And If Our God Is for Us... (Deluxe Edition)

iTunes Review

Singer/songwriter Chris Tomlin paints hymns of praise upon big sonic canvasses on And If Our God Is for Us. The album’s title is drawn from a line in “Our God,” already familiar to Christian radio listeners as a live recording. In the version included here, the song’s worshipful message is underscored with string accents and a pulsating Coldplay-like rhythm arrangement. Tomlin returns again and again to the believer’s connection with his Creator in these songs, whether the musical setting leans towards techno-pop (“No Chains On Me”) or guitar-centered arena rock (“Lovely”). His trademark sense of rising dynamics makes “I Lift My Hands” a standout tune. Singer Christy Nockles duets with Tomlin on “Faithful,” a meditative number matching a beat-box groove with a tradition-rooted melody. Deep, resonant piano chords and distorted electric guitar bring an otherworldly grace to “Awakening,” the closing track. After nearly a decade of album-making, Tomlin has lost none of his musical urgency or sense of spiritual mission.