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Release Date: March 29th 2024
Reviewed by: Jonathan Andre
Phil Wickham – Sunday is Coming Collection EP (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Sunday is Coming (Live From Summer Worship Nights)
- Sunday is Coming (Devotional)
- Sunday is Coming (Hometown Version)
- Sunday is Coming
Phil Wickham has always been one of my favourite worship artists, over the past decade or so. Since 2003 when he unveiled his debut album Give You the World, Phil has given to us powerful singles after powerful singles- ‘Grace’, ‘Divine Romance’, ‘After Your Heart’, ‘Safe’, ‘I’ll Always Love You’, ‘At Your Name’, ‘This is Amazing Grace’, ‘Glory’, ‘Living Hope’, ‘My All In All’, ‘Your Love Awakens Me’ and ‘Till I Found You’, to name a few. In a general sense, Phil has always had a knack at giving to us, great albums, period. From albums like his most recent full length studio album, 2023’s I Believe (alongside 2021’s Hymn of Heaven and 2022’s Hymn of Heaven (Acoustic), an acoustic re-recording of Phil’s powerful 2021 album), to the album that got me into the fandom, Response, as well as his chart-topping The Ascension and 2018’s Living Hope, Phil’s powerful and distinct voice cuts through all the cookie-cutter CCM that seems to seep through; and brings it home to be a reminder that great music artists still exist within the realms of CCM.
Phil’s been an artist that we have covered heavily on our site, and most recently, we reviewed his most recent studio album I Believe, as well as his most recent Christmas single, ‘Manger Throne’. Now in April, and just after Easter; we see Phil unveil something new, fresh, exciting, powerful and enjoyable- Phil’s recent song ‘Sunday Is Coming’ (that released as a single to digital platforms around a similar time last year) has been one of my favourite worship songs of late, and is now reinvented four times, on this Sunday is Coming Collection EP. A song that reminds us of Easter and how the reason why we call Good Friday ‘Good Friday’ is because Sunday is coming; we are called upon as Christians, to be in reminder with each other, that though it was a sad day in history because of Christ’s death on the cross, what makes the day hopeful is the fact that we now know of what happens on the Sunday three days later. Christ is alive. He’s resurrected, and because of that, we celebrate not only the Sunday, but also the Friday. Phil delivers a great moment of worship, passion, enthusiasm, and powerful declaration, as this song can hopefully pop up in various Sunday morning worship set-lists, not only around Easter time, but at various points throughout the year- yes, it’s a song that is primarily relating around Easter, but the song itself can still be used as a worship song throughout the year as well. The song recounts Jesus’s life, death and resurrection, in song form, and reminds me thematically of other tracks like Carman’s ‘Sunday’s On the Way’, Chris Tomlin’s ‘At the Cross’ and Hillsong Worship’s ‘King of Kings’.
Presented in its original studio form, as a live version, as well as a devotional about the song, alongside a chilled and relaxed ‘hometown’ version; we see ‘Sunday is Coming’ presented to us, through so many angles and avenues, that really reminds us all, of why this song has a special place in our hearts- it was one of my favourite worship songs of 2023 when I heard it last year, and it’s still the same now. ‘Sunday is Coming’ continues to remind us of how much of a powerful singer-songwriter Phil himself is, as he continues to assert himself to become a great worship artist alternative, for anyone who wants to listen to something else, other than Bethel, Elevation Worship or Hillsong. Well done Phil for such a powerful worship song, presented 4 times. Maybe we’ll get another ‘Collection EP’ featuring other songs from I Believe, like ‘Creator’, ‘The Jesus Way’, ‘I Believe’ or ‘Back to Life’? Here’s hoping!
Score: 5/5
RIYL: Chris Tomlin, TAYA, Katy Nichole, Rend Collective, Matt Maher