Right now it is all about the cold. Here in Minnesota we have received very
little snow this year, but it has been cold. A couple days ago the high of
the day was negative five degrees (that's negative 20 degrees for all you
non-Americans). That kind of weather makes we want to stay inside for days
on end and do very little to conserve heat. Yeah, I am still watching the
bonus features on the Matrix set and the Return of the King DVDs. But when
quiet, prayerful reflection is on the agenda, I put on a sweater and pop in
a Chillout disc. Read on for our review of this British sensation that made
its way into Christian music and across the pond.

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A TIME TO WORSHIP - CHILLOUT SERIES (2004)
by Hollie Stewart

Americans have been known to lovingly copy the trends of our UK big brother.
Whatever gains popularity there receives attention on this side of the
Atlantic. (Anyone remember the fluke of Jimi Hendrix? My point exactly.)
Here's an opportunity for us Yankees to launch onto something truly
beautiful. When executive producer Hugh Robertson learned about the genre
called "Chillout," he sought to make a worship album that reflected its
soothing ambient feel. While the European style serves as little more than
calm background music, the team making Chillout sought to use the music as a
tool to "be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). With that higher
purpose in mind, A Time to Worship was born.

Chillout is unlike anything I've heard in the Christian market. I've never
been a huge fan of electronica, but this album awakens a formerly unseen
delight in the synthesizer-driven genre. There's not a traditional guitar,
bass, or drum kit to be heard; instead there's smooth trumpet and electronic
keyboards, and every instrument and vocal gets fed through reverb and
endless looping devices. The musicians take songs made famous by the likes
of dc Talk, U2, and Mercy Me, and instead of making watered-down versions of
the hits, they turn the sound upside-down and produce entirely new
creations. For example, the producers take "I Can Only Imagine" and give it
an otherworldly feel that compliments the lyrics more so than the original
instrumentation. After a few listens, I've grown to like this version more
than the initial recording. Even the over-used "Above All" receives new
life with the differing melodies and harmonies. The chorus is simplified to
"Crucified / You lived to die." Matt Redman's "The Heart of Worship" is
explored with a semi-80s keyboard approach. Vocals are spoken instead of
sung, reminding me of Rebecca St. James' work on Transform. "Jesus Freak"
turns to a jazz ballad, using a trumpet to sound more like a sultry
saxophone. The only lyrics are the bridge: "People say I'm strange / Does
it make me a stranger / That my best friend was born in a manger?" I don't
think Chillout reconstructs Out of Eden's "Lovely Day" and U2's "I Still
Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" with as much success as the other
tracks, but they don't make this smooth listening experience rocky in any
way.

There are a few original songs that deserve mention. "I Belong to You" hits
the mark with its loops and airy vocals. "Return to You" and "I Will Be
Your Friend" become sister songs: first there's a musical journey of return
to the Father, then a song of surrender. The music blends together
seamlessly to form a successful continuum. Then "I Trust in You" arrives,
the tune that sounds the most radio-friendly and the most like a traditional
worship song. The female vocalist sings, "When I can't see the way / I
trust in You / I believe the things You say / I trust in You / Even when I'm
sinking down beneath the waves / I trust in you / I know that You will lift
me up and put my feet on solid ground." There's a distinct sense of hope
and encouragement in the melody.

I think the purpose behind this album works; A Time to Worship creates the
right atmosphere for personal reflection. It is in the quiet times that we
can often hear God speak the loudest, so this project provides a wonderful
time for the creation to be still before the Creator and just, well, chill
out.

Read more about the Chillout Series at the official website:
http://www.chilledworship.com/


MORE NEW STUFF ON cMUSICWEB.COM

Feature: Most Spun 2004
http://cMusicWeb.com/features/mostspun2004

Review: Once Upon A Shattered Life - Seventh Day Slumber
http://cMusicWeb.com/hardrock/seventhdayslumber/onceuponashatteredlife.shtml


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[UP]: UNIFIED PRAISE - HILLSONG + DELIRIOUS?
In July 2003 delirious? appeared at the Hillsong Conference at the Olympic
Superdome in Sydney. This performance in front of 20,000 people features six
songs performed by the Hillsong band followed by five tracks from modern
worship pioneers delirious?. Naturally, the second half is worth repeated
play while the first half is strictly for the parents who can't get enough
Darlene Zschech. Hopefully, though, this will bring delirious? some more
exposure. This PICK OF THE WEEK is also available in DVD format with a
slightly varied track list.

EXIT EAST - EXIT EAST
Call my cynical, but most of these bands sound the same. I am pretty god at
guessing a band I hear on Christian radio, but I have a really hard time
distinguishing bands like Building 429, Overflow, Starfield, and most
recently Exit East. Their debut features the stylized rock sound with the
worshipful lyrics that are all-so-popular these days. I enjoyed the days
when the new bands sounded different from the others, I guess.

OLIVIA THE BAND - OLIVIA THE BAND
Provident/Essential has really fallen into a rut with new bands. Last year
they debuted Overflow, a band with the formulaic rock/worship that made
Building 429 so popular. Now comes Olivia The Band, which is the same thing
all over again except the fact that these guys are from Hawaii. That fact,
however, does not differentiate their sound enough from the rest of the
pack.

THINGS YOU CAN'T STOP WITH YOUR HANDS - TARA LEIGH COBBLE
While she does not have that gritty rock girl voice, Tara Leigh Cobble does
rock. One of the many independent artists in Christian music, this is Tara's
second CD and shows a bright future for this up-and-coming artist. Look her
up and check out this quirky folk rocker. And, as her website says, make
sure to renew your membership to the NRA!


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