Citizens and Saints first release since their departure from Mars Hill music and changing their name from just “Citizens”, Join The Triumph is a synth-rock tour de force. The album celebrates Jesus’s victory over sin and death and our new life in Him.
It’s probably the most accessible worship record I’ve heard in a long time. Musically, indie rockers, fans of 80 music, kids who have the new Taylor Swift on endless repeat, and even KLove Soccer moms will be able to connect with most or all of the songs. Lyrically the words are straight forward enough for the newest believer and rich enough for your grandma’s hymnal.
The Strife Is Over // This song is a call to worship. While it may not directly say “come and sing”, by recounting Christ’s victory and the end of our rebellion against him, you’ll want to respond in praise.
There Is A Fountain // This new version of the classic hymn is one of my favorite songs on the record. I also think it’s one of the easiest for those of us without synth heavy bands to adapt to other styles of music. I love the line in the chorus “and sinners plunged beneath that flood loose all their guilty stains”
You Brought Me Back To Life // This song was released a while back as single. It’s a great song and one that would catch on quickly with most people. I’ve wrestled with the idea of us being brought “back” to life. We had no life, we were dead in ours sins, and yet while we were his enemies, Christ died to save sinners. I think this one is worth talking over with your pastor to see where it would fall in your churches theology.
The Mighty Hand of God // Another song you might want to talk through with your pastor for theological reasons. Musically it’s one of the best on the record but lyrically it sits in the “once saved always saved” camp. While I don’t subscribe to that doctrine personally, I don’t have a problem with the song as I think it sits within the tension of scripture that God will never let us go (Romans 8) and that names can be removed from the book of life (Psalm 69:38 & Revelation 3:5). I believe part of having unity as a church is being on the same page doctrinally, and we have a part to play in that unity in the songs we sing.
You Have Searched Me // A more contemplative song, dealing with our being brought out of darkness. The song has its roots in Psalm 139 and Romans 2.
Be Thou My Vision // One of the oldest songs the church still sings, the C&S version flows well as a musical and thematic bridge between the first and second halves of the album, it also brings the energy up from the slower paced “You Have Searched Me” in a way that a well crafted set list does. This record is a success in part because of the musical and thematic unity it finds between songs as different as “Be Thou” and “You Brought Me Back To Life”. This record is a great example of a well crafted worship set in song choice and flow.
Oh Great Is Our God // This song is the first of three reworked versions of songs previously put out by other Mars Hill music bands (The Sing Team, Ghost Ship & The Modern Post). It’s the least successful of the three. Some songs like Be Thou My Vision have longevity in part because they lend themselves to almost endless rearrangement. Other songs seem to have one or maybe two ways to play them. I suspect that the later is the case with “Oh Great Is Our God”. The Sing Team version has been well received at multiple churches I’ve lead worship at.
The Gospel // I suspect that this version of the song will grow on me as time goes by. Often a reworked song emphasizes different parts of the song than the original, and that’s the case here. Still lyrically solid. Compare with the original Ghost Ship version and see if it’ll work for your church.
Greatly To Be Praised // Sometimes at the end of a worship time you just want to end things rejoicing in all that God has done during the time of worship and all he is in general. This song is one of those “let’s just rejoice in Jesus” anthems.
Father You Are All We Need // One of the records few reflective moments, this song invites us to consider all that God has done and all the “the triumph” implies. “Thank you! Thank you! Father you are all we need” and “give us hope, give us faith, help us trust in your guidance” are both songs to be sung in the storm and after we’ve reached the other side.
Before The Throne Of God Above // The album ends with this modern classic. While not a Mars Hill original, it’s been previous released by the Modern Post and Kings Kaleidoscope. Musically, C&S has shown that there’s still plenty of life in this song and while the song starts off slow, it picks up with one of the more effective yet original builds I’ve heard in a long time. Thematically, this song is the perfect choice as it ends the record the same place all believers will until stay end: celebrating the a triumph of our God before his throne: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.” — Revelation 21:3
I like the fact that you brought up exercising doctrinal discernment in this review, not because I agree with you in regards to the song “The Mighty Hand of God”. It just seems in many of the worship reviews segments of the Church Collective it’s just “this song sounds awesome, you should sing it.” I like that you highlight what verses the songs reference since that’s more important than how a song sounds. It’s my suggestion that other worship reviews in CC follow this mold.
I’ve been listening to the album since last night, and while it is synth heavy, I do feel that the songs can be arranged for different styles. So far my favorites are “Greatly to Be Praised”, “Father You are All We Need”, and “There is a Fountain.” For “There is a Fountain,” I know that Dustin Kensrue did a similar arrangement back when he was still at Mars Hill. (There’s a video on youtube.) The former Mars Hill songs “Oh Great is Our God” and “The Gospel” have started to grow on me. It’s just harder to accept them since I’m just very used to how they were arranged before. For “Oh Great is Our God,” it’s a lot different than I thought it would be, but since Brian Eichelberger from Sing Team is now in Citizens it kind of makes sense that he’d want to try something totally not the same.
Our family has loved all things Citizens (& Saints), and we lead Father You’re All We Need pretty much the week it came out. The melody took a second time through for people to get, but the verses flow so easily, they caught on pretty quickly. Also I think it’s worth noting it’s coming out of Matthew 6.9-13, as the Jesus teaches his disciples to pray.
We plan on doing There Is A Fountain and Before the Throne in the new year. (We’ve run the Modern Post version into the ground)
My band has been wanting to do You Brought Me Back To Life since the single came out. I tried it out over the summer, but something about the melody from verse to chorus kept throwing me off, and I have yet to feel comfortable with it. Even though i spent about 3 hours making a loop for it.
Overall, love the album start to finish!