The first single “Lord, I Need You” is a surefire hit song which also features Audrey Assad. It’s exactly the type of catchy corporate worship song I’ve come to love from Matt Maher. The song features instantly sing-able vertical and prayerful lyrics: “Lord, I need You, I need You, every hour I need You, my one Defense, my Righteousness, Oh God how I need You.” I sing along with the top of my lungs when Matt belts out, “Where You are, Lord I am free, holiness is Christ in me.” Amen. Maher is best known for writing the worship anthems “Your Grace Is Enough” and “Christ Is Risen.” There are incredibly energetic and moving live versions of those excellent songs on this album. The first three songs, “All The People Said Amen,” “Alive Again” and “Burning In My Soul” all flow together with a Brit-rock musical style and plenty of energy and excitement about our relationship with Christ and how He transforms us, such as in “Alive Again” with the confessional proclamation: “I’m breathing in, I’m breathing out, I’m alive again!” “Burning In My Soul” would fit on any Hillsong or Passion album, as also recorded by Brett Younker for Passion: Let The Future Begin. Matt’s written several hits for the Passion artists and this song will also resonate with believers everywhere like his other prayerful anthems “Your Grace Is Enough” and “I Will Rise.” It includes the imploring and catchy chorus  “Hear the sound from Heaven, A mighty rushing wind, we’re calling for revival, God let Your fire fall again, it’s burning in my soul.”

“Hold Us Together” is a powerful anthem for these troubled times; a rallying cry to demonstrate that the love of God evidenced by the church can make a difference. I can’t get enough of this great worship anthem and the emotion and biblical truth that Matt brings to the song. Jesus tells us throughout the Bible that love is all we need and commands us to “love one another.” He loved us so much that He came to die for our sins and yet even as Christians, we create so much conflict and strife amongst ourselves.  Every now and then a song comes along that I can really sing as a daily prayer in response to my Savior, and this album is loaded with songs like “Hold Us Together.” As Matt challenges in the chorus, “love will hold us together, I’ll be my brother’s keeper, so the whole world will know that we’re not alone.” Consider those words when you make decisions and keep God’s command to “love one another.”

“Great Things” is filled with Matt’s sincere yearning based on Mary’s saying yes to the will of God, “My soul proclaims Your greatness Lord, rejoicing in my Savior / Your mercy belongs to those who fear Your Son / His blessings You have given them forever / And holy is His name, holy is His name / You alone have done great things / I can't boast of anything, Mighty One, and King of kings, Jesus / You alone have done great things / By Your living word in me / Mighty One, and King of kings, Jesus.” Those are Truths that we can all proclaim loudly together as followers of Christ, regardless of denomination or preferences— “all the people said, Amen.” For those looking for reflective worship songs, don’t miss “Adoration” and “Mighty Fortress.” “Adoration” is an acoustic guitar based worship song and one of my favorites on the album. The song has Matt’s signature soothing vocals as he prayerfully belts out “Jesus, Lamb of God, Saving Love for all, Lord of Heaven and Earth…I bow to You.” Amen. “Mighty Fortress” is instantly sing-able and worshipful with a great chorus, “You are the Rock of Salvation, the only Foundation, Lord of All, You are our Hope never failing, A Mighty Fortress is our God.” Energetic live versions of Prodigal Son inspired “Turn Around” and “It Is Good” close out this very engaging and charismatic worship experience. As Matt says during “It Is Good,” “dancing is totally biblical.”

CLOSING THOUGHTS

All the People Said Amen is Matt Maher at his most dynamic. This album provides listeners with thirteen tracks that seek to give a voice to humanity’s acceptance of God’s love in any circumstance. In the same way that the Psalms offer expressions of joy, sorrow, repentance, hope and victory, this album gives a voice to the appreciation and adoration of God in every chapter of life. Matt Maher’s enthusiastic and reverent style of writing and singing praise and worship songs has consistently been a draw for me. Maher’s prayerful sentiments are consistently filled with his personal adoration of God. All The People Said Amen  is no exception. Several of these songs should be added to your Sunday morning worship set, especially the new songs “All The People Said Amen,” “Lord, I Need You,” “Burning In My Soul,” and the gorgeous ballads “Adoration” and “Mighty Fortress.”

Song to download now: “Lord, I Need You” - https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/lord-i-need-you-single/id608558900