Worship Review // The Dispatch // The Dispatch

Album: The Dispatch
Artist: The Dispatch
Label: Mars Hill Music/BEC Recordings
Release: August 12, 2013

 

 

For this review here on TCC we will look at a little EP from another band out of Mars Hill Church. The Dispatch formed in August 2012 as the worship band for Mars Hill’s Sammamish, WA location (yes that is the real name of a town). “This guitar-driven, feel-good indie rock quartet strives to balance theologically strong lyrics with catchy melodies that the congregation can follow.” the Mars Hill Music site says, and we agree. So here is The Dispatch by The Dispatch.

The Word // The first song on the EP contains lyrics all about Jesus, surprise surprise! It is based off the idea of John 1:1, Jesus being the living Word and everything being created in and through him. Musically the song begins at a nice mellow pace with a nice clean melodic guitar riff. The song continues like this until about the 2 minute mark when there is a build and the tempo picks up and the chorus sings again. “Jesus, all things were made, In Jesus, the light of men Is Jesus, our life is found in Him”. This is a fairly simple song and would be a good one to try for congregational singing. It is easy to sing and would prove beneficial as it teaches truth about the person of Jesus Christ. This could also be stripped down to acoustic for smaller congregations or music teams lacking drums and other guitarists.

By His Grace // This was the first song I heard from The Dispatch back in August, and I immediately thought, “Yes! Another rockin’ theologically sound worship band!” I have an affinity for the indie rock sound and have been in a couple of those bands myself in the past. So when I heard this track packed full of the truth of salvation and the grace of God through Jesus Christ set to the sweet sound of driving guitars and pulsing drums my soul rejoiced! Lyrically this song is fantastic and speaks truth and teaches the listener and encourages the redeemed. Congregationally this song may not be a go to for a lot of you. As much as I love the track I would say this would only work for certain congregations with certain instrumentation and musicianship. I would feel comfortable trying it with our college ministry but not with our larger church congregation. Feel it out and if it works for you, great! Once again, don’t be afraid to make your own version with acoustic guitars and or piano and maybe even a tempo change. Be creative!

The Solid Rock // Another upbeat song, The Dispatch has infused their indie rock flare onto the beloved classic hymn, The Solid Rock. Most of us, if not all of us, know and love these beloved lyrics. Since we are comfortable with and know the lyrics I will focus on the musical content here. Once again, I love the track but pulling it off, the recorded version at least, does require a good amount of skill and technicality. There is a driving piano riff for most of the song, overlaying electric guitar riffs, and a fairly complicated drum rhythm. If you feel your team is at this level and your congregation would appreciate a fresh upbeat take on a beloved favorite then by all means edify and feed your sheep. However if you have reservations, as always feel free to experiment with and strip it down. You may find yourself just doing your own version of this well loved hymn.

How Deep The Father’s Love //In true Mars Hill Music fashion, The Dispatch has taken yet another church favorite with great lyrics and put a new spin on it. While they could have taken this many different ways they decided to take this one acoustic. The song begins with finger-picking guitar riff and is then joined by a gently matching electric guitar. The song is led by female vocals and might be a good one to try with a lead female vocalist and let the band do their thing. Once again the musicianship in this song is fairly technical but not out of reach for even those who are less experienced. It is a beautiful rendition and might be good song to lead during a communion time or other reflection time in the service where the congregational can simply listen to the familiar lyrics and revel in the beauty of God’s love. As always, feel this our for your own context and don’t be afraid to stray from the recorded formula.

The more and more I hear the music coming from Mars Hill Church the more and more excited I become. They, along with many other churches, are sparking a resurgence in modern worship music, writing theologically sound lyrics and setting them to culturally relevant music. Please take the time to check this EP out and and it is our prayer that you can bless your congregation with these great songs.

Grace and Peace,

Miles Nelson