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JFH Music Review


WOW Worship (Purple)
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WOW Worship (Purple)
(Various Artists)



Album length: 2 CDs, 30 tracks
Street Date: March 2, 2010


Anyone who grew up with Christian music knows the WOW Hits series. The best Christian music of the year in a double disk? Yes, please! The WOW Worship component was added to the WOW family in 1999. They were released every couple of years or so for a while, but now it's been a few years since the last offering in the series, which came out in 2006. Finally, March 2010 brings WOW Worship Purple. Was it worth the wait? And is anyone waiting?

Because there hasn't been a WOW Worship album released in the last four years, the compilers felt they could go back to 2006 and pick the most popular worship songs since that time. It's a good mix of the biggest names in worship music, spanning Hillsong United to Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman to David Crowder Band. There's also a nice variety between popular Christian bands who just recorded a single worship album to worship leaders and songwriters who are known for their worship music. I was pleased to see newer folks on the album, like Francesca Battistelli, and favorites such as Leeland and Charlie Hall. Of course, our good friend Chris Tomlin makes a nice showing on the album, with his voice taking center stage on two songs and other bands covering songs he either wrote or made famous.

There are no surprises on this album. On my own first listen-through, I knew 27 of the 30 songs, just from various church services and chapels. Again, it's a nice mix of the softer songs, such as "Desert Song" and "Lead Me to the Cross," to the uptempo "I am Free" and "Happy Day." But because most of these are common songs, almost all of which are on bands' own albums, the listener may have them already in their collections. This WOW compilation does not even seem to be a great place to find new bands, because most of the songs chosen are the most popular of the popular worship songs, which doesn't give a listener much of a taste of who the performers are as bands. Added to this is the fact the songs span the last four years. While I love "Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)," I got the song five years ago with the Amazing Grace soundtrack and could have downloaded it multiple times from multiple releases since then, including Tomlin's own See the Morning. So is another option necessary? Compilations these days can be somewhat passé, with the ease of iTunes and $1.29 songs. It's not too difficult to find your favorite worship songs and make your own compilations.

I cannot say I know too many people who have been eagerly anticipating this release. Not because it is a bad album, or is not well thought out or represented, but just that it is not anything special. The songs are good, the singers are good, but what would make you buy this album instead of picking and choosing your favorites from a music downloading apparatus? Maybe the sticker price will entice you, and if you don't already own many of these songs from the last four years, go out and snatch this album up. Otherwise, carry on as you were, buying a track or two as you feel led.

- Review date: 3/18/10, written by Sara Kelm of Jesusfreakhideout.com


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. Record Label: Word Records
. Album length: 2 CDs, 30 tracks
. Street Date: March 2, 2010
. Buy It: Amazon.com

    Disc One
  1. Your Grace Is Enough – Matt Maher
  2. Everlasting God – Lincoln Brewster
  3. Shout Unto God – Michael W. Smith
  4. You Never Let Go – Matt Redman
  5. Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) – Chris Tomlin
  6. Mighty To Save – Hillsong United
  7. Revelation Song – Kari Jobe
  8. Lead Me To The Cross – Francesca Battistelli
  9. Hosanna (Praise Is Rising) – Brenton Brown
  10. All Because Of Jesus – Casting Crowns
  11. The Wonderful Cross – Matthew West
  12. Your Name – Paul Baloche
  13. You Reign – MercyMe
  14. New Song We Sing – Meredith Andrews
  15. Beautiful Jesus – Kristian Stanfill

    Disc Two
  1. I Am Free – Newsboys
  2. Everything Glorious – David Crowder*Band
  3. How Great Is Our God – Hillsong London
  4. God Of This City – Passion
  5. Majesty (Here I Am) – Leeland
  6. Give Us Clean Hands – Kutless
  7. Hosanna – Selah
  8. Marvelous Light – Charlie Hall
  9. Song Of Hope (Heaven Come Down) – Robbie Seay Band
  10. Desert Song – Natalie Grant
  11. You're Worthy Of My Praise – Big Daddy Weave/BarlowGirl
  12. My Savior My God – Aaron Shust
  13. You Are Good – Israel Houghton
  14. Happy Day – Tim Hughes
  15. Forever Reign – One Sonic Society

