Review: Unchanging – Calvary Chapel Jupiter

Jeff Thompson (the worship “guy” from Calvary Chapel Jupiter) contacted me a few weeks ago and asked if he could send me their new worship album.  The album is a studio recording called “Unchanging” and all music and lyrics are written and performed by Jeff.

On the album sleeve it states,

“Our God is greater, bigger, more powerful and more wonderful than our wildest imaginations! It’s our hope that songs on this album will encourage and inspire you to greater faith and greater times of worship. They are songs about the majesty of our King: His unending faithfulness and His unfailing love. They’ve been written in the local church, for the local church. We hope this album blesses you!”

I’m not sure our church in Northern Ireland could be considered local to Palm Beach County, Florida! ;-)  Being so far away allowed Joel over at cecworship to get his review up before me!

I am always on the lookout for new songs to introduce to our church and there are definitely one or two tracks on this album that I hope to adopt.

On first listen of this album I thought I could hear various influences such as Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, Chris Tomlin etc.  I asked Jeff what his actual musical influences were and this was his reply,

“Delirious? Cutting Edge tapes back in the day. Matt Redman was a huge deal, the Soul Survivor and Stoneleigh conference CDs from the UK, then over the last 6 years mostly Hillsong and Hillsong United as well as Phil Wickham, Tim Hughes, Tomlin, Crowder, Charlie Hall etc.”

These influences do come out, but the music is still very much his own.  You can listen to the album online at ccjworship.com.  If you are a worship leader/pastor, feel free to contact Jeff and he will send you a copy free of charge.

All the songs are excellent and you will find something you like.

Praise
Great song to start a set with.  A song of adoration – “this is me telling You ‘I love You’….”.  Nice.  I like the bridge “Thank You for Your goodness…”

Reckless
This song is full of energy.  I like this song, but I can’t imagine me singing it.  Similar to some Hillsong/United tracks.

Alive
This is brilliant.  When it started to play I had to double check I wasn’t listening a Hillsong album.  Very good.  However, I think it would need an electric guitar in the band to do the song justice.  I’m still tempted to try it though.  Favourite part – “Oh yeah, it’s good to be free… oh yeah, it’s good to free… that’s what you’ve done for me”.

So In Love With You
I really like the melody of this track, especially the chorus “I’m so in love with You. I can’t get You out of my head”.  I had the guitar out playing and singing along to it.  My wife walks past the office door and shouts in ”You shouldn’t want to get Him out of your head…!”.  ;-)

Glorified
This is probably my favourite track on the album.  I will use this one for sure.  The chorus is lovely…. “You are the Saviour of the world… now and forever be glorified…”.  I like bridges that challenge and build up towards another explosion of the chorus.  “All of my life is Yours, all of my days, all of my praise…” – sing that and mean it!

Unchanging
This track is also one of my favourites.  The song explores God faithfulness.  How everything around us may change, but God will not.  He is faithful.  He is unchanging.  This is probably another song that I could use.

You’re Beautiful
“I’ve never seen You but I hear You’re beautiful…”.  This song is about the beauty of God.  It’s a gentle song and suited to those times of intimate worship.

Marvelous
A bouncey, energetic song.  This song will bring a smile to people’s faces.  It may even make them sway.  I like it.

Starmaker
A song of praise to our Creator.  I like the lyrics of this song… “Star maker, earth shaper, I fall fown….”

You Deserve It All
This song has a pop song feel about it.  I can’t see me using this, but like “Reckless”, I don’t mind listening to it!

Worthy Of The Call
I’m listening to this track as I type.  This is lovely.  The verses are nearly hymn like with a great chorus… “may my life be worthy, worthy of the call to lay down my life and take up Yours….”.

Overall a really great worship album!  Have a listen now (chord sheets also available) !!