This is the first album from Nashville's Joel Buckner, who plies his trade as worship leader at Oasis Church in Nashville. Under the mentorship of lead pastor Danny Chambers, he has put together this eight-song live recording. The arrangements are strikingly good with harmonies provided by the choir complemented by an extremely tight rhythm section. Material-wise, the songs here are solid rather than mind-blowing. One can imagine the opener "Greatest Gift Of All" becoming popular in church settings and the title track is also particularly sing-able. Given that Buckner is primarily a gospel artist, there are significant departures from the genre, particularly on "Psalm 9" and "Father Of My Soul" where guitar-based rock replaces the conventional gospel sound. Overall, an enjoyable, if at times predictable, set.
The opinions expressed in this article are
not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed
views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may
not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a
later date.
Interested in reviewing music? Find out
more here.