City On a Hill (3): The Gathering
(Various Artists)
Project Info:City on a Hill website Album length: 14 tracks: 44 minutes, 10 seconds Street Date: September 23, 2003
In 2000, Essential Records struck gold with the innovative collaborative effort entitled City On a Hill.
Like any great original, a worthy follow-up is always welcome and Essential once again delivered a new worship
favorite found in 2002's sequel City On a Hill: Sing Alleluia. Later that year, the nothing-short-of brilliant
Christmas detour, City On a Hill: It's Christmas Time may have looked like a cheap addition to a hit
series, but proved to be a unique must-have seasonal offering. Now it's Fall 2003 and Essential Records is releasing
what is being called the third and final official chapter in the regular City series, this time entitled
City On a Hill: The Gathering. The series ends on a high note scoring once more with fourteen new City
arrangements of original and older worship cuts.
As with the other records, producer Steve Hindalong teams up with the brilliance of Marc Byrd (Common Children, GlassByrd)
to piece together a thrice-done but always interesting format. Considering it is a format and feel done three (or technically
four) times on the City On a Hill projects where CCM artists work together on the tracks, it's
a surprise it maintains a fresh feel each time around. Although the novelty and wonder of the first City
album has since worn off slowly with each release, what keeps it exciting is getting to see artists like Jars Of Clay
and Sixpence None the Richer collaborate, or even larger moments offering the likes of Caedmon's Call, Jars' Dan Haseltine,
Bebo Norman, and Sara Groves teaming on vocals with members of Jars Of Clay, Sixpence, and The Choir performing
the accompaniment. There aren't too many other records where you will find this.
The Gathering opens strongly with the upbeat title cut followed by "Kyrie Eleison" fronting Sixpence's
Leigh Nash with a mighty impressive backup choir. An inspired union of Sixpence None The Richer with Bebo Norman
highlights "Beautiful Scandalous Night," a song originally penned by veterans Steve Hindalong and Derri Daugherty of The Choir
some eleven years ago. Daugherty, Haseltine, and Groves team with GlassByrd and Paul Colman for a memorable original
that tastefully incorporates a brief nod to the City On a Hill original "God Of Wonders," a song that first
appeared on the 2000 record and has since become a favorite among worship services all over. The rest of the project
falls in line as nicely as those that preceded it with the album coming to a bittersweet close in a reprise of "Marvelous Light," a song that
has appeared on each of the City efforts. This time around, the regretfully short rendition is lead by
Dan Haseltine and Ginny Owens, accompanied by another impressive vocal ensemble.
While it's understandable that the artistic muscle behind these albums would want to cap off the series at a trilogy,
this remains a collection of collaborative efforts that are unmatched and it will be sad to see this new tradition end.
Perhaps we'll see more projects like City On a Hill in the future. Until then, The Gathering is a worthy
end to an impressive run. Thanks Steve, Marc, Derri... & friends.
- Review date: 9/22/03, written by John DiBiase
Record Label:Essential Records Album length: 14 tracks, 44 minutes and 10 seconds
Street Date: September 23, 2003
Shall We Gather At River - Prelude
The Gathering - Caedmon's Call, Dan
Haseltine and Charlie Lowell (Jars of Clay), Bebo Norman, Sara Groves
Kyrie Eleison - Leigh Nash & friends
Beautiful Scandalous Night - Sixpence None
the Richer and Bebo Norman
Jesus Went To the Garden - Derri Daughterty
(The Choir), Paul Colman, Dan Haseltine
(Jars of Clay), Sara Groves, GlassByrd
Table of The Lord - FFH and Paul Colman
Holy Is The Lord - Andrew Peterson
We Will Trust You - Ginny Owens
and GlassByrd
Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing - Jars
of Clay
Come Be Who You Are - Sara Groves
Instrument of Peace - Paul Colman Trio
Hallelujah Never Ending - Caedmon's Call
and Silers Bald
Open Your Eyes - Ginny Owens
Marvelous Light - Dan Haseltine (Jars), Ginny
Owens, and friends