If anyone in the current CCM realm is deserving of a greatest hits record, it's Matt Redman. The name should be familiar, but if it is not, let's just say he's the guy who wrote every single song you sang on Sunday morning. That, of course, would be an exaggeration, but let the magnitude of the notion that there is the slightest chance that he did, indeed, write every single song you sang on Sunday morning sink in for just a moment. Crazy, isn't it? He's the unprecedented leader of the modern worship movement, composer of "The Heart of Worship," "Better Is One Day," "Blessed Be Your Name," and countless others.

It's for the latter song that this, his first greatest hits album was named. Blessed Be Your Name: The Songs of Matt Redman Vol. 1 could have hastily been thrown together as select previously recorded studio tracks of old favorites, but instead, this greatest hits release is a live recording, featuring all the energy and sincerity of a Matt Redman worship experience. All of his classics are captured here.

Worldwide hits such as the aforementioned three, as well as songs like "Undignified," "Holy Moment," "Let Everything that Has Breath," "Once Again," and, yes, many others, are all included. The album's strength of song-selection may actually be it's only weak point. So many of these songs have been done repeatedly since their conception. But they are redeemed in that this is Redman singing his songs. Though solely based on track listing it would seem the least likely, it's one of the rare worship albums out there that does not include a cover.

But then again, most times a worship album does a cover track, they're belting a Redman song. Known, however, can do it with as much passion and energy as the very one who wrote it. Blessed Be Your Name: The Songs of Matt Redman Vol. 1 is an excellent worship experience that spotlights one of the best in the business, but never loses focus on the reason for the worship.

- Review date: 12/26/05, written by Josh Taylor of Jesusfreakhideout.com