Arise: A New Celebration of Worship

Sounds like … a two-and-a-half hour contemporary worship service featuring Don Moen, Paul Baloche, Lincoln Brewster, and others that spans pop, rock, country, Celtic, and jazzAt a glance …though you've heard these songs performed similarly on other live albums from the individuals, this is still an impressive collaborative effort demonstrating the best of what they have to offerTrack ListingDisc One Open the Eyes of My Heart – Paul Baloche Arise – Don Moen Thank You Lord – Don Moen Born to Worship – Lenny LeBlanc I Am Free – Jared Anderson God Is Good All the Time – Don Moen I Will Sing – Don Moen God Will Make a Way – Don Moen Praise Adonai – Paul Baloche Offering – Paul Baloche We All Bow Down – Lenny LeBlanc Amazed – Jared Anderson Revival – Robin MarkDisc Two Let the Praises Ring – Lincoln Brewster All to You – Lincoln Brewster Another Hallelujah – Lincoln Brewster Everybody Praise the Lord – Lincoln Brewster I'm Crazy – Lenny LeBlanc Beans and Rice – Lenny LeBlanc All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises – Paul Baloche Above All – Paul Baloche and Lenny LeBlanc There Is None Like You – Lenny LeBlanc Beauty of the Lord – Jared Anderson Rescue – Jared Anderson The Wonder of Your Cross – Robin Mark Jesus, All for Jesus – Robin Mark Days of Elijah – Robin Mark When It's All Been Said and Done – Don Moen

It started out as a simple concert for worship leader Don Moen in his home state of Minnesota. But then he began inviting friends from Integrity Music to join him, and the event grew into something far greater. The result is Arise: A New Celebration of Worship, recorded with six prominent worship artists, a big multi-congregation choir from the St. Paul/Minneapolis area, and 4,000 worshippers at Grace Church in Eden Prairie.

The "new" in the title is somewhat misleading with all the worship leaders performing their expected "hits": Moen ("God Is Good All the Time"), Paul Baloche ("Open the Eyes of My Heart"), Lenny LeBlanc ("There Is None Like You"), Lincoln Brewster ("Let the Praises Ring"), Desperation Band's Jared Anderson ("Amazed"), and Robin Mark ("Revival"). Both Baloche and Anderson have recently released albums that aren't represented here, Brewster's contributions sound identical to his live album last year, and Baloche and LeBlanc's "Above All" isn't much different from Michael W. Smith's version.

So, "new" doesn't refer to the songs, but the "celebration." It's great to listen to these talents collaborating together, more or less playing on all the tracks as one collective worship team (which includes American Idol finalist Mandisa Hundley on backing vocals). And though there are pop ballads aplenty, the set list is fairly eclectic with smatterings of country ("I'm Crazy"), contemporary jazz ("Praise Adonai"), blues-rock ("Everybody Praise the Lord"), Irish folk ("Days of Elijah"), and even Jimmy Buffet-styled reggae ("Beans and Rice").

Those who already own live albums by these artists probably don't need Arise. But it's an impressive recording with good bang for buck—nearly 150 minutes of music. Consider it the best of Integrity's worship leaders in concert together, and a recording that's every bit as good as Smitty's best-selling Worship.