Integrity Music
Release Date: July 28th 2017
Reviewed by: Joshua Andre
Corey Voss– Songs Of Heaven And Earth (Vol. 1) EP (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- The King Is Here
- Canyons
- God Who Moves The Mountains
- As It Is In Heaven
- Don’t Ever Let Me Go
Recently signed to Integrity Music, worship leader Corey Voss has worn many ‘hats’ over the years. A worship pastor at Gateway Church Shelbyville, as well as a songwriter at All About Worship and a member of People & Songs; Corey has delivered to us many worship hits, such as “Praise The King”, “How Great”, “Worthy Is The Lamb”, “Consume Us” and “Nothing But The Blood”. This upcoming week he drops his brand new live EP Songs Of Heaven And Earth (Vol. 1), and boy does it not disappoint. Only 5 songs long, this 25 minute long inspiring and eclectic worship experience is well worth listening to again and again. With fans of worship music in general, and particularly artists like Phil Wickham, Paul Baloche and Michael W. Smith, sure to love Corey’s label debut; Songs Of Heaven And Earth (Vol. 1) is one of my favourite worship EP’s of this year, alongside EP’s from Alive City, Brooke & Boggs and Verses.
Opening the EP with the vibrant and energetic “The King Is Here”, there is a slight repetitive nature here in the chorus, however since these songs in general are very accessible and suited to be sung in the church on a Sunday morning, creative lyrics do not have to be present on every single track- just solid theological foundations and a yearning to worship Jesus in all circumstances. In light of the fact that every one of the five songs on Corey’s album is biblically sound, “The King Is Here” is the perfect way to start a beautiful and powerful worship experience, as we praise Jesus forever and declare ‘…sing, sing it out, let the earth resound for the King is here, the King is here, shout, shout it out, there’s a hope we’ve found, for the King is here, the King is here…’, across engaging guitars and captivating keys. Lead single “Canyons” is next, and is a radio friendly ballad, a soft reflective piece led by the piano, where Corey eloquently and ardently reiterates the depths of God’s love for each of us, that ‘…there is no limit to Your endless love, just when I doubt it, there is so much more, a rushing waterfall that overflows, it’s filling canyons in my soul…’. Reminding me of Phil Wickham in this song vocally, I reckon “Canyons” will be sung across almost all churches on Sunday mornings in the near future- that’s how much of a good song it is.
Corey is joined by Michael Farren (lead singer of Pocketful Of Rocks) and Alisa Turner in the hymn like piano prominent “As It Is In Heaven”, which I’m certain will be a radio hit in the future and/or a staple on Sunday morning worship services in the coming months and years. As Corey, Michael and Alisa eloquently sing in harmony together, and proclaim that ‘…on the earth as it is in heaven, let it be here with us right now, where your word is fulfilled and your glory revealed, let it be here with us right now…’. While the album ender is the strings and keys led mid-tempo worship anthem “Don’t Ever Let Me Go”, where Corey passionately asks God not to let us go in all circumstances; it truly is “God Who Moves The Mountains” that is the song that you should listen to if you only listen to one song from Songs Of Heaven And Earth (Vol. 1). “God Who Moves The Mountains”, written by Richie Fike, Dustin Smith and David Leonard of All Sons and Daughters, is brilliantly covered by Corey (almost as good as Jaci Velasquez’s version!), as he declares against the serene backdrop of stirring electric guitars and pulsating drums, that Jesus is the One who can and will move the mountains in our lives. All powerful, ever true and always reliable and faithful, Jesus is the One who is always in our corner, no matter what. As Corey fervently reiterates that when ‘…You say speak, we say, “move”, and You say watch, what You can do, You say trust, and then You prove You’re the God who moves the mountains, the God who moves the mountains…’, we are comforted also, by the fact that this all powerful God, knows us and loves us intimately and like we could never imagine, thus we do not have to fear, as He is with us. Well done Corey for probably one of my favourite worship songs of the year (alongside “Death Was Arrested” and “The Cross Has The Final Word”!), reminding us all that he is one of today’s up and coming worship leaders in CCM!
What more can I say about Corey Voss’s label debut EP? That I wish it was longer in duration and in number of tracks? Really, that’s the only thing wrong with it. So enough from me. Dive in, and listen to high quality worship leading and songwriting. Songs Of Heaven And Earth (Vol. 1), as I mentioned earlier, is one of my favourite worship EP’s of 2017. Well done Corey, I can’t wait to hear more of your inspiring, honest, poignant and worshipful future material in the coming weeks and months!
3 songs to listen to: Canyons, God Who Moves The Mountains, As It Is In Heaven
Score: 4.5/5
RIYL: Jaci Velasquez, Desperation Band, Hillsong Worship, Phil Wickham, Paul Baloche, Michael W. Smith