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Intimacy With Guts: Review of
Kate Miner's "Live Worship from the Strip"
[Sovereign Productions]
by Kim Gentes
for WorshipMusic.com
There is a certain quality that God blesses some with. It is musical, yet it is
more than notes. It is confidence, yet it is more than personality. It is
giftedness, yet it is more than prodigy for the sake of self-glorification. It
is that certain something we have found in those that don't just excel, but
expand and explore. We have met these people; people like Kevin Prosch, Martin
Smith, Darrell Evans, and Brian Doerksen. Meet another one of those people, Kate
Miner. And meet her new project, "Live Worship from the Strip," out of
the new praise and worship label, Sovereign Productions.
All this "newness" might seem like just a fashionable trend to those
not aware of the heritage inherent in this great worship project. While a new
company, Sovereign is no small outfit or a fly-by-night garage recording studio.
Run by some of the same people that brought you the new sound of Vineyard music,
when it was still "new," Sovereign is headed by worship veteran Carl
Tuttle. In worship leader Kate Miner, Sovereign has come out of the gate with an
awesome debut project in "Live Worship from the Strip."
Right from the start, you get the feeling that this CD is going to burst with
expression! The first cut, "Dream Before You," feels part rock, part
beckoning love song. It isn't long before you realize that this CD is no cookie-
cutter experience. At times Miner's vocals and lyrics become so intimate that
they push the listener to the precipice of decision - you are either going to
participate with this (and worship), or you will shut this thing off! There
isn't much room for "fluff" in any song on this CD. Miner is intense
and overwhelming as an artist. Songs like "Dream Before You" and
"Better Is One Day" make the point with Pat Benatar-esque vocal power
and rhythms reminiscent of euro-sensation Delirious?
Intensity and raw intimacy don't just reside in rock ballads and driving beats.
"Hung The Moon" became my favorite cut from the project as I listened
to Miner sing a song from God to us, expressing His incredible providence.
Hearing scripture crafted in song and then sung like this is as beautiful as it
is riveting. One thing this CD does is leave behind any traces of the pop
country/jazz/easy listening 70s sound that has pervaded much of the praise &
worship style since the early 80s. This project is clearly rock! There is
a lot of adoration in this album, too - check out "Holy Spirit Come,"
it's excellent! To quote Matt Redman (who listened to a preview copy of the CD)
: "It's 'Intimacy' with guts!"
The only shortcut that this album takes is with the actual sound quality. On the
way to making this completely live project a reality, the crisp cleanness of a
studio sound is sacrificed. But Miner doesn't care, and neither should you. As
she powers her voice to heaven, you will wonder (as the man in the car in the
next lane looks at you like you're going berserk!) how you ended up belting it
out along with her.
Enough said! Run, don't walk, to get this great new rock praise & worship
CD. You'll be glad you did.
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The CD, sound clips, and review are available on the
website at:
http://www.worshipmusic.com/sp70001-2.html
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Jan 2000
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