Reviewed by Paul Poulton

Jonathan Lee is a 26 year old Nashville-based worship leader who wants to lead people into the presence God. It looks like there are 11 songs in which to do that very thing. First up is "Intro" which only lasts 36 seconds and the grammar is slightly skewif. "For I am just a blood bought redeemed a passionate saint," are the opening lines. Make of it what you will, the essence of what Jonathan is saying is there and I guess that's what counts, although English is important and can undermine the aim of leading people into worship when sentences don't quite add up. So it's down to the next 10 songs to do their job. Which I'm pleased to say average around the four to five minute mark. "Sound Of The Redeemed" acoustic/electric guitar driven straight ahead 4/4 is a passionate tune not unlike Delirious?. It's a stirring cry from the heart and does pull the listener in. "Beautiful King" is a fine song and captures just who Jesus is. However, it seems to me that in an effort to get the big sound (or take part in the CD loudness wars) the songs have been quite heavily compressed. The vocal style is that common unto modern male worship leaders and not really comparable to anyone else in the general world of contemporary music. Jonathan has managed to be consistent in style, electric guitars, using delay, playing single note lines, often coupled with a keyboard playing broken arpeggios, works well for what he has to offer. Melody isn't high on the agenda but that suits the style.

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.

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The album Let Them Hear spotlights many worship anthems and ballads with songs that are uplifting and worshipful. It has full-bodied parts, which are easily singable by an entire
congregation.

You may know of Jonathan as co-writer of the songs Jesus I Surrender and Nothing Less Than All Of Me, both are which featured on Jeff Deyo’s album Surrender.