Unfailing love; review by Pete Sammons

Vineyard music has certainly changed over the last 10 years. Albums have developed from being predominantly live recorded in a congregational setting, to now being produced in studios. This could purely be down to the fact that a studio allows to do so much more with the arrangements of the songs.

Another major change is that the style and musical ability has also developed. So much so that you have to be Jimi Hendrix and have the voice of an angel, (Aled Jones) to try use the song as a Worship Leader. Ok a slight exaggeration but the point remains that some songs are being written with not the congregation and average small group worship leader in mind, technically they are too difficult. Don’t get me wrong I do feel these songs are great and should have a place in your collection. They are not any less a worship song than the others, but as a worship leader it frustrates me that they are either to difficult for me to play or too difficult for the congregation to get into.

The purpose of that rant is this (don’t worry there is a purpose). When I think back over vineyard worship’s history one key aspect is that the songs written and produced are accessible to almost anybody. The concept that if you can pick up an instrument and play D, A and G you can play a lot of songs, add C and E you can play most and F, well you should be writing songs by now! One writer who has been able to write accessible songs and yet create a modern sound is Nigel Briggs and the Trent Vineyard band. Together they have written the second album to be released by the church, Unfailing Love.

The album opens with the title track Unfailing Love. This song has been used a lot on Sundays at Trent over the last year and has been tried and tested in the congregational setting. It is a great start to a good album. The song calls out for us to cling to God in the hard times and that his unfailing love is always there for us to take refuge in.

The rest of the guitar and synth-driven album follows well. Working in the studio has enabled the band to produce an album with brilliant arrangements. Embedded in the tracks you can find a string quartet and a choir adding to the vocals. A lot of the songs have been used in church, this album is certainly more than one for just your personal times of worship. Lyrically the songs are easy to sing and use language that we speak day-in, day-out without compromising on the Scriptural truth.

The album also has the enhanced CD. This is a great resource found on most vineyard albums with the chord charts for the album. It is includes a video for the title track of the last album Hold on, and videos of the band as they produced the album in the studio. Pictures of that time can also be found.

Would I buy this album? Well I already have but should you? Yes. The album is nice to listen to with well-crafted and big arrangements, yet the songs are also compatible for small group worship. It reminds us the God is ever present and love is undying. All that is left to say is enjoy and be inspired! - Pete


Pete Sammons, esteemed former worship leader at WSVC and all round good bod, is based in Nottingham where he is studying business. He also finds time to worship at Trent Vineyard, where he has first hand knowledge of the musical talents of the Trent Band.