Reviewed by Jeremy Chalmers
"Ever-growing!" is a good way to describe the impact and influence of the house band who minister at the annual Melbourne youth culture event. Previously compared to the raw, passionate sounds of the worshipful stadium rockers Sonicflood, the musicians here have produced another truly passionate reflection. Kicking off with the punk rock declaration "Always And Forever", an exciting and up-beat song, this album starts as it means to go on with honest and hungry lyrics (written mainly by Henry Seeley and Mike Guglielmucci) backed by a heavy electric guitar sound and loud, pulsating and victorious sounding drum beat. As well as "Always And Forever" this album is full of songs that suit the stadium, with tracks like "See You", "Not Ashamed" and "Great And Mighty". However, recognising there is a time for everything this album also offers slower, more intimate sounding songs, with vocals sounding much like Hillsong United's Marty Sampson's in songs like "Don't Pass Me By". One striking feature of this album however is how it ends, having been led through the loud and quiet times of worship with this album I found it up-lifting and inspiring to finish on a song as cross-focused as "Cry Holy"....
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Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Planetshakers - Free
Crunchy, punk-oriented praise songs ala-Tooth and Nail bands and big worship anthems have long been the forte and majority of output from Planetshakers, and that’s what you get on Free, the first album from the Melbourne-based church (as opposed to the conference albums).
Songs like “Salvation”, “Free” and “ Saved The Day” rock the high-energy riff-based sound, while “I Need You” and “Glory to God” are a heart-cry of desperate worship. Sure, there are some unexceptional songs on here, as will be the case for every worship album, and yes, the musical intro may have similarities to another Aussie worship heavyweight, but the positives are aplenty: I played the title track every morning for about a month and it set my day on fire! Of notable significance too is a changing of the guard in songwriters, with youngsters Joth Hunt, Mike Nikkerud and Mike Pilmer in particular coming to the fore....
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Songs like “Salvation”, “Free” and “ Saved The Day” rock the high-energy riff-based sound, while “I Need You” and “Glory to God” are a heart-cry of desperate worship. Sure, there are some unexceptional songs on here, as will be the case for every worship album, and yes, the musical intro may have similarities to another Aussie worship heavyweight, but the positives are aplenty: I played the title track every morning for about a month and it set my day on fire! Of notable significance too is a changing of the guard in songwriters, with youngsters Joth Hunt, Mike Nikkerud and Mike Pilmer in particular coming to the fore....
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Planetshakers - Arise
Reviewed by Dave Griffiths
I was impressed before I even put the CD into my player as the graphics for the CD package is excellent. But, we're here to talk about the musical content. What we have in 'Arise' is a collection of 13 punchy, guitar-driven worship songs carried on the wind of youthful gusto and pop-chorus sensibilities and production. This combo can mean, however, that the content is a little too shallow in places. It's probably great throughout for teenagers, but for me personally it's a little too glossy. Stylistically this is very, very similar to their fellow Aussies, Hillsong United. This music is crafted specifically for large gatherings that the Planetshaker ministry implements, and with that in mind, these songs make a lot more sense. One can easily see hundreds of young saints pogoing their socks off to these high-energy tunes. Many of the songs follow the fast-paced guitar-pop trend, but there are variations with "Majesty", which is a little more Europop with its zingy synth-line. "You Are" at last brings the pace down to a more Darlene-style ballad. "Your Glory" keeps the slower, more acoustic feel and is a great worship song. "My Hero" is really enjoyable melody. "Set Me Free" is the most memorable song and the one most likely to live outside the context of this album....
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I was impressed before I even put the CD into my player as the graphics for the CD package is excellent. But, we're here to talk about the musical content. What we have in 'Arise' is a collection of 13 punchy, guitar-driven worship songs carried on the wind of youthful gusto and pop-chorus sensibilities and production. This combo can mean, however, that the content is a little too shallow in places. It's probably great throughout for teenagers, but for me personally it's a little too glossy. Stylistically this is very, very similar to their fellow Aussies, Hillsong United. This music is crafted specifically for large gatherings that the Planetshaker ministry implements, and with that in mind, these songs make a lot more sense. One can easily see hundreds of young saints pogoing their socks off to these high-energy tunes. Many of the songs follow the fast-paced guitar-pop trend, but there are variations with "Majesty", which is a little more Europop with its zingy synth-line. "You Are" at last brings the pace down to a more Darlene-style ballad. "Your Glory" keeps the slower, more acoustic feel and is a great worship song. "My Hero" is really enjoyable melody. "Set Me Free" is the most memorable song and the one most likely to live outside the context of this album....
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Planetshakers - Evermore
Planetshakers describe themselves as comparable to the Hillsongs movement, but with an explosive youth orientated twist. This may be true but as a 40 something I have to admit that there is an energy within these guys that is infectious, and this DVD manages to capture this well. It's full-on explosive and passion led worship from start to finish. These guys rock. Their following has increased since they started nearly 10 years ago and with a performance as good as this you can see why. From the hip-hop style of "Jump Around" to the more traditional worship of "Holy Spirit" there is something here for everyone, whatever age. There are also many resources available in the special features section. A worthwhile investment and very entertaining...
