Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!

JFH Music Review


Israel Houghton, The Power Of One
Israel Houghton
The Power Of One



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 14 tracks: 68 minutes, 6 seconds
Street Date: March 24, 2009


Worship albums can be curious things: they can either be amazing and groundbreaking, or they can be unoriginal and irritatingly dull. Israel Houghton's The Power of One, however, doesn't seem to want to fit into either category, leaving listeners with a mixed result.

Mr. Houghton makes it obvious that he wanted to make something different than a normal worship record, and with some tracks, he succeeds. Tracks like the relentlessly upbeat "Just Wanna Say," the reggae influenced "Surely Goodness," the all-around unique "U R Loved," the epic "You Found Me" featuring tobyMac, plus others, make for great originals, and help make The Power of One stand out. I applaud this man for his willingness to create something different in this genre that is mostly flooded with mediocrity.

If only this uniqueness was a common theme throughout the entire work; but alas, this isn't the case. Israel Houghton makes a good effort most of the time, but there are a few times when he puts the creativity on hold. "The Power of One (Change the World)," for example, sounds far too much like U2's own hit, "One." Houghton has gone on to say that it was merely inspired by U2's song, but unfortunately it didn't work out as an inspired song but rather as a near blatant copy. And speaking of blatant copies, there's a little boy who appears periodically in the record with little comments, just like tobyMac's albums with TruDog. But instead of using this for cuteness/humorous effect, it interrupts the album's fluidity and concept, especially with the unnecessary intro track "My Name Iz."

As with many albums in the worship genre, most of the problematic tracks seem to suffer further from their lengthy durations, and cutting down the time of these tracks would have made them more bearable. The last song, "My Tribute Medley," also proved to be a track that should have gotten the axe, as it ends up as an unneeded instrumental stream that most listeners will want to skip in future hearings.

Israel Houghton had a good thing going, but the entire album could have been improved if he majored on the uniqueness factor and made it a constant theme. For what he has produced, though, it's slightly better than some worship records today, and some will come to find much to like here, but The Power of One turns out to be a merely average effort that doesn't warrant too much extra attention.

- Review date: 3/29/09, written by Roger Gelwicks of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Try Pop Culture Coffee!

 

. Record Label: Integrity Music
. Album length: 14 tracks: 68 minutes, 6 seconds
. Street Date: March 24, 2009
. Buy It: Amazon.com
. Buy It: iTunes

  1. My Name Iz (0:40)
  2. Everywhere That I Go (4:39)
  3. Just Wanna Say (3:47)
  4. Surely Goodness (4:34)
  5. The Power of One (Change the World) (5:48)
  6. U R Loved (4:54)
  7. Moving Forward (4:50)
  8. I Receive (6:43)
  9. Saved By Grace (7:01)
  10. Every Prayer (5:11)
  11. Sing Redemption's Song (5:37)
  12. Better to Believe (2:59)
  13. You Found Me (5:21)
  14. My Tribute Medley (4:14)
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
    Click For Song Lyrics

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Try Pop Culture Coffee!

Search JFH



This Tuesday, June 3, 2025
SINGLES
Sixpence None The Richer The Needle and the Damage Done - Single [Flatiron]

This Friday, June 6, 2025
ALBUMS
CCV Hollow (Deluxe) (independent)
Ben Fuller Walk Through Fire [Provident]
Hopeful. The Wild One - EP (independent)
Christy Nockels King Who Never Sleeps; Anthems for Rest [The Fuel]

SINGLES
7eventh Time Down My Will - Single [BEC]
Bill B. & Cyrus Sonata Kevlar - Single [Syntax]
Elan Brio I'm Satisfied (ft. Henry Israel) - Single (independent)
Aaron Cole NOBODY BUT GOD - Single [Provident]
Equippers Worship Living in Freedom (Live) - Single [DREAM]
Good Weather Forecast Pray - Single [DREAM]
Ic3rd & EJ Swavv Woke Up (ft. CJ Emulous & George.Rose) - Single [Syntax]
King David tha Vessel Consistant - Single (independent)
Brandon Lake Daddy's DNA [Provident]
Myles Maestro Flood (ft. Ace Savage & Shruumi) - Single [Syntax]
Mell Omii Wave - Single [Syntax]
Kevi Morse Mr. Pilot - Single [Syntax]
River Valley Worship Time For Revival - Single [BEC]
Roy Tosh Everything's Gonna Be Alright (feat. PEABOD) - Single [RMG Amplify]
Solachi Voz All I Need - Single [Syntax]
Emilie Weiss Genesis (Studio Sessions) - Single [BEC]
Ayiesha Woods I Have Hope - Single [Backsider]

VINYL
Ironwrath Master Storyteller Vinyl [Girder]

Next Friday, June 13, 2025
ALBUMS
Coqui Death to Your Ego [DREAM]
King's Hammer To Speak In Tongues - EP [Rottweiler]
Brandon Lake King Of Hearts [Provident]
Joel Vaughn Feel It - EP [DREAM]
War of Ages Eternal (15th Anniversary Edition) [Facedown]

SINGLES
CalledOut Music Worthy of It All - Single [Integrity]
Equippers Worship Garment of Praise - Single [DREAM]
Mainstream Worship Near - Single [DREAM Worship]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images