In a world faced with suffering, division and hate, liturgical band The Brilliance is declaring that - even still - All Is Not Lost, the title of their inspiring sophomore album, set to release January 27, 2017. The New York-based duo, comprised of David Gungor and John Arndt. writes songs for both the church and those feeling spiritually homeless. Their goal is to create music that gives voice to the pain and pleasure of the human experience, providing a sonic invitation that welcomes all people to live fully.
Colored through with intricate string arrangements, All Is Not Lost contains tracks packed with depth as the lyrics honestly tackle issues and struggles impacting culture today. The album features special guest Charles Jones, musical director for Andra Day, while David and John's voices offer varying perspectives on faith and doubt.
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Seeing the Love| Posted January 23, 2017
From my first listen, I wanted to tell others about this great new album All Is Not Lost by The Brilliance. The New York-based duo is comprised of David Gungor and John Arndt. This album immediately reminded me of my favorite emotional indie worship artists like Gungor, All Sons & Daughters and Citizens & Saints, who have released my favorite "gourmet" worship songs and albums the past few years.
All Is Not Lost includes standout recordings like the sing-at-the-top-of-your-lungs anthems "Turning Over Tables" and "Hear The Prayers" and the reflective and worshipful vibe of "Gravity of Love," "Night Has Passed," "See The Love" and "Will We Ever Rise." The project opens with "Oh Earth" and flows into "Gravity of Love" which has a worshipful flow opening with the Psalm 121-based lyrics: "I lift my eyes up to the hills, this my morning song, where my help comes from." The song builds to an exciting refrain that stirs my soul to cry out "This is the gravity of love, just as the moon follows the sun / You're all around me, You're holding everything."
I'm really engaged by the emotional vocals and the sincere, enthusiastic and biblical lyrics throughout the album. "Night Has Passed/Morning Has Broken" is layered with a hopeful, string-laced musical style reminiscent of "Beautiful Things" by Gungor. The song will have you singing along in one listen. The song beautifully transitions to the familiar "Morning Has Broken" chorus and flows seamlessly back to the original praise chorus "in the gift of this day, we rejoice!"
As if those opening tracks didn't grab me emotionally enough, along comes the incredibly moving song "See the Love," which I have been listening to daily as a prayer and balm for my soul in this uncertain time we live in. "I want to see, I want to see the love all around you, I want to know that love is all around you" is the refrain of the beautiful and prayerful song, which is in essence the thesis statement of this Christ-centered album. The poignant lyrics begin with "every day we go to war again, we assume we know so much more than them, before we hear what they have to say." The song is so spot-on with its observations of how we live and hurt others with our lack of love. My prayer for this song and album is that all of us can make these the words we live by. Like David and John, "I want to know that love is all around you, see how it lights you up."
"Turning Over Tables" continues the message of the love that Jesus calls us to have with a catchy melody, and it is sung as an anthem for the believer: "love is turning over tables, tearing down walls, building up the bridges between us all." The bridge of the song, "when will we stand for love?" is yet another reminder of our call to love one another.
I can't get enough of the stand-out song "Hear The Prayers." David's emotive vocals and the exciting synth-rock musical bed take me on an emotional journey that causes me to excitedly worship along with the stirring love-inspired lyrics with the prayer "turn our hearts to You, make us one... love shall overcome."
From the beginning notes of "Will We Ever Rise," I was hooked by the reflective musical vibe and prayerful message. The song declares bold confessional and faith statements: "Broken people we can be made whole / as we lay down our weapons, open up our hearts / love is breaking us." The song is a gorgeous offering with the biblical reminder to "forgive as You forgave."
"Who is Jesus" has an urgent call, with David displaying Isaac Slade's (The Fray) style of emotive vocals with the challenging refrain "God save us all, forgive us / we are blind to what we do." It is another prayerful expression of our need for Jesus, the face of God, to live in us, and the song includes yet another catchy musical bed.
The Bottom Line:All Is Not Lost is a great collection of confessional and authentic expressions of faith. The songs are all poignant and powerful. There are no filler tracks, and this is easily one of my top "gourmet" albums of the year. If you want to experience an uplifting, soul-stirring, stunning and worshipful album, look no further than The Brilliance. My favorite songs are "Gravity of Love," "Night Has Passed," "Turning Over Tables," "Hear The Prayers," "Will We Ever Rise," "Who is Jesus" and "See The Love," which has quickly become one of my all-time favorite songs.
These songs will certainly connect with listeners and showcase the multi-talented band's trademark balance of vocal tenderness, lyrical intensity, beautiful and stirring musical arrangements and, above all, songs with a sense of hope and inspiration. This is my first can't-miss release of the year and sure to be one of my top worship albums of the year. All Is Not Lost is all about finding peace by living out the words of the songs, convicting me to cry out "I want to see the love" in my fellow brothers and sisters.
Song to Download Now:
"See the Love" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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