BEC Recordings
Release Date: January 27th 2023
Reviewed by: Jonathan Andre
The Young Escape– Worship You There (Single) (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Worship You There
The Young Escape have had a choppy music career of sorts. Since signing to Capitol CMG in 2017 and releasing their chart-topping radio single “Good Life”, we assumed that there would be a full-length album releasing at some point. Singles like “Neverfade”, “Love Me Like You”, “So Alive”, “Count on Me”, “It’s Gonna Get Better” [not reviewed!], and “Broken Is Beautiful” all followed on from “Good Life”, and while no full-length album surfaced from all these years, the band nevertheless still put on a high-energy show (from all the hand-held camera clips I’ve seen on youtube), and their music has always had a sense of urgency and purpose. Mckenna, Ryan, Krysten and Luke Johns make up this all-sibling band, and quite possibly one of the most up-and-coming and breakout CCM bands I’ve heard, even though their debut single released 5 years ago. I’m still hoping and praying for a debut full-length album whenever it comes, but as of right now, I need to take what I can get. A few months ago, the group released their BEC Recordings debut single “Turning My Heart”, a tribute and homage to CCM music in the same way Lauren Alaina’s “Ladies In The 90’s” was to female 90’s music, and Thomas Rhett’s “What’s Your Country Song” was to country music. But now, The Young Escape are back with their next single from BEC Recordings- a confessional and worshipful piano ballad called “Worship You There”.
As far as melodies go, the song itself doesn’t really invent the wheel. There’s other pop/CCM artists out there that are continually putting out great music, artists like Francesca Battistelli, TobyMac, Building 429, Mike Donehey, Natalie Grant, Jordan Feliz, for KING & COUNTRY and MercyMe. While I’d love to place this sibling band in this list, I’d have to say that the band themselves haven’t released enough music material to even have that conversation. The band has always shown glimpses of brilliance with every single release they’ve unveiled, but without a full-length album, unfortunately they’ll forever be remembered as ‘the single band’…which at times, I’ve found myself calling them, as well. Not by intention of course. But to be honest, I kinda forgot that The Young Escape were even a band, until their 2021 release of “Count on Me”. Now here we are in 2023, and the Johns siblings are at it again- another single. While I’m really, really hoping that they would make an album at some point, I’m just happy that they’re still making music. The song itself speaks volumes about it’s easy to praise and worship God in the good times; yet the song also speaks about giving everything to God and surrendering to Him completely in every season of your life- especially the times when you can’t see or hear or feel Him.
Similar in theme Matt Redman’s “Blessed Be Your Name”; The Young Escape provides to us hope, inspiration, poignancy, passion, intent, and an extremely catchy melody. It’s a song full of wrestling where the persona asks God the question of where He is, and whether we can truly praise Him at all times; and though the song ‘resolves itself’ at the end of the track (it’s duration of 3 and a half minutes!), it still nevertheless promotes discussion as to why suffering and hard times happen to each one of us, and what we can learn about ourselves, each other and about God from those situations. “Worship You There” might be uncomfortable for some to listen to and digest. But there’s nothing much more that I can say about this track, or any of their other singles. Except you need to hear these songs now- this song as well as it will challenge you and deepen your faith. The perfect tracks to get you dancing (with also a positive message!), and think about the deeper things in life, The Young Escape are a band that I expect to hear more from in the coming months and years. So, what are you waiting for? Check out the band and let me know what you think of this new reflective piano ballad! Well done McKenna and the rest of the band- maybe a full-length album in the future? Who knows?
Score: 4.5/5
RIYL: Britt Nicole, Tenth Avenue North, Hillsong Y&F, for KING & COUNTRY, Riley Clemmons, Cimorelli