In Acts 2, The Message paraphrase shares that "the Spirit of God spread among the people like wildfire." And for Brooke Voland and Michael Boggs--people who have seen various definitions of success around them--this is their life goal, and the goal of the music they make together.
That realization has taken them on a lifelong journey that ultimately led them to lead worship together, and now, to release their first nationwide recording.
"I think both Brooke and I come from a mindset that before we're singers, we are ministers or pastors or leaders," Boggs said. "We come with that mindset first, which changes things. It's not about the set or the song; it's trying to lead people into a moment that they might discover an aspect of God, or a particular moment where they get to interact with God. On this EP, a lot of the songs coming out were in essence gateways to try to help people come into His presence."
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Worship That Captures Your Attention| Posted April 05, 2017
Former FFH guitarist Michael Boggs has had a lengthy, successful career thus far. With his work in FFH and then later his own solo efforts, his genre experience blends a bit of everything. Now stepping into new territory once again, Michael is pairing up with newcomer Brooke Voland for a new worship project under the name Brooke + Boggs. Their debut worship EP Wildfire released last week, introducing listeners to the powerful sound these two have created together. "We think these songs are something God has given us to help congregations all over the world express their hearts to the Lord," the duo says about the six-song EP.
The title track opens the album with a subdued sound before picking up tempo mid-song, showcasing the brilliant harmonies Michael and Brooke have perfected and captivating the listener with the mesh of worship and pop stylings. The standout moment on the album, lead single "Grace Upon Grace," is carried by Brooke's bold yet reverent vocal, inviting fans into a time of worship led by remarkable emotion and flawless delivery. At first listen, this one stopped me in my tracks with its authentic spirit, and it is absolutely a song you need to hear (and worship leaders: it would be a great addition to any worship set!).
Pulling lyrics straight from Scripture, specifically the Lord's Prayer, "As It Is In Heaven" is yet another track that will grab the listener's attention within the first few seconds and keep them engaged until the end with genuine emotion and bold declarations of faith. "When I'm lost in the wreckage and my faith is small / the cross stands above it all" begins profoundly-written "The Cross Stands," carried by Michael's strong voice.
"All Eyes On You" follows with equal passion and outstanding vocal ability as Brooke leads a moving moment of worship wrapped in longing for the Spirit of God. Vibrant acoustic track "The Light" closes out the album on a lively note while still beautifully displaying the harmonies that run effortlessly throughout the whole EP.
The Bottom Line: I think we're sometimes guilty of not giving new artists the attention they deserve because we love familiarity, but believe me, this is one new duo you definitely don't want to miss. At the heart of it, Wildfire is a worship EP, but fans of all genres can appreciate the near-flawless vocals and harmonies, palpable emotion and deep lyricism involved in each track. The creative sound that flows from start to finish mixes with simplistic yet powerful moments of worship to create an EP that truly is a remarkable debut for Brooke & Boggs.
Song To Download Now:
"Grace Upon Grace" (Get it on iTunes here.)
A project that makes you feel 😌🙏🎹| Posted April 01, 2017
Editor's note: This review reflects NRT's new policy of doing emoji-based reviews for albums. We hope you'll enjoy the brevity and the expressiveness of these reviews.
Track 1, "Wildfire" : 🌤🌟🤖🌓❤️🗣🤷♂️🙏🔥🔥🔥🔥🗣👂👀💃👯🕺🏻🎸🚗🔥🔥🔥🔥🚒
Track 2, "Grace Upon Grace" : 🎹💁💸❌🏃♀️🌊💧💘🌊🙌💓💑🌊
Track 3, "As It Is In Heaven" : ⚜️🔜💦🏝🌌💥⚡️👐👑✔️🔛🌎🤛🔥☄️🔦☀️👨👨👧👦
Track 4, "The Cross Stands" : 🙆♂️✝️🏞🏔✝️🌀⚔️🗣✝️⛓💥✝️💫🌤
Track 5, "All Eyes On You" : 👋💋⛈☔️🌫🌬⏰👀🌝💗🗣👥☝️🙀👨🏻🌾
Track 6, "The Light" : 🎹👌🙀😸😴💪🏼💩💦💔❤️🏰🏃🙏👞🕶🙊🐵😳😎🤠😌🤷♂️🎹💡