Remakes of the Classics
Posted February 09, 2020
By GraceChaves_NRT, Staff Reviewer
What You Need To Know
After a nine-year pause from the music scene, Sammy Ward is back with his new EP, Hymns Anew. Sammy is a singer/songwriter from North Georgia but currently resides in Nashville with his family. On his new EP, Sammy takes old hymns that the church has been singing for years, and puts a new, modern spin on them that will appeal to both young and old.
What it Sounds Like
You could ask any of my family members, and they would all give you the same answer: I'm not a fan of hymns. But, surprisingly, I love Sammy Ward's new EP. He has completely modernized hymns like "Glory to His Name," "There Is Power In The Blood," and others.
Spiritual Highlights
Every song on the EP has a spiritually-rooted message. But, my main takeaway is that God never changes. Although some of these songs are over 100 years old, the message remains the same: there is power in the blood of Jesus, and we will always have Him to lean on. But, we can so easily become immune to hearing these old lyrics, because we've heard them so much. I love that Sammy has updated these hymns. So, we can get a fresh, new take on the songs. This way we can really pay attention to the significance of the lyrics. His original song, "Hymns Anew," sings "With fresh faith and with fresh fire/to honor You is my desire/as I trust and follow through/I'll be singing Your hymns anew." This new EP gives us all a chance to listen to these hymns with fresh faith and fresh fire.
Best Song on the Record
The best song on the record is "Blessedness (Leaning on the Everlasting Arms)." It's a great upbeat version of the popular hymn, "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms." It's one that I'm sure the whole family will love. The song has the pop vibes that reminds me of Building 429's hit songs. Essentially, it's an all-around great remake of the old hymn.
For Fans Of
Andrew Peterson, Jason Gray, Building 429
Final Word
Overall, Sammy Ward released an impressive EP. I hope that we'll hear more of these remakes of old hymns in the near future. You can listen to his EP now on Spotify. View All Music And Book Reviews By GraceChaves_NRT | View GraceChaves_NRT's Profile
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