Various Artists – ‘Samson’ Soundtrack album review

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This release, tied to a new movie about the complicated life of Samson, combines music from worship leaders and church music ministries from around the country. The lineup features refreshing diversity, with male and female voices from multiple races and ethnicities. As a “various artists” lineup, then, it provides a good snapshot of modern worship music.

What is more compelling is the subject matter. Samson’s is a familiar story with less-familiar depth. Consider the inspiration a songwriter might gain from Samson. There is prophesied birth, God-given strength and ultimate victory, but there is also moral failure, disobedience, and selfishness. The complexity of the man and his story have elicited songs of rich depth. Most are biographical and sung in the first-person, songs from worship bands not necessarily meant for corporate worship. It is likely that the project stretched these songwriters, and that’s usually a very good thing.

Musically, the quality is a bit uneven (it would be difficult for every voice to stand up to the likes of Joel Kibble of Take 6). As one might expect from Samson’s story, a theme of strength emerges in the lyrics. Collectively, the songs are effective in highlighting both the source of that strength and the redemption gained when Samson learned to rely on the source.

> SAMPLE ALBUM at AmazonMP3.com