Customer Reviews

Strong Tower (Deluxe Edition)

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

First, let me preface this with a rebuttal to another reviewer: my husband and I agreed long before Kutless announced the release of "Strong Tower" that they needed to do a worship album. Songs on previous CDs, such as "Run," "Again," "Tonight," "Grace and Love," "Sea of Faces," and "Passion" indicate a strong bent in favor of worship by Kutless. So "Strong Tower" is a natural.

Overall, the album is smooth, energizing, inspiring, and most definitely Kutless. Of course, as with any other musical journey, there are peaks and valleys. Kutless opens with the tranquil "We Fall Down," then kicks it up a notch with "Finding Who We Are." "Take Me In" has bluesy undertones and is simultaneously contemplative and rocking.

"Ready for You" is soulful, which is to be expected from the ever-poetic penman and frontman Jon Micah Sumrall. "Draw Me Close" once again lifts the energy to a worship peak (this is the cue to belt it in the car during a frustrating commute). "All Who Are Thirsty" provides meditative longing. "Better Is One Day" is one of my favorites on the album, lending to some breathtaking (especially if you're making a joyful noise along with ;) moments.

At this point, Kutless allows you to catch your breath with their original "All of the Words" from "Sea of Faces." But don't count on it lasting--"Strong Tower," another Kutless creation and the title track, is goosebump-worthy and deserves cranked volume. They follow this high with "Jesus Lord of Heaven." "I Lift My Eyes Up" demonstrates strong evidence of Kutless-izing, and is worth the effort. "Word of God Speak" is weighty, and the final track, "Arms of Love" is pure and sublime, and a perfect ending note...to start the whole thing over.

All great artists, whether music, literary, visual, or otherwise, acknowledge the great debt of those who have pioneered the way before them. Whether or not this played into the cover, I can't say. However, as a U2 fan, I found a happy nod from Kutless in the Achtung Baby-esque cover of "Strong Tower." It works beautifully on its own merit, but contrasting things like a picture of "U2" rings with the band's wedding rings is great fun. In the same way, Kutless builds on the existing worship scene, taking the best of it and making it better.

This album is perfect for Kutless fans, but is also a perfect introduction to Kutless. Enjoy!

--The Medieval Chick

This worship album was my first exposure to Kutless. What a pleasure! This is a superb collection.

Although several of the songs are remakes of worship classics done by others, they are very well done. Of those that had been done before, I particularly liked 'We Fall Down', 'Better Is One Day', and 'Arms of Love'.

An original Kutless song on this album is the title track, 'Strong Tower'. It is a strong praise song that has inspiring lyrics and a great sound.

I liked this album so much that I decided to also pick up 'Sea of Faces' by Kutless and found it to be very good as well. If you like worship music with a modern sound, get this album. You won't regret it.

For those of you who are disappointed that this album doesn't have a whole lot of new stuff, don't be dismayed- they are releasing a fully new album this fall. But for now- the only new thing kutless fans can get their hands on is "Strong Tower". That is not a bad thing. Strong Tower has a Kutless twist on all the worship songs. While most songs don't have the "rock" twist as you would expect, it still sounds like a kutless ballad (like sea of faces or grace and love) My personal favorite "old" worship song they do is "better is one day". It has the type of rock feel as one of their other songs called "perspectives" has.

My favorite song is "Strong Tower". A brand new Kutless rock song like the ones we've been listening to on their first two albums.

So is the CD worth buying? If your a Kutless fan, then yes, you'll love it. If your a worship music fan, yes. But if your looking for a good christian hard rock CD, get their self titled debut or Sea of Faces.

Kutless, as most of you know is acutally an edgy Christian rock band. They are experts at tempering their powerful grunge into something musical, and listenable. This really comes through in Strong Tower.

This album is lighter than their other albums, that is for sure. But the lyrics are redeeming, refreshing, and strongly worshipful.

The Best Tracks Are

#3 Take Me In- This is a very heavy rendition of the praise and worhsip song. It resembles something like a minor key rock ballad.

Strong Tower- This is another awesome song, a bit of rock, a bit of worship,- bliss

and then there's

Finding Who We Are- A fine rendition.

