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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential, January 31, 2005
'When Silence Falls' is the third album from Tim Hughes of Soul Survivor, Watford. Here is a album of great songs, musical innovation and lyrical depth. My sister spotted the CD, opened the inlay and said "Awwwww look at his dimples!". So, here we have an album of great songs, musical innovation, lyrical depth and sweet dimples. Thanks, Tim.
Proceedings commence with the already classic 'Beautiful One'- guitar arpegios and a military drum motif explode into a nicely crunchy intro. The verses feature some great bass playing and piano flourishes, giving way to the anthemic chorus. The coda, 'My soul, my soul must sing' gets some great half-time treatment and classy backing vocals. You heard it first on Soul Survivor Live 2002, here's the definitive version of a modern classic.
'You' begins with a mini homage to Delirious?, 'Bigger than the air I breathe...'. This song is musically a new direction for a writer like Hughes. Its relentless rhythm and half acoustic feel lend it the feel of a song like Doves 'Pounding' or the aforementioned Delirious?' 'With You'. It ends with a reference to Matt Redman's 'Take the World but give me Jesus', Tim crying out, 'Take the world but give me you'.
Next is 'Consuming Fire', again already recorded live. Fantastic drum sounds here, thanks to producer Nathan Nockels, clean guitars and subtle piano all create a real charm and gentle pace before the live-inspired improvisation begins, 'Stir it up in our hearts, Lord, a passion for Your Name'.
'Giver of Life' is set to become a classic. Mark my words. A piano-led groove, with disco style bass playing, this songs is contagiously upbeat, 'You are good and mercies last a lifetime'. Tim Hughes has a way with a memorable melody, not only this, but this song is bathed in scripture references- two essential elements for a good, useable congregational song. The icing on the cake, musically, is the cool pitchshfting effect on the backing vocals. This is the kind of sound that Coldplay would love to have, but somehow lack the depth sometimes.
Number 5 is 'Whole World in His Hands'. Again, plenty of biblical reference as well as to the classic kids song! More inventive bass playing, a particularly impassioned vocal and a deceptively downbeat tone until a moment of pure genius where everything stops and then feedback crecendos until a choir joins in singing, and Tim improvises over them 'The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night- He's got the whole world in His hands, He will watch over your coming and your going... strength for today, bright hope for tomorrow'. A nod there to the hymn 'Great is Thy Faitfulness', which makes you mentally follow, 'He has the whole word in His hands, yet He is faithul to me'. Like I say, genius.
'The Beauty of Your Peace' is the piano ballad, but it's not a token. 'Take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of Your peace'. Truly original lyrics that go beyond the rather contrived 'modern worship' label. Here is a lyricist at work, not just a songwriter. I should make it clear that the arrangement isn't a Celine Dion piano ballad, but something altogether more mature and wholesome. Four minutes in, the texture begins to theicken and dischordant guitars join the mix along with pedaled bass, to create what becomes a very thought-provoking song.
'Name Above all Names' is another classic on the way. A stalled drum riff and minimal guitars break forth into a disco style groove (seems a popular option!). Need I say it again, but more clever bass playing and a fantastic polyphony of voices and synth in the chorus, 'Name above all names, You are glorious. Wonderful and true, powerful are You...'. The bridge has a chord sequence reminiscent of Matt Redman's 'Thank You for the Blood'. I think of this less as being a copycat, but as a tribute- because it really works.
'When the Tears Fall' is ostensibly the title track. The lament is lost tradition of praise music, but the Psalms are full of it. Here, we pick-up on the darker side of life- 'the lone hour of my sorrow', 'when hope is lost', but the light at the end of the tunnel is our 'Saviour, Healer, Heart's Song'. A geuninely touching song that attributes all our hope and provision to the Lord.
'Nothing in this World' first appeard on the Hughes/Layzell album 'Reward'. Here, the song is reworked, not radically but still well worth having both versions. The new version is country-tinged with an offbeat shuffle, the drummer playing with brushes, and the pianst cycling an ostinato, lending the sound an acoustic Norah Jones style.
'Joy is in this Place' is one of those festival songs. There isn't any real theological meat here one sense, 'Dance, dance, everybody dance, everybody sing for joy is in this place now'. John Newton's 'Amazing Grace' is sampled here, and there are some musical gems- something that sounds a sitar plays the riff, and there is a Rolling Stones style build-up before the chorus. So perhaps not a great theological meal, but still all good and true, and a great song to dance to! No complaints!
'Holy, Holy' is originally by Phatfish's Nathan Fellingham. A criminally underused song, perhaps due to the veritbale UN butter mountain of songs that use 'Holy, Holy, Holy' in them somewhere, but nonetheless a song that should be more highly regarded. Tim churns out a neat version here. The chorus soars, the bass playing is (surprisingly) noticable, the choir belts out 'Lift us his name with the sound of singing', and you can't help but join them. The song ends with guitars sounding like U2's last album.... I like it.
The album finishes with a reprise of 'Beautiful One' in a more reflective mood, which is a fitting ending. More ad-lib vocals and guitar noodling and a very live feel seem to reflect where this album was born: in the crowds of Soul Survivor festival. All in all, a CD rich in intertextual reference (whether to Mr Redman, the hymnwriters, or the bible itself) which I feel makes it stronger rather than weaker. Artistically, musically, and in production terms, this is a step-up from 'Here I am to Worship' which perhaps will make it less suited or accepted by less adventurous church bands. However, for those that dare, and for those who have this CD in their collection, there will be rewards aplenty and a valuable resource for your own personal worship- whether that in the moments when you feel like it, or the times when silence falls and you tell yourself 'bless the Lord, O my Soul'.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
amazing, November 27, 2004
A Kid's Review
this cd is unbelevable - i just love it! any young christians out there like me - this cd is the one for you. instrumentally and lyricly it is amazing! best songs are 'whole world in his hands', 'consuming fire', 'beautiful one', 'holy holy',and 'nothing in this world'. tim hughes is a genius.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Such a Powerful Album, June 8, 2005
Since seeing him lead worship at Soul Survivor i have been a Tim Hughes fan. Not only are his dimples adorable, but his songs are so inspiring. I bought this album the thrid day of Soul Survivor last year after hearing only two of Tim's new songs and i definitely wasn't the only one.
"Whole World In His Hands" is the stand out track for me, simply because of the powerful "i fear no evil, for you are with me" section, but the beautiful "When the Tears Fall" touches me deeply everytime i hear it because it is so strong, powerful and honest it describes a time and feeling that every Christian feels during their relationship with God. Tim was very brave to put this song on the album and it works well, adding a new depth to the collection of songs.
Other songs, such as "Beautiful One" and "Consuming Fire" have already become church classics, and although none of them rival "Here I am To Worship", the song Hughes will allways be knwon for, they are very enjoyable songs that can touch everyone.
This album is very easy to listen to but also challenging in its depth and honesty.
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by Tim Hughes 
