Welcome to Music Monday!

I live most of my life to music – there is always music in my head or I have music playing at home or in the car, wherever I’m at.  Music is my life!  So I’m excited to be able to review and share some new music!

About “I Will Praise You”

One of Christian music’s most recognized names and voices, Rebecca St. James introduces her first studio project since 2005. Rebecca prepares to launch a very busy Spring 2011 season with the release of this new worship album titled, “I Will Praise You” (released on April 5, 2011).

Rebecca St. James charts yet another new course with “I Will Praise You”, a new collection of worship songs she terms “ her most personal recording to date.” From the opening notes of track one, listeners are offered a welcoming connection with Rebecca’s recognizably authentic vocal warmth and delivery. More than anything, I Will Praise You represents the latest steps in Rebecca’s life long journey towards the presence of God.

My Review

While I love music, I’m also a visual and creative person – and I must say that when I opened the “I Will Praise You” CD case that I was pleasantly surprised.  The CD itself is just pretty!

my own pic of the inside of the CD case – just for fun!

I loaded the CD onto my computer and then took it out had put it in my van’s 6-disc changer so I could listen to it a lot!

One really nice thing for me about “I Will Praise You” is that I’m so accustomed to hearing Rebecca St. James’ voice, from years of great music prior to this release, that the music already felt ‘comfortable’ to me, like listening to an old friend.

My favorite song on the CD is “The Kindness of Our God” – it has a real Celtic feel to it, and with a bit of, for lack of a better word, syncopation in the verses, this song stood out to me as familiar and yet fresh.  It just has a nice rhythm and I love the keyboard work that creates gorgeous pipes/flutes/violins as the backdrop for Rebecca’s sweet voice.

Often when I get a full CD, which I admit is rare these days, there is a song or two (or three) that I really don’t care for.  Not so with “I Will Praise You”.  The only song that comes even close to qualifying for that category is “You Never Let Go”, and that’s only because it has been done by many artists and I partial toward some of the other versions.  It seems a bit low for Rebecca’s vocal range to start off, but she cranks it up and does well with it after all.

The title track “I Will Praise You” is fun, rocking and worshipful (yes, it’s possible to be all 3 at once!).

“Shine Your Glory Down” really speaks to me, right now where I’m at in life with transitions and unknowns in the immediate future.  The combination of the words and the great music on this one just warm my heart.  The verses are reflective, imploring the Lord to fill in the gaps in life: “When I run, lead me; When I sleep, keep me;… With each step, free me; When I love, Father love through me…” And the chorus seems to erupt in praise: “Light of the world, light up this day – God I long to see Your face – Oh shine Your glory down…” The music really fits the words, and maybe that’s why I like it so much.

The final track “You Make Everything Beautiful” starts off with the Serenity Prayer: “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change – Grant me the courage, Lord, to change what I can…” which wasn’t at all what I was expecting from the title of the song.  But it fits perfectly with the next lines leading into the chorus: “In my weakness You can shine – In Your strength I can fly and – You make everything, everything beautiful…”  I find these lines running over and over in my head the last few days, perhaps again because of my current circumstances and needing to cling to His strength in the midst of my own weaknesses.  I like this one too!

I’ve really enjoyed “I Will Praise You” while it’s been playing in the background during my mom-running-around-in-the-van trips and while I’m fixing dinner or doing laundry the last few days.  And my son, BudBud, even remarked today while we were out together, “Mom, I really like this song, is it new?” when “I Will Praise You” came on again. Yup, I think it’s a keeper!

For more information about “I Will Praise You” and to hear samples of the songs, visit these places on the web:

Website: http://www.rsjames.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RSJames
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Will-Praise-You-Rebecca-James/dp/B004NDVJG4
YouTube: http://rsjames.com/updates/2011/3/22/video-rebecca-explains-her-song-shine-your-glory-down.html

Giveaway: One lucky It’s OK to be WEIRD! reader will win their own copy of “I Will Praise You” by Rebecca St. James.

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