DECENT AMBIENT MODERN WORSHIP LP
As a worship leader for West End Community Church in Nashville, Bryan Brown certainly has practiced and sung countless modern worship classics and knows them well. This much is evident on his latest,
Shine, as hints of almost every staple epic, atmospheric worship artist introduced in the last decade is found here in abundance (though all the songs are personally penned by Brown).
Echoes of Phil Wickham, Hillsong United, Tim Hughes and standard Brit-rock tendencies are all over
Shine, including the title track, “Glorious,” “Breaking Me” and especially “Sing.” The acoustic “Nothing” closes the album and is worth getting to, featuring Brown’s fine guitar work and simple, pretty refrain. It’s a heart’s vulnerable prayer that brings the listener back as well as anything on
Shine.
All the songs here will fit well into the modern worship canon, and that’s both the good and bad for Brown. There’s not much here that will stand out from other projects already on your shelves, but then again, some new songs to sing amidst the retreads is a nice option.
–Matt Conner