"Worshipping God cannot be borrowed or 'faked.' Singing Christian songs with enthusiasm is not worship, and neither is bowing reverently in a chapel… they are only outward exercises. True worship can never be a rehearsal of someone else's experience or tradition… we must hunger to touch God for ourselves!"
And so begins an intimate project that asks you to lay it all down and worship God. Enter the Worship Circle is a collaboration between independent band 100 Portraits and formerly independent band Waterdeep (now signed to Squint records). The singers and players themselves lay it down, forgetting any retakes, redubs, or any post-recording touch-ups. It's a live album in every sense of the word. The project uses acoustic guitars and percussion instruments which gives it an earthy quality, like you're singing around a camp fire.
Enter the Worship Circle is a completely different approach to a worship album. Other worship albums cover familiar songs, polish everything in the studio, and offer a packaged worship experience. Enter the Worship Circle dares to ask what worship is, and in answering the question they've shed all the expectations of the genre. The album contains 15 original worship songs, it was recorded live, and the liner notes include reflections on what it means to worship, the meanings of the songs, and how you can have a more intimate worship experience with God.
The result is a heartfelt praise CD. There's nothing contrived. God enjoys our worship even when we hit a wrong note or can't sing at all. This project reminds us of that fact and allows us to worship unashamed.
The songs are well written and original, sung with passion and humble worship. My only complaint is that the songs tend to run into one another and sound similar, which is an easy complaint for a completely acoustic album. 'You Are So Good To Me,' the slow, percussion driven 'Those Who Trust,' and 'Save Me' are some of the stand outs.
Overall Enter the Worship Circle is a rare worship experience captured on CD, giving you the chance to learn what true worship is.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Shari LloydA year ago Enter the Worship Circle was released independently. While many praise and worship offerings contain covers of well-known worship standards, Enter the Worship Circle features original songs written by 100 Portraits (an indie alterna-folk duo) and Waterdeep (Squint). All of the songs were recorded live and unplugged and the instrumentation is composed solely of acoustic guitars and the…Similar sounding releases
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