Old Testament inspired songs of the past.

The band continues this great a-political theme (in terms of the current American political climate) in "Beloved," a wonderful, slow-paced call to Christian unity in a divided time: "I can't imagine what it feels like as a Father / To have to see your children tear apart each other / Out of all the hating and the fighting, all the breaking and dividing / Will the answer ever come? / I know You pray that we'd be one / We are Your beloved / All of us beloved You don't see left or right, / You just see Your precious child / We are Your beloved." This theme of humility and unity continues in "Boast In The Cross," "It's the anchor of my universe, my gravity / And my whole world revolves around the mystery / It's the focus of my heart it is the centerpiece / All of my pride is in the cross / It's in the cross, yeah / I'm not ashamed of the gospel / I'm not ashamed of revival / I will boast in the cross."

But all is not so serious and somber. The jaunty "Plans," and the rip-roaring "Hallelujah Anyway," celebrate the all-embracing love of God and serve as a nice counterpoint to the weighty ideas (like the beautiful and heavy "True In The Light") in other songs.

A band as stylistically fun and zany as Rend Collective might not get many kudos for their incisive songwriting, but below all that foot-stomping fun, Whosoever is a set of fantastic, timely lyrics that cut to the heart, and echo with timeless truths. It takes a true veteran band to make such statements and ideas go down easy. And that's a series of truths that you can turn up loud and dance to!

- Review date: 8/31/22, written by Alex Caldwell of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Purchase Original Art Prints, Drawings, Buttons, Stickers, Bookmarks and more from JFH's own John DiBiase! Save for the holidays with code JFH20 at checkout!

 

. Record Label: Capitol CMG
. Album length: 10 tracks: 36 minutes
. Street Date: August 26, 2022
. Buy It: Apple Music
. Buy It: Amazon.com (CD)
. Buy It: Amazon Music (MP3)

  1. Whosoever (3:02)
  2. Let It Roll (3:48)
  3. Hallelujah Anyway (3:45)
  4. Plans (3:42)
  5. Boast In The Cross (4:54)
  6. True In The Light (3:27)
  7. Beloved (3:07)
  8. Gratefulness (3:05)
  9. As For Me (3:42)
  10. We Need The Love Of God (3:27)

 

 



Leave a Comment

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 


(JFH Sponsor Spot)

 

 

                 
Purchase Original Art Prints, Drawings, Buttons, Stickers, Bookmarks and more from JFH's own John DiBiase! Save for the holidays with code JFH20 at checkout!

Search JFH




This Tuesday, October 29, 2024
SINGLES
Pipe Bomb Hate Club - Single [The Charon Collective]

This Thursday, October 31, 2024
ALBUMS
Neon Horse Habit of Creature - EP [Velvet Blue Music]

This Friday, November 1, 2024
ALBUMS
AWZY Sinners and Saints - EP [DREAM]
Forrest Frank Child of God (Deluxe) [river house]
Future of Forestry Symphonic Christmas (Live) (independent)
Influence Music It's All About You (independent)
The Kingdom Heirs No Better Time [Sonlite]
Limoblaze Young & Chosen (Power Pack) - EP [Reach]
Paul & Hannah McClure Christmas Morning (Re-Release) [Bethel]
Planetshakers Winning Team: Songs For Church (Live) [Venture3Media]
Skillet Revolution [Atlantic]
Sam's the Hero Charlie Cox - EP [Small Step]
Jim "Soni" Sonefeld Light of Joy - EP [Vere]
Ivan Theva Waiting Here for You - EP [Descendent/Provident]
John Van Deusen Anthem Sprinter [Tooth & Nail]
Phil Wickham Hallelujah! It's Christmas! [Fair Trade]
YWAM Kona Music Missionary Anthem - EP [Integrity]

SINGLES
Ayo Shamir, YP aka Young Paul Aaron Judge - Single (independent)
Gabby Barrett O Come, O Come Emmanuel (feat. The Piano Guys) - Single [Warner Music Nashville]
Brennley Brown Mary, Did You Know? - Single [Provident]
Lauren Daigle Then I Will - Single [Centricity]
Dreamers The Reason - Multi-Single [DREAM]
EJ Swavv I Hate Lucy - Single [Syntax]
Jess Ford This is My Jesus - Single (independent)
FYR FYTR So Simple - Single (independent)
Michael Monroe Pour It Out - Single [Provident]
Seph Schlueter We Sing (Joy To The World) [feat. Leanna Crawford] - Single [Provident]
Skye Peterson, Ben Shive Keep the Feast - Single [Getty]
SNT. VINCENT Confession - Single [Syntax]
Cyndi Thompson Silent Night - Single [County Line]
Thrive Worship Hark - Single [Integrity]
Tauren Wells Making Room - Single [Capitol CMG]

VINYL
Skillet Revolution Vinyl [Atlantic]

Next Friday, November 8, 2024
ALBUMS
Gabby Barrett Carols and Candlelight [Warner Music Nashville]
CXMMXNS CXMMXNS Chapter 1 - EP [Essential Worship]
New Hope Oahu There Is One - EP [DREAM]
Neal Morse & The Resonance No Hill For A Climber [InsideOut]
TAKE Time Bomb [Resuscitation Records]
Lauren Talley A Lauren Talley Christmas [Horizon]

SINGLES
Cory Asbury I Hope You Dance - Single [BEC]
Jordan Kauflin, Laura Story Approach, My Soul - Single [Getty]
Sam Bowman & GLADDEN Misfit Toys - Single [DREAM]
Wavorly Enemies - Single (independent)

VINYL
Michael W. Smith Every Christmas Vinyl [Rocketown]
Stryper To Hell with the Amps Vinyl [Frontiers]
TAKE Time Bomb Vinyl [Resuscitation Records]

DVD
Stryper To Hell with the Amps Blu-Ray [Frontiers]



For all release dates, click here!
 



Check out the new album from Taylor Holland Armstrong!



Listen to the new Single from Second Adam and the New Creations!

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images