In the Company of Angels: A Call to Worship

Caedmon's Call

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 25, 2001)
• Original Release Date: September 25, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Essential
• ASIN: B00005NNK8
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #41,712 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An awesome worship experience, February 6, 2002

By A Customer

With all the worship-oriented albums that have been hitting the shelves lately, it didn't take long for Caedmon's Call to cash in on the trend with their own worship album, In The Company of Angels. But what sets this album apart from other worship albums? Well, rather than recording a bunch of worship songs we've all heard a million times already (e.g. "Lord I Lift Your Name on High", "The Heart of Worship", etc....not that these are bad songs, mind you; they're just way overdone), Caedmon's Call brings us a collection of mostly original material, such as the bouncy single "Who You Are" and the uplifting "We Delight". There are also a few old hymns with updated music, such as "Thy Mercy" and the stirring "Laden With Guilt". Adding to the worshipful ambience is the inclusion of two live tracks, including the recent worship hit "God of Wonders" (this time without Third Day's Mac Powell). So what sets this album apart from other Caedmon's albums? Well, the fact that this is a worship album is obvious; these are songs directed straight to God, whereas Caedmon's is usually best known for lyrics on a more personal level. You won't find any of the Aaron Tate- or Derek Webb-penned songs which made up the bulk of their previous albums, but the lyrics are just as poetic and thought provoking as ever. (There is even a song called "Oh Lord Your Love" which is partially written by the late, great Rich Mullins.) Musically, Caedmon's has really gone back to their folk roots, backing away from the more produced sound of their last album, Long Line of Leavers. One of the most stunning songs on this album is the closing track, "The Danse", which features Caedmon's signature vocal harmonies as well as a Celtic-flavored folk sound. Altogether, In The Company Of Angels is truly a unique worship experience, and no fan of Caedmon's Call or praise-and-worship music should be without this CD.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rich Mullins and City on a Hill fans, this one is for YOU!, September 27, 2001

By	Soozie4Him (Chicago suburbs) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

First of all, this is just an awesome worship album! There is a live version of "God of Wonders" (first track from "City on a Hill" - see my review of that album) which was recorded at Texas A&M.

Lots of the songs on this album have a "simple" feel to them. The words convey the glory of the Lord, without so much instrumentation that the lyrics are hard to find. A couple of songs (Laden with Guilt and I Boast No More)have lyrics written by Isaac Watts. Isaac Watts wrote such long-standing hits as "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" and "O God Our Help in Ages Past" back in the early 1700's.

Be sure to listen carefully to "Oh Lord Your Love". Caedmon's Call was one of the few CCM groups who received some of the unpublished work of the late Rich Mullins [....] So it's wonderful to hear a new Rich Mullins song, and Caedmon's Call did a great job with it!

Here is the chorus of "Oh Lord Your Love":

Oh Lord your love
Is new with every morning
Your faithfulness
It gets me through the night
You bid us come
You know that I am weary
Your yoke is easy
Your burden light.

[....]

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of their best, October 3, 2001

By	Thomas H. Ayers (Bowie, MD United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Lyrically, this is perhaps Caedmon's Call's best CD. Despite the fact that neither regular songwriters Aaron Tate nor Derek Webb contributed songs, the contributions by Aaron Senseman, Kemper Crabb, and Sandra McCracken rank with the best songs of this band's earlier albums. In some cases, Cliff Young lent a helping hand. Joshua Moore, the keyboardist, contributed two songs, the best of which is "We Delight", in my opinion, with its simple, direct chorus. The lyrics of Isaac Watts were tapped for two songs, music written by Sandra McCracken.

Musically, the songs are well-informed by rock and pop influences, with flavorings from other styles, including world and Irish music. Stylistically, the music is a mature synthesis of that heard in "Long Line of Leavers" and "40 Acres". Some songs are fully arranged, such as "We Delight", "Who You Are" (the music here is perhaps too lush), and "God of Wonders" (a beautiful live recording). Others tend to be very simple, primarily acoustic guitar, maybe accordion, and some percussion, e.g. "Thy Mercy", "God Who Saves", "The Danse" and "I Boast No More". Generally, the music is understated, so that the listener is drawn into the lyrics and encouraged to worship.

Many of the songs are topical, dealing with a particular attribute of God or response of man. "We Delight" is concerned with simple joys of knowing God. "Before There Was Time" is a wonderful meditation on God's omniscience. "Thy Mercy" is a strongly written hymn to God's mercy and robustly sung by Derek Webb. "God Who Saves" is an Irish-inflected ballad on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. "Who You Are" concerns salvation as seen through the eyes of a child, regardless of age. This is a nice song, but its production is too overblown for my tastes. "Carry Your Love" would serve well in church services as a reminder of what worship is really about. It's a wonderful song. "God of Wonders", though perhaps not the most profound song lyrically, is, in its simplicity, a remarkable declaration of awe and praise for the Creator of all things. This live recording gives me chills everytime I hear it. "I Boast No More" is lyrically quite good (lyrics by Isaac Watts, so no surprise there), but the apparently added chorus, allowing for much emoting, is very weak in comparison. "Oh Lord Your Love" is an exhuberant pop song by Rich Mullins on God's loving condescension. "Warrior" is a simple song on God as the One Who fights for us. "Laden with Guilt" is a personal account by Isaac Watts on the power of God's Word, as set to a wonderful tune. "The Danse" is a very poetic meditation on our purpose in the scheme of things.

Given that Caedmon's Call hopes that some of these songs will enter the repertoire of churches, I think their purpose will be served somewhere. Some songs are too contemporary for many churches, but some, contemporary or not, certainly deserve consideration in public worship, even in musically conservative churches with just a piano. Of the twelve songs, "We Delight", "Before There Was Time", "Thy Mercy", "Carry Your Love", and "Laden with Guilt" carry the greatest weight lyrically and echo many scriptural truths. "Laden with Guilt", with its powerful lyrics and well-matched tune, might be the best starting point for musically conservative churches. "God of Wonders" and "God Who Saves" would also lend themselves well to public worship. All twelve songs should be prayerfully considered.

Overall, this is a wonderful release. Anyone seeking songs to direct their minds and hearts to God will be encouraged by both the lyrics and the music. Those worshipping in private will benefit immensely. Churches would do well to consider adding one of these songs to their repertoire.