Christ for the Nations Institute

Item: Makes Me Shout
Author: Zik Jackson

Makes Me Shout

(1999)

Reviewed by Zik Jackson

Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label CFN MusicThe Phantom Tollbooth2001

ccm gospel worship

Christ for the Nations Institute (CFNI) has been producing live worship albums annually since the 1970s. Classic worship songs such as "As the Deer," "I Worship You, Almighty God," and "Surrender" were first recorded at CFNI. In recent years, CFNI has upgraded its facilities and recording processes to improve quality, using some overdubs and studio cleanup to polish the sound. With more than thirty-seven recordings and hundreds of songs, CFNI is an institution in the praise and worship genre. Here is a roundup of the three most recent worship albums from CFNI.

Over the past forty years, Christ for the Nations Institute (CFNI) has become renowned for discovering and producing great worship tunes. In the early days of the worship chorus, CFNI ruled the roost. In today's world of lengthy, lyrical worship songs, CFNI is playing catch-up, but it is steadily improving. Each year's worship album is better than the last. 1999's Makes Me Shout is no exception, and starts off with a bang, led by worship pastor Keith Hulen. Many of the songs are written by CFNI staff, students, or alumni, and the applicable tracks are marked in the liner notes.

The "CFNI sound" entails a live band with a full complement of brass, vocalists, and a 1,000-member congregation. Traditionally, the first half of the album was recorded as a non-stop live take, breaking only to change reels on the tape recorder. It is a raw, live sound born of weeks of practice during the daily chapel services at the Institute.

Makes Me Shout stretches the boundaries of tradition at CFNI by aiming for a hip, gospel style. While the sound on this particular CD is similar to worship CDs from ORU Worship and The Higher Dimensions Choir, it lacks true black-gospel roots. Despite Texas-sized energy and enthusiasm, "Glad He Loves Me" needs more power and oomph to be totally convincing. On the other hand, "Come On In" is well rendered with nice touches of sax and guitar fills. Like all CFNI worship albums, there are extended "free worship" times after some of the songs. CFNI Music is one of the rare labels whose recordings feature singing in tongues.

"When I Think About The Lord" is the title track by Shannon Wexelberg, one of America's best-kept secrets in the worship artistry arena. Wexelberg's solo CD is almost impossible to find, but she is a primo songwriter, comparable to Rita Springer in many ways. Other highlights on the project include "Welcome To The Father's House," a well-written song with an easily sung chorus, and "That Is Why," a deeply touching song with a duet by Hulen and his wife Kerri Hulen. What is most poignant about "That Is Why" are the lyrics, especially in light of the fact that Makes Me Shout was Kerri's last recording. She lost a valiant bout with cancer November 26, 1999.

"To Seek Your Face" features a Sierra-like female trio with a touch of 2nd Chapter of Acts style, and like the rest of the songs selected, is quite solid. "Come To The Fountain" is a full nine minutes long, which is not unusual for a CFNI recording. These albums should be an experience, not necessarily listened to track by track. Each song seamlessly segues to the next and drips with the signature style of Hulen's leadership, in the grand tradition of generations of CFNI worship leaders before him.

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