In the Company of Angels II: The World Will Sing

Caedmon's Call

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 7, 2006)
• Original Release Date: March 7, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Essential
• ASIN: B000EDWM72
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #56,338 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Listen. Do you hear it? That hissing sound. It's the sad sound of air leaking from a Caedmon's Call balloon that once flew so high and was full of promise. Ever since the departure of Derek Webb in 2003, the band has sorely missed his songwriting and creative contributions. Never has it been more evident than in In the Company of Angels 2: The World Will Sing, a follow-up to the group's solid 2001 release In the Company of Angels: A Call to Worship. Certainly Cliff and Danielle Young continue to produce pleasing AC rock with tracks like "Great and Mighty," "Rest Upon Us," and the catchy and bouncy "Sing His Love." Those are topped by the highlighted mid-tempo hymn "Draw Me Nearer" and Danielle Young's poignant vocals on "Be Merciful to Me." But the bulk of the release is dragged down by bland, uninspiring music like "The Story," "The Fountain," and "We Give Thanks." Unfortunately the energy (or lack thereof) of these tracks pales in comparison to the 2001 Company release along with much of the band's earlier catalog. The dynamic between Webb and the Youngs, which often yielded melodic yet challenging light rock, is no longer there. This is what helped catapult the band into the upper echelons of Christian music. And its absence is what is now bringing them down, back to Earth. --Michael Lyttle

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very solid, April 11, 2006

By	David Mitchel (Appomattox, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I confess that when I heard that Caedmon's Call's follow-up to their amazing _Share the Well_ would be this sequel to the original _In the Company of Angels_ (_ItCoA_), I was not terribly excited. Artistically, it seemed like a regress, done for commercial reasons. Then I heard the opening track, "Great and Mighty," which seemed to confirm my suspicions. It was catchy but fluffy--the kind of song you'd expect to hear on an average Christian radio station, but not worthy of Caedmon's Call. Despite my misgivings, I bought _ItCoA II_, thinking that even if this wasn't Caedmon's magnum opus, it would still contain plenty of Caedmon's typical excellence. I am glad I did.

Overall, I have little but praise for this recording. Caedmon's signature unselfishness is evident throughout, with each band member making excellent contributions without any one dominating the soundscape. The percussion section does its typical excellent work, the background vocals are tasteful, and the songwriting is solid. All three singers are in good voice, and Danielle Young's voice in particular has never sounded better. Most impressive is how Caedmon's Call loved this project enough to make it lovely, even though it isn't what they originally had in mind for their follow-up to _Share the Well_. In other words, though the record company didn't let them do the record they wanted, they acted like grown-ups and produced something excellent anyway.

The standout tracks:
_ItCoA II_ hits its stride with tracks three through five. Andrew Osenga's adaptation of "Sing His Love" is an exuberant reflection on the mercy and covenant faithfulness of God, and the verses are lovely and though-provoking. Laura Story's "Rest Upon Us," a plea for the presence of the Holy Spirit, has some of the best lyrics on the album, a pastoral musical backdrop (courtesy of Osenga's wonderfully understated guitar accompaniment), and a wonderful vocal by Danielle Young. And Osenga's "The Story" extols God for his wondrous ability to somehow bring good from all of humanity's sad history, while gently chiding us for our tendency to forget that "we were loved before we opened up our eyes--such foolish pride."

The other standout songs here are "Be Merciful to Me," which contains some of Danielle Young's best recorded singing to date, and "Fellowship So Deep," which stands out musically as one of the best songs Caedmon's has ever recorded. The vocal interplay between the three singers is spine-tingling, and the percussion is stunning.

Finally, since Caedmon's Call released _ItCoA II_, in part, to provide songs that churches can use in worship, I end with a postscript on how well these songs lend themselves to congregational singing. Some would do very well in such a setting with very few changes-e.g. "Sing His Love," "Be Merciful to Me," "I Surrender All," and "Let Me Be." Others could work with a little tweaking-e.g. "Draw Me Nearer," "Rest Upon Us" and "Fellowship So Deep." The other songs would be more difficult to adapt for congregational singing. Still, with a majority of the songs being suitable for congregations, I would call _ItCoA II_ a success in this respect.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ROOTS AND WINGS MAKE THIS ONE FLY!!!, March 9, 2006

By	Doctor Jay (Jackson, MS USA) - See all my reviews

Where does one begin with a work like this? The production is clean and crisp, enjoyable to listen to (I call it "ridearoundability," when I can put a CD into my car player, ride around, and not feel compelled to hit the "skip" button). The musicianship is outstanding, but accessable (I play guitar, and do not feel intimidated, just challenged and excited about playing along). That's good news for people in church praise teams. The signature vocals are classic Caedmon's. Cliff, Danielle, and Andrew are in top form (I love to hear Danielle sing, and Andrew could pass for Jacob Dylan). The harmonies are nicely layered without being too lavish. What makes this CD fly, however, is that the songs are grounded in sound Biblical doctrine and traditional hymns, yet interpreted and performed tastefully as acoustic and acoustic-rock numbers (case in point: Fanny Crosby's "Draw Me Nearer"). The only real problem with this CD is that listening to it is like sitting down to a great meal, eating until you are filled, and yet not wanting to push away from the table because you're still hungry for more. This CD will stay in rotation on your player for a l-o-n-g time. Get it, and buy some extra copies for your friends. You'll be gald you did!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous CD!!!, May 1, 2006

By	William (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

Caedmon's Call is one of those groups that falls under the radar. It seems just yesterday that 40 Acres was released. I purchased this CD after a quick preview and am glad that I did. Fellowship So Deep, Sing His Love, and Draw Me Nearer are my favorite songs. But can't find one track that is weak. I like rendition of classic hymn I Surrender All. If you like acoustic/percussion driven sound, then this album is a must.