Check out the new concept album from Rusty Shipp!
Check out the new concept album from Rusty Shipp!

JFH Music Review


Stuart Townend, The Journey
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

Stuart Townend
The Journey



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 11 tracks: 39 minutes, 49 seconds
Street Date: June 21, 2011


Even if one hasn't heard of Stuart Townend, there's a great chance they are familiar with some of his songwriting talents. While he's famous for the songs "Beautiful Savior," "The Power of the Cross" and many others, his songs written alongside Keith Getty such as "In Christ Alone" and "By Faith" have made the most waves, establishing them as a key songwriting duo in the modern church music world. As a recording artist with Kingsway, Townend has set out on The Journey, giving listeners an accurate look at his worship ingenuity.

Kingsway is a juggernaut among worship labels, though it would be fair to say that they have a varied mix of impressive and lesser-so artists. But even though Townend is one of the more influential artists on the label, he's also one of the more intriguing musically, and The Journey is proof. Boasting a "contemporary folk" approach, Townend's ninth studio project on Kingsway dons anything but a standard worship sound. The opener "O My Soul" features banjos, violins, bagpipes, and a slew of other folk instrumentation, and it's only the beginning. "Vagabonds," "Kyrie Eleison" and "You Rescued Us" all follow the same suit, exposing a strangely attractive worship style many may not know about. Any listener not knowing what to expect could immediately be thrown off, but when tracks such as "By Faith" and "The Perfect Wisdom" take things closer to home for the listener, it holds the record together well. In the end, this style carries through to the end of The Journey, and it helps more than hinders the record's enduring quality.

Of course, if folk isn't the listener's style, it could be harder to buy into The Journey. Indeed, this reviewer didn't know what he was getting into after five minutes through the album, but it didn't take long to find admiration for the style, especially when it revealed much more variety. In sticking with Townend's folk tendencies, his vocals are more classical in nature, and though they take quite a bit of time to get accustomed to, they match the style perfectly. Another folk singer, Ruth Notman, is featured on "The Man Who Calmed the Sea" and "Simple Living," and her voice talents really improve the record's appeal on the whole. The former is a striking duet with Townend (and probably the album's finest track), telling Christ's story of ministry in hymn form ("See the stricken boat as it is tossed upon the sea/hear the fitful cries that wake the man from Galilee/He stands before the raging, speaks peace and harmony/winds and waves obey, He is the man who calmed the sea"). In fact, modern hymns seem to be the rule of thumb on The Journey, a worship style that is becoming more and more common, but still somewhat obscure.

While both originals and familiar songs such as "It Is Well With My Soul" are executed well, it's some of the latter tracks on the record that lack the power of others before them. "Everlasting Love," "Never Failing Love," and "Christ Be in My Waking" all suffer from falling into a "worship mould" and don't match up with the distinctive character of some previous cuts. But little gripes notwithstanding, The Journey is truly a unique worship experience. While not a flawless album, it's still a breath of fresh air in an ailing genre, even if it is an acquired taste. For the daring, Stuart Townend's latest endeavor is at least worth a try.

- Review date: 6/19/11, written by Roger Gelwicks of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

 

. Record Label: Kingsway Music
. Album length: 13 tracks: 57 minutes, 55 seconds
. Street Date: June 21, 2011
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. Call To Worship (The Bells Of Halifax Minster) (0:27)
  2. O My Soul, Arise And Bless Your Maker (4:00)
  3. By Faith (5:46)
  4. Vagabonds (4:09)
  5. The Man Who Calmed The Sea (4:56)
  6. It Is Well With My Soul (5:49)
  7. The Perfect Wisdom Of Our God (4:58)
  8. Kyrie Eleison, Have Mercy (5:09)
  9. Simple Living (4:24)
  10. Everlasting Love (3:44)
  11. You Rescued Us (5:26)
  12. Never Failing Love (3:19)
  13. Christ Be In My Waking (5:48)
spacer     Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics

 

Leave a Comment


 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

Search JFH



This Friday, June 27, 2025
ALBUMS
7eventh Time Down We Praise You [BEC]
The Browns 25th Anniversary: Better Days Ahead [StowTown]
Franni Cash Wild Child - EP [Capitol CMG]
Matt Crocker interlude [Anotherland]
Jimmy Fortune Songs of an American Dreamer [Gaither]
Roxanne Grace Road Trip - EP [DREAM]
JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise The Live Reunion: Washington, DC [James Town]
Kutless The Seventh Seal - EP [BEC]
Evvie McKinney It Ain't Over - EP (independent)
Rusty Shipp Capsized Empire (independent)
SEU Worship A Forgiving God [Provident]
The Shimmering Carnelians The Doorway (Version 2.0) (independent)
We Are Messengers A Thousand Times - EP [Curb]

SINGLES
Anchor & Braille Rattlesnake - Single [Equal Vision]
ANTHNY imposter syndrome - Single [Provident]
Blanca Right On Time - Single [Curb]
Landry Cantrell & Elenee sunshine & rainbows - Single [DREAM]
Eddie Clark Never Content - Single [Syntax]
Colony House Atomic - Single [Roon]
Megan Danielle Preachin' To The Choir - Single [Provident]
Drea LP & OnBeatMusic Don't Try Me (DTM) - Single [Syntax]
Joseph Habedank Running to Me - Single [Daywind]
Lonnie Hunter Flow (Like A River) - Single [Uncle G]
Kashh Kade HELP - Single [Syntax]
KB x KEANU Keanu's Song - Single [Provident]
Tasha Layton Singing In the Dark - Single [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard The Hand That Keeps Holding - Single [Motown Gospel]
Tim Lovelace Celebration of America Medley (feat. Charlie McCoy) - Single [StowTown]
Lecrae Tell No Lie (feat. Jackie Hill Perry) - Single [Reach]
LO Worship The Perfect Love of Jesus - Single [Integrity]
Patrick Mayberry Thank The Lord - Single [Provident]
Michael Monroe John The Baptist (feat. Chris Renzema) - Single [Provident]
Alexander Pappas A Great Awakening / Un Nuevo Despertar - Single [Integrity]
PEABOD Summer in Seattle - Single [RMG Amplify]
Rave Jesus Walk On The Water Remix (From The Chosen) - Single [Provident]
The Rocky Valentines Nat Song - Single [Velvet Blue]
Saints In Exile & Cutright My Dead End (ft. Jeannie Ortega, Luc DiMarzio, Jericko) - Single [Syntax]
Emilie Weiss Take Care (Studio Sessions) - Single [BEC]

DVD
Jimmy Fortune Songs Of An American Dreamer DVD [Gaither]

Next Friday, July 4, 2025
ALBUMS
Chad Cory America [DREAM]
Tenielle Neda The Way Of Love [Wings]

SINGLES
Christian Back Now - Single [DREAM]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images