 

 

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Music Out This Week


This Wednesday, October 22, 2025
SINGLES
Phil Wickham Fear Has No Power - Single [Fair Trade]

This Friday, October 24, 2025
ALBUMS
John Allan Resurrection Power - EP [Centricity]
Dan Bremnes The Villain - EP [Curb]
Clear Convictions Endure (2025 Remaster) [Resuscitation]
Fepeste This World Ain't Mine to Change [Velvet Blue]
gio. FINE BY ME [Capitol CMG]
God Behind Bars Music Live From Angola Prison Vol. 1 [Provident]
Hulvey HE WILL RETURN - EP [Reach]
Latter Day Exploits Within Consumed (Expanded Edition) [Charon Collective]
VaShawn Mitchell SOUNDCHECK [Fair Trade]
MORIAH Nice Life - EP [F2]
Tyson Motsenbocker Modern Worries [Tooth & Nail]
Smalltown Poets St. Augustine (independent)
Zahriya Zachary Rediscovery [Bethel]

SINGLES
29:11 Worship, Zion Rempel You Never Fail (feat. Emily Guy) - Single [DREAM]
The Band JAREN Poetic - Single [Hit and Run]
Joe L Barnes Grief, Joy, Gratitude - Single [Provident]
Brandon Lake, Jon Batiste, & Jelly Roll Hard Fought Hallelujah - Single [Provident]
Jonathan Cain No One Else - Single [The Fuel]
Chad Cory, Zacardi Cortez My First Love (Remix) - Single [DREAM]
Leanna Crawford Beginning Of Your Grace - Single [Provident]
darthy Juniper Tree - Single [WieRok]
EJ Swavv & Jericko Love Like This - Single [Syntax]
Emerson Day Midnight Hour - Single [Fair Trade]
Good Weather Forecast lows2highs - Single [DREAM]
goodwill. REST - Single [Syntax]
Grace + Max Rich - Single [WieRok]
Mat Kearney Good Old Days - Single (independent)
Kelo Car Freestyle - Single [Syntax]
Vic Lucas I Need You (ft. IsaiahLaRoi) - Single [Syntax]
Jamie Macdonald You Can't Take My Song - Single [Capitol CMG]
Myles Maestro I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever - Single [Syntax]
Martin Smith, Josh Baldwin I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever - Single [The Fuel]
Mercy Tribe Music The King is in the Room (feat. Ayiesha Woods) - Single (independent)
Mountains in the Sea Breakthrough - Single [DREAM]
Razzie & Glenn Ray Second Chances - Single [Syntax]
Seph Schlueter Already On The Way (feat. Benjamin William Hastings) - Single [Provident]
Tomb Slayer The Christmas Lamb (feat. Khristian Dentley & Sarah Whittemore) - Single [Tomb Slayer]
tonyxtrotter, Yung Drew, Wayne Klassik HOLY HOLY HOLY - Single [Syntax]
The Undertaking! All Smiles - Single (independent)
Unseen Faith Cold Resolve - Single [Rottweiler Records]
Kim Zamolo Your Ways Are Higher - Single (independent)

VINYL
Clear Convictions Endure [Resuscitation]

Next Wednesday, October 29, 2025
ALBUMS
Brandon Lake Amazon Music Songline [Provident]

Next Friday, October 31, 2025
ALBUMS
Hope Deferred Darkness Remains [The Charon Collective]
MORIAH Nice Life - EP [F2]
SEU Worship What A God [Live at JOGS] (feat. Abbie Gamboa) - EP [Provident]
Testimony of Apocalypse Agony in the Garden [Roxx Records]

SINGLES
Dreamers My Heart His Home - Single [DREAM]
Roxanne Grace Try Again - Single [DREAM]
Lock & Chi Do To Me - Single (independent)
John Long Simple Pursuit - Single (independent)
Polished Arrow Music LOTW - Single [Polished Arrow Music]
Poor Old Lu The Hurting - Single (independent)
Still Remains The Wound and the Weapon - Single (independent)
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