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Planetshakers - Never Stop
Never Stop says it all. We never want to stop praising Him, worshipping Him, honouring Him and living for Jesus! This album contains 13 all new songs plus bonus DVD that are from a passionate heart to do everything we can to lift up the name of Jesus. Featuring Henry Seeley, Mike Guglielmucci and Sam Evans, this studio album is signature Planetshaker praise and worship for a new generation. Includes CD and bonus DVD of Planetshakers live worship and inspiring messages...
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Planetshakers - (My King) Live Praise & Worship
Sounds like … a cross between the United praise band and the livelier moments from an Acquire the Fire conference, with energy and melodies to spare.
At a glance … though it'll be nearly impossible to shake off the Hillsong comparisons, (My King) is still an energetic and well-executed live worship album.
As if trying to mend a past mistake, Australia's Planetshakers appear intent on making (My King) Live Praise & Worship their real introduction to U.S. audiences (or second introduction, considering 2002's Phenomena). After all, it's only been a couple of months since their lackluster studio album Open Up the Gates, a project that all but flooded worship set lists nationwide. In all fairness to the movement, Gates was more a rushed post-concert keepsake for the Planetshakers conferences than a testament to their true sound, which explained the boxed-in feel of it.
(My King) does away with these limitations and establishes the band as one comparable to Hillsong's United praise band. Chief songwriter and worship leader Henry Seeley is a pop composer at heart, keeping things simple and accessible without sacrificing the album's major strength: its melodies. Like an older Joel Houston or Marty Sampson, Seeley polishes these songs to perfection, and the results are as singable as they are memorable—in fact, one can hear traces of "My Best Friend" in "Give You Praise," while "Open Up the Gates" recalls Sampson's "King of Majesty." Even the amped-up guitars in "Be With You" seem lifted from "We Want to See Jesus Lifted High," except with a horn section that's informed by ska influences....
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At a glance … though it'll be nearly impossible to shake off the Hillsong comparisons, (My King) is still an energetic and well-executed live worship album.
As if trying to mend a past mistake, Australia's Planetshakers appear intent on making (My King) Live Praise & Worship their real introduction to U.S. audiences (or second introduction, considering 2002's Phenomena). After all, it's only been a couple of months since their lackluster studio album Open Up the Gates, a project that all but flooded worship set lists nationwide. In all fairness to the movement, Gates was more a rushed post-concert keepsake for the Planetshakers conferences than a testament to their true sound, which explained the boxed-in feel of it.
(My King) does away with these limitations and establishes the band as one comparable to Hillsong's United praise band. Chief songwriter and worship leader Henry Seeley is a pop composer at heart, keeping things simple and accessible without sacrificing the album's major strength: its melodies. Like an older Joel Houston or Marty Sampson, Seeley polishes these songs to perfection, and the results are as singable as they are memorable—in fact, one can hear traces of "My Best Friend" in "Give You Praise," while "Open Up the Gates" recalls Sampson's "King of Majesty." Even the amped-up guitars in "Be With You" seem lifted from "We Want to See Jesus Lifted High," except with a horn section that's informed by ska influences....
Continue Reading at this Christian Music Review
Planetshakers - Open Up the Gates
Sounds like … a modern worship mixture of Sonicflood, Newsboys, and Vineyard UK.
At a glance … Open Up the Gates is listenable, but it's indistinguishable from countless other generic modern worship projects.
If you cross Hillsong Australia's upbeat contemporary worship with the exuberance of the Acquire the Fire youth conferences, you might get something like Australian worship team Planetshakers, which sounds like a mixture of Sonicflood, Newsboys, and Vineyard UK. With a strong commitment to challenge and inspire young people, the annual Planetshakers worship conference has grown tremendously in recent years, reaching a total audience of 20,000 in three of Australia's major cities.
Here's proof that record labels don't always keep tabs on each other. Word/Warner eagerly signed Planetshakers hoping to introduce them stateside with Open Up the Gates. But Planetshakers already tried for American exposure with Crowne Music Group on 2002's Phenomena, which revealed modern worship that was derivative of better songs, but still likeable and varied, propelled by incredible live praise-driven concert energy....
Continue Reading at this Christian Music Review
At a glance … Open Up the Gates is listenable, but it's indistinguishable from countless other generic modern worship projects.
If you cross Hillsong Australia's upbeat contemporary worship with the exuberance of the Acquire the Fire youth conferences, you might get something like Australian worship team Planetshakers, which sounds like a mixture of Sonicflood, Newsboys, and Vineyard UK. With a strong commitment to challenge and inspire young people, the annual Planetshakers worship conference has grown tremendously in recent years, reaching a total audience of 20,000 in three of Australia's major cities.
Here's proof that record labels don't always keep tabs on each other. Word/Warner eagerly signed Planetshakers hoping to introduce them stateside with Open Up the Gates. But Planetshakers already tried for American exposure with Crowne Music Group on 2002's Phenomena, which revealed modern worship that was derivative of better songs, but still likeable and varied, propelled by incredible live praise-driven concert energy....
Continue Reading at this Christian Music Review
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