Reviewed by Tony Cummings In case you didn't know, Planetshakers is Australia's largest young adult movement based out of Melbourne's Planetshakers Church and this set is their 30th, yep, 30th, album since 2000 if you count all the compilations and offshoots (children's, Spanish language, etc). It starts off rather surprisingly considering their rather stereotypical stadium rock approach of old with a distinctly EDM flavour and the first three cuts including the anthemic title track have plenty of keyboard riffs and loud kick though the live atmosphere and rather bland vocals, featuring several female voices singing in unison, mean you won't be hearing these in clubland any time soon. By song four there's a switch of rhythm to a worshipful ballad penned by P J Pridham, "Leave Me Astounded" which is fairly strong though again let down by the mass girl vocals. The track "Covered" is next. Co-written by the album's producer Josh Hunt and gospel star Israel Houghton it's a memorable celebration of "Grace, powerful, grace." The other two songs in their songwriting collaboration, "Stronger Than A Thousand Seas" and "Water Rising", are almost as memorable and, to my ears, are the most likely to become popular with the international Church. In truth, though, there isn't a song here as good as "He Touched Me" which makes a surprising entrance as the album's track 12. As that was written by Bill Gaither back in 1963 it's a salient reminder to Planetshakers' youthful throng that old songs as well as new ones can draw us closer to God.
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Fresh from filling stadiums in far-flung locales throughout the world, Planetshakers are poised to release their upcoming project This Is Our Time.
The album, which was recorded live in Melbourne, Australia, at the annual Planetshakers conference, delivers the same passionate, high-energy worship that we have come to love. Reminding us that we were created "for such a time as this", the album features all-new songs including co-writes with Israel Houghton. |