Provident Label Group

Release Date: November 10, 2014

Reviewed by Emily Kjonaas

Tenth Avenue North – Cathedrals (Amazon MP3/iTunes)

Track List:

1. No Man Is An Island
2. Stars In The Night
3. Iesu, Dulcis Memoria (feat Audrey Assad)
4. Cathedrals (feat. Audrey Assad)
5. I Need You, I Love You, I Want You
6. The Spark
7. Heavens Sound
8. Stay
9. We Won’t Numb The Pain
10. Closer
11. All The Earth Is Holy Ground
12. For Those Who Can’t Speak (Deluxe Edition)
13. Just Getting By (Deluxe Edition)
14. Forgive Me (Deluxe Edition)

Over the past several years Tenth Avenue North has become one of the most respected bands in the Christian Music industry, both by fans and fellow bands alike. With lyrics that continually point Heavenward, and melodies that are soothing to one’s spirit, it’s no wonder why they are well-liked. Historically they have released a record every two years, and their newest Cathedrals follows that same pattern.

Tenth Avenue North’s newest offering beings with an already-popular song that has seen a lot of time at radio, “No Man Is An Island”. This song underscores the theme of Cathedrals by saying that people are meant for community, and not to be alone.

The third song, “Iesu Dulcis Memoria” is a quick 1-minute prelude to the title track . It’s not very long, but it was long enough to send chills down my spine. It immediately made me think of being in an actual Cathedral. Audrey Assad lent her beautiful voice for this rendition of the 12th Century hymn. If anything, I just wish this was longer than the 58 seconds that were dedicated to it.

“Cathedrals” follows, a reminder to us all that we are cathedrals, that they’re not just buildings, because Christ’s spirit lives within us. They portray that with some of the more notable lyrics from the song: ‘open up our souls to feel Your Glory, Lord, we are a desperate people, Your cathedrals…’

The fifth track on Cathedrals is one of my favorites from the album. Titled “I Need You, I Love You, I Want You”, it is a cry of every Christian’s heart, that we need Christ, we Love Christ, and we want Christ because ‘I will wait for only You; no one else can make me new; no one else can break the silence; I will wait for only You; my heart needs to hear whats true…’

Cathedrals delves into a lot of emotional topics and track 8 is one of the heavier topics covered on this album. Called “Stay”, it talks about marital issues, and being committed to one another and fighting for the marriage.

Closing Cathedrals is another favorite song of mine, “All The Earth Is Holy Ground”, a hymn in it’s own right. This is yet another reminder on this album that God lives in us. With the lyrics ‘wherever I go, the sacred’s inside; oh what a mystery; Your life and breath alive inside of me; unworthy to be your son; but somehow You reached down and made me Your own…’, it is a reminder to the listener as they walk away from this album, that we are God’s light in a broken world, something we sometimes forget.

But your musical enjoyment of Tenth Avenue North’s newest offering doesn’t have to end there. They have released a Deluxe Edition with three extra songs added on. Trust me, if you are a fan of TAN you need to skip the regular version and get the Deluxe Edition. You can thank me later.

3 songs to listen to: All The Earth Is Holy Ground, I Need You, I Love You, I Want You, Cathedrals

Score: 4.5/5

RIYL: Rend Collective, Crowder, MercyMe, The Afters