In the Company of Angels 2: The World Will Sing

by

Caedmon's Call

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I confess that when I heard that Caedmon's Call's follow-up to their amazing _Share the Well_ would be this sequel to the original _In the Company of Angels_ (_ItCoA_), I was not terribly excited. Artistically, it seemed like a regress, done for commercial reasons. Then I heard the opening track, "Great and Mighty," which seemed to confirm my suspicions. It was catchy but fluffy--the kind of song you'd expect to hear on an average Christian radio station, but not worthy of Caedmon's Call. Despite my misgivings, I bought _ItCoA II_, thinking that even if this wasn't Caedmon's magnum opus, it would still contain plenty of Caedmon's typical excellence. I am glad I did.

Overall, I have little but praise for this recording. Caedmon's signature unselfishness is evident throughout, with each band member making excellent contributions without any one dominating the soundscape. The percussion section does its typical excellent work, the background vocals are tasteful, and the songwriting is solid. All three singers are in good voice, and Danielle Young's voice in particular has never sounded better. Most impressive is how Caedmon's Call loved this project enough to make it lovely, even though it isn't what they originally had in mind for their follow-up to _Share the Well_. In other words, though the record company didn't let them do the record they wanted, they acted like grown-ups and produced something excellent anyway.

The standout tracks:

_ItCoA II_ hits its stride with tracks three through five. Andrew Osenga's adaptation of "Sing His Love" is an exuberant reflection on the mercy and covenant faithfulness of God, and the verses are lovely and though-provoking. Laura Story's "Rest Upon Us," a plea for the presence of the Holy Spirit, has some of the best lyrics on the album, a pastoral musical backdrop (courtesy of Osenga's wonderfully understated guitar accompaniment), and a wonderful vocal by Danielle Young. And Osenga's "The Story" extols God for his wondrous ability to somehow bring good from all of humanity's sad history, while gently chiding us for our tendency to forget that "we were loved before we opened up our eyes--such foolish pride."

The other standout songs here are "Be Merciful to Me," which contains some of Danielle Young's best recorded singing to date, and "Fellowship So Deep," which stands out musically as one of the best songs Caedmon's has ever recorded. The vocal interplay between the three singers is spine-tingling, and the percussion is stunning.

Finally, since Caedmon's Call released _ItCoA II_, in part, to provide songs that churches can use in worship, I end with a postscript on how well these songs lend themselves to congregational singing. Some would do very well in such a setting with very few changes-e.g. "Sing His Love," "Be Merciful to Me," "I Surrender All," and "Let Me Be." Others could work with a little tweaking-e.g. "Draw Me Nearer," "Rest Upon Us" and "Fellowship So Deep." The other songs would be more difficult to adapt for congregational singing. Still, with a majority of the songs being suitable for congregations, I would call _ItCoA II_ a success in this respect.

Written by Jessie Roberts for Spirit1053.com:::

Throughout their twelve year ministry, the songs of Caedmon's Call have ranged from melancholy singer-songwriter types to rich hymn-like worship songs. The departure of Derek Webb in 2003 could have been discouraging, as he helped bring a distinctive richness and texture to their sound. However the band continued as before, thriving off of their core focus on ministry, and developing that focus as they continued. Consequently their sound, live as well as recorded, is as tight as a band can get (perhaps due to the fact that lead singers Cliff and Danielle are married).

Caedmon's Call takes their role as Christian music artists seriously, and accepts the responsibility of that privilege. They have partnered with Compassion International and other organizations, as well as released the globally-minded album Share the Well.

This focus and intentionality is reflected in their music as well. In the Company of Angels II: The World Will Sing is a collection of worship songs completely focused on God and the nature of the journey towards getting to know Him better.

Danielle Young is particularly a blessing on this record. She is unpretentious and focused solely on delivering the songs. We really don't get to know much about her personality or background through the music, but that feels appropriate for a worship album. Her clear vocals are not distracting, and instead point towards God through the lyrics she sings.

The songs are intellectual and yet catchy. They are a combination of old hymns and new music. Particularly delightful is "Sing His Love," the words of which are based on an ancient Chinese hymn text. These lyrics are attached to a melody that is joyful and yet smoothly contained within the aforementioned tightness of their sound.

In the Company of Angels II is the sort of album that might not grab your attention during your first listen, but will grow to become more and more enjoyable. The focus is not on entertainment, but on serious pressing into God and into a deeper understanding of Him. This album will be passed over by those with short attention spans, but those who are wiser will find a collection of sings that are catchy, rich, and moving.

Now touring: www.caedmonscall.com