Word Label Group
Release Date: September 15th 2023
Reviewed by: Jonathan Andre
For KING & COUNTRY – What Are We Waiting For + (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- What Are We Waiting For (The Single)
- Relate
- Broken Halos
- Love Me Like I Am (feat. Jordin Sparks)
- Unity (feat. Dante Bowe)
- For God is With Us (feat. Hillary Scott)
- Hold On, Pain Ends
- Unsung Hero
- Harmony (feat. Sleeping at Last)
- Shy
- Better Man
- Together (feat. Tori Kelly & Kirk Franklin)
- Seasons
- Cheering You On
- Benediction
- Love Me Like I Am
- For God is With Us
For KING & COUNTRY have always been a band that are a joy to listen to, and no matter the preference of musical genre, I’m sure, that anyone who hears this infectiously hopeful and poignant duo, are sure to be blessed and encouraged. Relatively new compared to a lot of the CCM pioneers that have shaped what Christian music is today (Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, Rich Mullins, Keith Green, Stryper, PETRA, Sandi Patty, Twila Paris and Russ Taff, to name a few); we have covered the band a lot here on 365DaysOfInsipringMedia.com, and so whatever I wrote about the band in previous posts, I won’t rehash now. What I will say is that both Joel and Luke have created a duo that have challenged us listeners to stretch the bow a little bit in terms of the classification of music that is deemed ‘Christian’, and really remind us, that God can speak to us through a variety of different means, not just solely through ‘Christian’ influences. They have crafted their career in such a way that allows the songs they’ve carefully created, to sit with listeners in a reflective way, delving deep within our psyches and challenging the very nature of what we were to believe is true, about ourselves, God, love, life, and the rest of it. Joel and Luke have created something special in for KING & COUNTRY, and this is a band that has made waves continually in the CCM realm, and now into the mainstream market as well (with the injection of their song ‘relate’ and their previously poignant and powerful songs ‘Together’, ‘God Only Knows’ and ‘Burn the Ships’). The band have been a household name for quite some time, ever since their chart-topping song ‘Busted Heart’ hit the radio waves all those years ago, having taken the media, listeners and the whole general CCM industry by storm since their arrival to Word Label Group back in 2011.
Relocating to Nashville in the early 1990s, the band have continually focused on powerful instrumentation and anthemic moments of revelation, realisation, and heart, as these songs delivered by this duo, allows us all to declare and proclaim, especially during current seasons that are difficult and trying. Their 2022 album What Are We Waiting For? was career-defining for them- because of that album, they were able to gain exposure on The Kelly Clarkson Show, not to mention that album in particular winning Best Pop/Contemporary album at the 2023 Dove Awards. I even reviewed the album here, while my brother reviewed the singles ‘Love Me Like I Am (feat. Jordin Sparks)’ and ‘For God is With Us (feat. Hilary Scott)’. Not too long ago, I also reviewed ‘What Are We Waiting For?’ the single, the unreleased track that was ‘supposedly’ the title track off their 2022 album. And so here we are in September 2023, and…you guessed it. For KING & COUNTRY have just released What Are You Waiting For +, complete with ‘What Are You Waiting For’, the two duets, as well as a newly recorded song, for the deluxe edition of possibly the band’s most successful album to date (in terms of mainstream pop crossover appeal).
Now let me just preface this ‘review’ by saying that I have the utmost respect for both Joel and Luke. What they have undertaken since 2011, and the heights they have gone to (in terms of exposure in both CCM and mainstream circles) is nothing short of miraculous, magnificent, commendable, and remarkable. But as far as deluxe albums go (for any band/artist), it can be a hit or a miss, and this album What are You Waiting For +, is unfortunately a miss. Not that these songs present on this expanded album aren’t good, they are. It’s just that with a year and bit after their standard album release, I probably would’ve expected more than just a 17 track album: 4 ‘new’ songs; 3 of which have been released already. Maybe what could’ve happened was a few more acoustic tracks, a remix of a song or two, or even more new songs, to make the track list more than 17…but we will never know. ‘Better Man’, the lone new song present on this deluxe edition album, speaks about the longing a man has to be better for his spouse, but the song can also be relatable, even when the man is wanting to be better for his kids, and his extended family as well.
To be completely honest, this 17 track album is good in terms of song content, but unfortunately lacks much ingenuity and creativity that made the deluxe editions of both Burn the Ships and Run Wild, Live Free, Love Strong great. Maybe it’s because we heard three out of the four ‘new’ songs. Or that two of the new songs were simply duets of songs previously released in the standard edition. Whatever the case, I’m scratching my head wondering why Joel and Luke even released this album, if it was only one song (‘Better Man’) that was ‘new’? Perhaps they could’ve waited to more new songs, and release the deluxe edition next year? Alas, the 17 song album has been released. They could’ve done with more acoustic/remix songs, and maybe more collaborations, but all in all, these new songs unveiled (the title track, ‘Better Man’) a year or so after the initial release, are good in and of themselves. It’s just that I was expecting more for What Are We Waiting For +. I think a lot of the band’s fans were expecting more, too. Maybe an all-acoustic or a remix album in the future? Here’s hoping that could happen. In the meantime…lemme listen to the deluxe edition of Run Wild, Live Free, Love Strong…shall we?
3 songs to listen to: What Are We Waiting For, Unsung Hero, Together
Score: 3/5
RIYL: TobyMac, Matthew West, Newsboys, Tenth Avenue North