New Irish Hymns #2: Father, Son & Holy Spirit

New Irish Hymns #2: Father, Son & Holy Spirit follows 2001's New Irish Hymns. Both albums are the result of Keith Getty's collaborative writing (and producing, conducting, and performing) as well as vocals performed by a trio of talented female vocalists. Those who have heard and grown to love the first release undoubtedly will have high expectations for New Irish Hymns #2, and they won't be disappointed.

Getty's liner notes state that "Hymns try to achieve two things. One is to describe God in a fuller way while being easy to sing; and the other is to create a collaboration of poetry and melody which has a more timeless value." Unlike some modern choruses which seem all too often to be laced with trite platitudes, these hymns offer meaty Biblical truths in inspiring and timeless poetry. It includes songs of praise, repentance, and gratitude. While I find it impossible to pick a lyrical favorite, "My Heart Is Filled" stands out:

...My heart is filled with thankfulness
to Him who reigns above
whose wisdom is my perfect peace
whose every thought is love
for every day I have on Earth
is given by the King
So I will give my life my all
to love and follow Him.

Those familiar with the first New Irish Hymns project will undoubtedly notice the change in vocal lineup, with relatively new artist Kristyn Lennox taking the place formerly occupied by Moya Brennan. Lennox's voice is wonderfully fresh addition to the mix, her voice sounds young in years, yet mature in skill. Surely she's an artist to watch.

What struck me most about this album is that it's presentation is honest--it doesn't pretend to be anything that it isn't. It doesn't claim to be a "Celtic" recording; while it is produced and performed by Irish (and Irish-American) people and has clear Celtic influences in some tracks, overall it wouldn't really be honest to call it's orchestrations "Celtic". It doesn't claim to be a "worship" or "praise" CD in the sense of the modern praise/worship genre, yet these "New Irish Hymns" contain more honest (and Biblically true) expressions of worship than a lot of other stuff I've heard. It would have been easy to slap a "Celtic worship" label on this recording for the sake of sales, but to do so would have been a great disservice to it.

Learn more about this recording at Keith Getty's website.