The Best Worship CD I Own

If a fan is going to judge this ban's heart and accuse them of allegedly making a worship album to make money, this excellent band can do without them. I can't believe I'm hearing a Christian band being condemned for worshipping God through music. Unoriginal? I've never heard these great songs like this before. Most of them are the best versions I have heard while others are just different. I never heard of Kutless before hearing Draw Me Close on the radio. I thought "wow, I know that song. This is a phenomenal remake". After hearing a few samples of other songs, I immediately bought the whole album. Par for the course, Christianity Today gave it a bad review. I have loved every single album that CT has given a bad review. And it is definitely a rock worship album. What were these petty fans expecting, a death metal worship album?

This is one of the best worship cd's I have ever purchased. These guys really did a great job on this cd. Even though most of these songs are just remakes it still rocks to hear the Kutless style to these fabulous songs. "We fall down" and "better is one day" are simply classics on here, they really did a great job putting those two songs together. The other songs are amazing too, they just really had their act together on this cd. "Strongtower" is a song they wrote, it's quite frankly my fav. worship song ever, its' so good that I would buy the cd just for that song. Your not though, your buying a ton of great worship music that glorifies our Lord.

Kutless's new worship album, "Strong Tower", is absolutely awesome. I love these guys: the awesome rock music, Jon Micah's wonderful vocals, and lyrics that really touch your heart and that you can really relate to - they've got it all. It's awesome to have an all worship CD that rock fans can worship our God to with the style that really touches us deep within our hearts.

The songs on this album have a great blend of new renditions of worship favorites and brand new songs by Kutless. With "Take Me In" (my personal favorite on the album), "Draw Me Close", "Better Is One Day", "We Fall Down", and "Word of God Speak" they give a fresh new rocked out version of well-known and loved worship songs. (Isn't it awesome that Christian artists all let each other rerecord their music? It sure shows that their in it solely for God's glory!) Also, the title track "Strong Tower" is a new, original Kutless song that is rock worship at its finest. Also, there are a few original, slower tempo, yet completely beautiful, worship songs on here in "Ready For You" and "Arms Of Love". And really, the rest of the album is good rock and all very well done. This CD is just awesome to listen to! You can just put it in and let it play all the way through while worshipping our loving Creator and Strong Tower!

Thank you so much, Kutless, for another awesome CD and for the work you're doing for the Kingdom! Check this one out! I'm sure you'll be glad you did!

Kutless' praise and worship CD, "Strong Tower," very effectivelly uses the Kutless style of modern, melodic rock to express their worship of God. When they chose to do a worship CD they determined to ramp up the songs a bit, give them more of a heavy rock feel than had been done in the past, and thus infuse new life into classic favorites from the late 80s and 90s, as well as a few newer and original songs. Some bands have gone overboard into grunge or punk styles, losing the spirit of the song, but Kutless did an excellent job. The album is the heaviest Praise and Worship album I've heard (that kept the spirit of the songs), but is still somewhat more mellow than their self titled message music album.

The biggest criticism of this album has been that Kutless was allegedly jumping on the "praise and worship album" bandwagon along with many other message music bands. To this criticism I answer, "Thank you Jesus!" Fad or not, the proliferation of praise and worship albums available is a good thing in that it allows us, the consumers, to listen to what will take us into the presence of God, in WHATEVER style does so most effectivelly for us. What could be a more worthy goal for a band than this? I, for one, find Kutless' style quite effective, and I listen to this album shuffled along with Sonic Praise, Jeff Deyo's 2 CDs, and Jeremy Camp's praise and worship CDs.

I recommend Kutless "Strong Tower" to all melodic rock fans who've wanted praise and worship in that style, not watered down.

Kutless is one of the top Christian bands out there, and it's easy to see why after listening to this collection of old and new worship songs. From "We Fall Down", "Draw Me Close", "Word of God Speak" to originals like "Strong Tower", this CD should appeal to anyone who enjoys Christian music. Definitely a must buy for your collection!

Forget Chris Tomlin or Michael W. Smith! Not to say that they're not fine artists in their own right, but THIS is where worship is heading! The signature Kutless rock sound is ever-present, and gives these worship songs a great new edge. I think the album's strongest track is the title track "Strong Tower." A Kutless original, it is a powerful and edgy song of praise that knocks you off your feet. Another personal favorite of my is "Take Me In." Other top tracks: "Better Is One Day" and "Ready for You." If you have Sea of Faces, you'll recognize "All the Words,"and I have to say that I'm a little disappointed in the guys for reusing a song, but at least it's a good one. Give your worship collection a little shakeup by getting this album!