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Artist: Carmen D'Arcy
Title: A Place Called Grace
Style: Contemporary Worship
Website: http://www.carmendarcy.com/
Label: Brickstreet Records
Rating: 8.9 out of 10
By Senior Writer C.W. Ross
A Place Called Grace from Carmen D'Arcy is a wonderful collection of 11 songs of Praise & Worship. The first three tracks, "You Are Everything," "Open My Eyes," and "A Place Called Grace," are all upbeat and filled with steady drumbeats in a pop/rock vein not often heard in worship albums.
These aren't set in the church pews sing along songs, they are stand up, clap your hands, and stomp your feet, high-energy numbers.
Track 5, "God You Reign," is the most upbeat number found on the entire release. Its fast tempo is filled with steady drumbeats, lively keyboard parts and really nice guitar work including a solo found at the 2:40 mark of the song.
While the first five tracks will appeal to the younger listener, tracks 6-11 have more of a melodic sound, except for track-9, "You Are My God," which is a piano led toe taper that also features an interesting tempo led by the drum beats found on it.
Track 6, "You're Beautiful," and track 11, "Fade," are piano lead ballads. The rest of the tracks, 7, 8, and 10 fall into the previously mentioned melodic range.
While the music is the vehicle the engine the drives each song is the vocals of Carmen D'Arcy. Carmen's vocals are powerful yet have a compassionate tone to them as she sings straight from her heart in the songs.
The lyrics are all about what a glorious God we serve. His love and grace for us. The sacrifices He went through so that anyone that calls on His name can be forgiven of past sins and born a new.
This release was produced by Bryan Lenox (Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, tobyMac, Sonic Flood, Sixpence None The Richer).
I really liked what A Place Called Grace offers up both musically and spiritually. I'm sure some of these songs will be making their way into worship song rotations in churches around the world soon.
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Christian Music
