Two years ago, we were given the taste of modern worship with Exodus. Last year we had the successful yet under-rated Listen:Louder. This year we had the hyped-up Roaring Lambs and the international effort Eterne. Suprisingly enough, City on a Hill ranks up as one of the better of the bunch and most unique.

Although there's no new songs by a fantastic pop band who broke up several years ago to reunite for one new song (PfR on Roaring Lambs), we do have multiple surprises and delightful joint efforts. The late, legendary Gene Eugene offers up probably his final recordings, singing a duet with Third Day's Mac Powell as well as many of the other artists. Sixpence None the Richer takes some time off from being at the top of America's radio charts to have lead singer Leigh Nash sing duets with Jars of Clay's Dan Haseltine and The Choir, as well as featuring a new song as a group. 3D's Mac also does a tune with Caedmon's Call's Cliff and Danielle Young while joining his bandmates for an exclusive new song too. And to prove that more came out of their LoveLibertyDisco Tour than just being able to say they were the first to tour with their own inflatable "stadium," Newsboys' Peter Furler teams up with SONICFLOOd for the first time. Last but most definitely not least, FFH serves up 2 brand new cuts as well.

Fresh, new, creative, unique, and most of all, worshipful, City on a Hill does what most various artist projects fail to do-- come together. City... flows exceptionally well as a whole-- even from song to song. For example, as "I Remember You" (Powell & Eugene) ends, "Precious Jesus" (Leigh Nash and the Choir) picks up almost exactly where the previous song leaves off, even including the lyric "I Remember You" as the opening words. The tone and sound of the project is jointly mellow and creates a soft praise and worship setting while keeping a fresh modern sound. The only moment where the album seems to pick up more than the rest of the disc, is on Third Day's upbeat "City on a Hill." However, it is not a handicap [at all] to the project and still seems to fit in rather well.

City on a Hill is the first compilation of this kind for Essential Records and a great disc for worship music fans, anyone looking for modern worship (and doesn't like traditional worship, like myself), or is a fan of anyone featured here.

- Review date: 7/24/00, written by John DiBiase of Jesusfreakhideout.com