Jesus Culture Awakening: Live from Chicago

iTunes Review

From first song to last, Awakening expresses a burning reverence in exalted yet direct lyrics framed by muscular musical settings. Slow-building arrangements and forceful instrumentation create a sustained sense of majesty and triumph without obscuring each song's intimate call to spiritual surrender. “Awaken Me” sets the album's theme with its prayerful message and engaging, Celtic-tinged melody. Tracks like “Father of Lights” (sung with palpable intensity by Kim Walker-Smith), “Break Every Chain” (a soaring, piano-centered ballad featuring Kristine DiMarco’s dramatic vocals), and “He Is Faithful” (a celebratory tune sung by Bryan Torwalt with Bruce Springsteen–like bravura) are among the highlights. A luminous reworking of the classic hymn “Nothing but the Blood” fits well with the band’s original material. Jake Hamilton’s “The Anthem”—a dialogue between God and believer—ends the album with a burst of Spirit-infused hope.