HyperSonic

Item: Praise House
Author: Jimmy Moore

Praise House

(1996)

Reviewed by Jimmy Moore

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify YouTube Music

Label Essential Record GroupThe LighthouseJuly 1996

dance pop techno worship

After the tremendous success of its predecessor, Hymns In The House, Praise House is likely to get you moving and shaking to some of your favorite praise songs. But don't look to hear these songs in your church anytime soon. The music is all (dare I say it) danceable! Being a Baptist, I can understand the shudder some people feel about dancing. Yet with a close listen, you will find the same lyrics that have been enjoyed for so many years in church set to music that will probably get some toes tapping.

Just as he did with Hymns In The House, Ian Eskelin produces a sound obviously geared towards reaching the teenagers and twenty-something crowd with the message of Jesus Christ. What better way to do this than to use the lyrics from popular praise choruses of the church? In fact, many people may find these new versions just the lift they need to get through the day.

The cover of the CD is eye-catching, with bright colors of red and green splashed across the front and a picture of a church in the middle. It definitely helps you find this disc in the store, but it is the music that is the real reason to buy Praise House.

Cuts like "We Bring the Sacrifice," "Oh How He Loves You and Me," "I Love You, Lord," and "Holy Ground," help gain a whole new appreciation for the message of these classic songs. It is interesting how the message becomes so much clearer when a song is stripped of its original form. The first track describes the whole album in the words of the song "Praise the Name of Jesus:"

Praise the name of Jesus Praise the name of Jesus He's our Rock He's our Fortress He's our Deliverer In Him will I trust Praise the name of Jesus

They are simple words, yet profound in describing a whole new way of worshipping the Lord. The rest of the disc continues on in the same vein. This project is worth a listen to any fan of techno music, or those who like praise music with a lot of energy.