what's in my iPod? - charlie hall: the bright sadness

WHOOOHOOO! I get so excited when one of the sixsteps guys come out with new stuff... so, of course this has been and will be in my iPod for a while. Charlie Hall's brand new (as of Tuesday) - THE BRIGHT SADNESS

Charlie is a really amazing songwriter & worship leader. (+ at times he has a pimp 2 foot long goatee as seen in this 

pic to the left shot by my amazing wife a few months ago. I think I would try to rock that 2 footer if I could.) He's been with the Passion movement since the beginning & I've been loving his stuff for a long time. I remember Louie once called this guy "papa smurf". haha, that was a funny moment. I've noticed that Charlie's music hits 1 of 2 ways with peeps. They LOVE him & his stuff is their fav... or they don't like his stuff so much. Like, of the 4 sixsteps-ers (Charlie, Crowder, Chris, & Matt) Charlie is either their fav or least fav.

He's written some incredible stuff & with writers like that I always wonder what their new CD will be like. I wonder "will they have some amazing fresh stuff from God that will put words to the worship I want to give to God." The answer for Charlie's new CD = ABSOLUTELY!!

I usually have to listen to a CD several times before I completely connect with it. Usually I don't like the brand new as good as the old for at least a few weeks! BUT, I think this just might be Charlie's BEST CD EVER! & that is saying A LOT considering how amazing Flying Into Daybreak was with songs that have taken my heart & the Church by storm like All We Need (my personal fav), Center, Marvelous Light, and Songs of the Redeemed. Seriously I think these songs are quite possibly the best he has ever written. I'm so excited. You need to GO BUY IT right now!

Anyone who's been around some Passion gatherings in the last year & a half will be familiar with several of these songs on the album = Chainbreaker, Walk the World, You Are God, & Mystery. That stuff is awesome! but there's some new stuff that is crazy good too!

HOOKERS AND ROBBERS - whoa, of course this title caught my eye.

 the song is unbelievable! I love it. I'll post the lyrics at the bottom of this post.

THRILL - I LOVE what this song is about + it has a pretty phat beat (almost reminds me of some techno-ish Crowder). Somebody needs to be writing songs like this! Thanks, Charlie. "Glorious, You're glorious, who can thrill a heart like You"

MY BRIGHTNESS - So personal. Sounds like what David was singing in so many of the Psalms. Sounds like what I sing and journal on those crazy days. The music sounds like vintage Charlie too.

"Your love is like a ROCK when I'm spinning... You're the bright in sadness, You're my Brightness

I wish this thing could pass from me but I'm wanting what You want

So bring me high or bring me low just hold me in your love" 

[this is such a cool prayer that makes God so happy & look so glorious to everyone else!]

THE SECOND ALIVE - def. the rock anthem on the album. freakin' awesome. makes you jump. Makin' me move here in my booth @ starbucks right now. You will be singing this in no time... "Let go Let go and come to life, Take a walk in the burning heart of God."

I love the other new ones too - New Year, Scenes, Bloom Again, & def. Knit My Heart but there's just not room to write about them all. GO buy the CD!

As for the "old" stuff (but not formerly released on a Charlie CD) of course it's awesome & way diff. than when you heard it live or on the Passion CDs. Especially You Are God. For those of you who were annoyed by the really long live version of it (which I LOVED & thought was so powerful when he started naming all the peeps, etc...) should like this short piano driven version. Walk the World & Mystery have some different twists too.

But CHAINBREAKER is so my fav of the older ones! it's such an awesome powerful song to cry out!

"All stand applaud, Your Father God, the Maker King, who never tires

Who renovates the human heart and gives the broken brand new starts

Redemption flowing from His hand, we all can start at life again

Heaven stands to celebrate for the ones who come today

So come just as you are, Come just as you are..."

Chainbreaker, Heart Savior, Jesus the Great Redeemer

Life Changer, Liberator, Jesus, the Great Redeemer

And Jesus' cross split history, it lit the dark and set us free

Heaven stands to celebrate for the ones who come today

Drop your chains, sons and daughters, some and run in liberty

WE ARE FREE, WE ARE FREE, YEAH THE SON HAS SET US FREE... 

CHAINBREAKER..."

whoooooo!! that song's gonna be runnin' my iPod battery dead. & so will this next one that I mentioned earlier...

HOOKERS AND ROBBERS - such a great song. Like a 1st person story/ballad. Read it & that will end my post. I love hearing it as it unfolds...

"Crack kids, track kids, hookers and robbers, The naked and hungry, mothers and fathers

Abuses, excuses, and guns in your hands, And I even welcome the arrogant man

I welcome you all to the biggest of feasts, A night of no shame, to pause and to breathe

This is a night of love's renovation, A feast I am sure that could change a whole nation

Me, I'm not such an excellent host, I am one who forgives but needs it the most

I found the liar, the killer of hearts, And I ran away with a new way to start

I journeyed a road where a bright man appeared

He looked into me, and my eyes filled with tears

My breath fast and short and my heart burning deep

He gave me new eyes and a new way to see

So come as you are,, as you are, as you are...

I still defiled His great love ways, I felt such a famine when I ran away

I missed the presence, The voice like a song, I was nasty and dirty, I knew I was wrong

But He ran to me like a dream like a Father, This love is not earthly this love must be other

He carried me home and threw me a party, A party so loud like the greatest love story

Oh my dear friends applaud now please, I've invited you here to announce YOU ARE FREE!

He takes your chains, busting you out of prison

Just open your heart, Let your heart come and listen

Who could accept all your pounding and screaming

Your raging, your freaking, cussing, and beating

All while He holds you and always forgiving, This is the story of love and of living

Wipe off your tears and laugh just a little, Come break this bread, celebrate the Forgiver

Raise up a glass, a time to remember, Come break this bread, CELEBRATE THE FORGIVER!!!

You can buy The Bright Sadness HERE. you will love it. later this weekend I'm gonna post Charlie's thoughts on his latest album.

[Crowder's Remedy Club Tour live CD/DVD also came out Tuesday, so I'll be writing about it soon as well... maybe next weekend. stay tuned...]