Jesus Culture Music
Release Date: October 18th 2019
Reviewed by: Joshua Andre
Bryan And Katie Torwalt– Anticipation EP (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Remember
- Freedom Is Coming
- Anticipation
- Save Me
- Interlude (Surely As The Sun)
- Your Will, Your Way
There’s a concept that has been as old as time that sometimes we as humans forget. And it is this. That remembering is key for our human experience and as we recall our enjoyable and beautiful memories, sometimes we end up feeling very nostalgic and very optimistic about life, even in the midst of trials and suffering. Yet sometimes we as Christians frequently forget the promises of God- though sometimes through no fault of our own- which we should remember. Sometimes we fall prey to our fears and insecurities, as we fail to remember that God is with us and that He will never leave our side. With the concept of remembering being the heartbeat and the main message of Bryan & Katie Torwalt’s newest EP Anticipation; the husband and wife duo have been one of the mainstays and veterans on Jesus Culture, having wowed us before, with songs like “I See Heaven”, “Shores”, “When You Walk Into The Room”, “Mountain”, “Let There Be Light” and “King Over All The Earth” to name a few. Yet it is only recently that I have stepped out and intentionally listened to their music. Sure, I’ve listened to a few songs on Spotify, but with Praise Before My Breakthrough being my first release of theirs that I have fully listened to, for one reason or another (and such a release that I have loved!); it’s time to dwell upon Anticipation– and that EP is yet another winner!
And what is my assessment, after listening to this project several times over? Well, it’s pretty good. In fact, the opening track and lead single “Remember” is reason enough to totally understand and grasp why this duo is one of today’s most passionate and relevant worship leaders today. The song does totally wreck you when you fully understand the concept of remembering what Jesus has done for us, and remembering Jesus’ faithfulness and promises and how it apples to our lives today. Sure, we have “Remember” by Passion and “Remember To Remember” by Steven Curtis Chapman; but Bryan and Katie Torwalt’s track is also quite remarkable and will definitely have us entering into much healthy discussion in the coming days, weeks and months. A song that is destined to be sung in churches everywhere in the future, “Remember” is simply just a great worship song; and with lyrics like this- ‘…if You broke through the oceans, You can break through these chains, if Your word made the mountains, it can move them all the same, if death fell before You and it’s still on its face, then the power that raised You is about to move again…’– you’d agree too, wouldn’t you?
The only downside to this song is that it ends before I’m fully into it… but never fear, because there’s 5 more tracks to come, with each being heartfelt, honest and encouraging! Second track “Freedom Is Coming” has some serious Rend Collective vibes musically and vocally (definitely a good thing!), with Bryan singing with passion and determination that Jesus undoubtedly will provide us with freedom, even though we may be feeling like in the pit of despair with no way out. Hopeful and inspiring, Bryan and Katie deliver a promise of redemption and assurance, without the song feeling cliché or tacky. The title track is next, co-written with Mia Fieldes, and is as refreshing and relevant a worship song as I’ve heard in recent memory. As the duo passionately reiterate the notion that as time goes by, our anticipation rises for the coming of Jesus Christ to take us into His kingdom; we are met with one of the most vulnerable worship songs of the year. A prayer for revival and awakening, “Anticipation” is sure to be on the setlists of churches everywhere on Sunday mornings in the near future for a long time! “Save Me” is another heartfelt slower-tempo ballad, and a personal album highlight, whereby Bryan fervently relays to us that he needs Jesus Christ to save him- a moment of humbleness and clarity that I’m sure we can all use in the hard times as well as the good times. Penultimate track “Interlude (Surely As The Sun)” is a 2 minute acoustic guitar driven refrain declaring the ever-true concept of God’s goodness being comparable to the rising and setting sun; while the EP ender is the radio friendly CCM-like “Your Will, Your Way”- a sort of modern hymn that is destined to be imprinted on our hearts for a long time- vocally Katie is at her best, as we are met with a declaration of admission of fault and surrender to the Almighty, asking Him invade our hearts and move in our lives so that His will be done…not ours.
And after this near-flawless track and overall hopeful and worshipful project that basically showcases the best of Bryan and Katie Torwalt vocally, lyrically and musically; the EP ends…which is a fact that has to happen. But the ending has to happen for us to anticipate the duo’s next project (no pun intended!); as I am now convinced that this release is near-flawless, whereby listening to Bryan and Katie compels me to investigate the rest of their discography (which I didn’t do last time, but I will do next time!). No doubt you’ll be inspired to check them out also. With both husband and wife at the top of their game here, sky’s the limit for these two. So what are you waiting for? Let us all declare the good things we remember about Jesus, and let us be changed by one of the more hopeful and impacting releases I’ve heard this year!
3 songs to listen to: Remember, Anticipation, Your Will Your Way
Score: 4.5/5
RIYL: Bethel Music, Phil Wickham, Leeland, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman