Live from Austin Music Hall is a 45 minute love offering to Tomlin’s fans. You’re not going to find anything you haven’t heard before on Live; instead you will find those songs that are definitively Chris, which mark him as one of the greatest songwriters of this generation. This CD ought to come with a warning label not to listen to it in your car. Caution: May cause driver to close eyes and lift hands.
The album begins with 10 seconds of adulation from excited fans. It’s broken by a bare piano setting the tone as one of worship rather than a concert frenzy. Tomlin’s clear and instantly recognizable voice breaks out into song, with his fans singing along in surprising unity. It is a rare moment when all hearts are turned to none other than the Creator, and Tomlin’s purpose is made clear – to bring all in attendance to humility and reverence to the Indescribable One above.
The pace quickens on the second track, Forever. You can hear the over-capacity crowd when Chris asks them to sing with him, yet they don’t overpower him when it’s his voice that is the center. Kindness brings the tempo back down. His fans have every lyric memorized and sing backups in a chorus of praise.
The band is fantastic, especially the guitars. The solo on Unchanging is a delight to the ears. It’s here and on the following track that we can feel it’s live, with a let-loose feel. On Our Side gets a funky guitar and a guest appearance by David Crowder (of the David Crowder Band). The instrumentation drops out for the catchy chorus with a back and forth with the audience. It’s one of those songs that will stick in your head, and you’ll be singing it long after the CD is over.
|
