After hundreds of hours of preparation, our newest album, From Age to Age, is finally available. It’s a collection of 14 songs (15 if you count the instrumental prelude), that were inspired by or drawn from the great hymn writers of the past.
Here’s how we described the album in the liner notes:
How does one define a hymn?
It’s hard to say, but most hymns are characterized by theologically rich lyrics, symmetrical rhythmic patterns in the verse lyrics, and a tune that congregations find easy to sing. At the heart of hymn-writing is a desire to create a song that will endure for generations.
Inspired by the hymn writers of the past, we’ve written 14 new hymns for this album. Some songs are old hymn lyrics set to new tunes. For others, we used the thematic structure of a hymn as the basis for an entirely new song.
And in some cases we’ve written completely new hymns that attempt to communicate the inexhaustible riches of God’s word and the Gospel through the simple elements of words and melodies.
Above each lyric, different songwriters have shared thoughts on the background or meaning of the song. We hope you enjoy their stories. More importantly, we hope these songs open your heart and mind to the song that never changes from age to age: the song of the redeemed to their matchless Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
Since the early 90s, this makes our 36th album. We produced around 16 Song Service tapes and a few albums before that, but who’s counting? Here’s what excites me about our newest release.
1. While our albums are never short on lyrics, I think this may be one of our richest projects yet, theologically speaking. Just a few songs are of the “2 verse and a chorus” format, and eleven of them have 3 or more verses. We don’t think long songs are better. We just believe the glories of God’s word, works, and worthiness stretch the boundaries of our ability to express them. A thousand tongues will never be enough.
2. We produced the album in-house. I’m grateful for my good friend Sal Oliveri from Nashville, who produced seven of our more recent albums and helped us grow in our sound and direction, musically speaking. But last year Steve Cook came on staff again at Sovereign Grace, and under his leadership we’ve produced albums that are more representative of what our musicians are doing, starting with The Gathering: Live from WorshipGod11, and now including From Age to Age.
3. I’m grateful to God for three guys from Enfield – David Zimmer, Ryan Foglesong, and Wil Pearce – who along with Joel Sczebel, came up with most of the arrangement ideas on the album. People who have heard From Age to Age have mentioned it sounds different from previous Sovereign Grace albums. There are more ambient guitar beds, creative elements, and indie-sounding tracks. Joel Sczebel said even his friends like it. Can there be higher praise?
4. Along with some great vocalists featured on previous Sovereign Grace recordings – Meghan Baird, Erin Hill, Dale Bischof, and Devon Kauflin – we added the vocal talents of Sojourn Music’s Brooks Ritter on three tracks. Brooks flew in for about 3 and a half hours and blessed us not only with his gifts, but his joyful, humble attitude.. His vocal chops instantly add more soul to any project.
5. The album includes 4 songs written by guys who have served as interns with Ken Boer and me: Joel Sczebel, Zach Sprowls, Eric McAllister, and Matt Richley. It’s a joy to see guys we’ve worked with bearing fruit. I also co-wrote a song with my admin/daughter, Brittany, called Immovable Our Hope Remains. That was sweet.
6. Back in 2008 we produced Come Weary Saints, designed to remind us of our hope in Christ even in the midst of trials. From Age to Age has the same effect. As I’ve listened to the songs (and I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve done that), my heart has been directed to themes like God’s sovereignty, his goodness, sufficiency, and power, the glory of the gospel, the return of Christ, God’s unchanging character, and his never-failing love.
Well, enough about my thoughts on the album. Take a listen yourself and let me know what you think.
You can sample the songs on the cool new Sovereign Grace website, and sample/download the album from iTunes ($9.99), Amazon ($7.99), or Bandcamp ($9.00). We’ll be adding the physical CD from our store shortly.
And yes, free charts, lead sheets, and piano scores are coming soon. Thanks for your patience…
Will the CD be available at T4G?
Shanyl, yes, From Age to Age will be available at the Together for the Gospel conference. Thanks for asking!
CD sounds great, Bob. Fun to hear the influence of the guys I know well. Really outstanding vocalists.
Thanks for giving it a listen, Brian! Yeah, the Enfield guys are pretty amazing, and very pleased with the vocals on this album.
“Above each lyric, different songwriters have shared thoughts on the background or meaning of the song. We hope you enjoy their stories.” Are these stories posted online somewhere on http://www.sovereigngracemusic.org? I would like to read them!
Scott, the writer’s thoughts are pisted on the Bandcamp pages.
Bob, thanks for the work you and the people of Sovereign Grace put into making this recording. I enjoyed getting to sing a few of the songs at T4G. Also, getting to talk to you was a blessing. Keep up the great work!
Been listening over the last couple of days.
The pre-order link worked fine.
I can see the work that’s gone into the lyrics.
They seem substantial but accessible.
…and Bob, the ‘cover’ image is delightful.
Please pass on my appreciation to whoever was involved in its production.
I downloaded “From Age to Age” on the day that it released, and I have truly been blessed by all the songs, especially “O My Soul, Arise”, “Glorious Christ”, and “Mighty Fortress”. The vocalists and musicians are wonderful, and I really liked the use of electric guitar and brass instruments on this album. As a pianist, I especially love the beautiful keyboard work. By listening to how the keyboards are used in the various songs, I am learning how to better improve my own playing. As always, I appreciate the care that is taken to choose melodies and rhythms that fit the words and allow the lyrics to shine. By the way, I also really enjoyed the acoustic version of “Glorious Christ” that you posted earlier. Is the audio version of this available anywhere?
I am the pianist at a small church and have been greatly blessed, encouraged and challenged by your book, “Worship Matters”, and by the many resources that you make available on your web site. Coming from a more classical background that emphasized reading music, I have especially benefited from your series, “The Piano in Contemporary Worship”.
Over the years God has used the music of Sovereign Grace to help me continue to seek and set my mind on things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Many times God has used certain songs to bring peace during times of worry and fear, and your music has given me new words and melodies with which to sing and make melody in my heart to the Lord.
I thank God for your ministry to the body of Christ. May He continue to bless you and your ministry.
Hi Bob, Thanks yet again for another great CD. My husband picked one up for me at T4G in Louisville this week. Love the second song “Great things”. Can I please request that all those fast changing chords after the chorus and else where, be put in the soon to be coming chord charts? Many times chord charts leave out so many important details, that is why I usually listen to the songs to fill in those left out details. But dang, those chords are so fast moving that I can’t get them all and not sure if it’s just the bass line that is doing all the changes. Would so appreciate it. Love this new sound and all the finger pickin.
Great. Could you email when the lead sheets are available? There are some wonderful tunes on this album. We already sing a few SG songs at my two locations, but I’m excited about introducing some of these. Wow. Great stuff.
We plan to post the lead sheets on the Sovereign Grace Music site next week. Thanks!
Bob i have LOVED listening to this CD. Such amazing words…and really great production too. We’ve already started thinking about how and when we can introduce these songs to our congregation.
Thanks so much.
Daniel, thanks for your encouraging words! Loved working on this album. JOel Sczebel and the guys from Enfield did a fantastic job on arranging.
Bob et al,
I know how challenging such a project is, but you have succeeded. The album is excellent, truly excellent.Christ is exalted by music, lyrics, performance and production.
Thankyou.
Bob,
Welcome to Louisville! Wonderful news!
Barry
Thanks for making the acoustic version of Glorious Christ available as a free download. I love this version just as much as the album version. Listening to these songs every day has been such a blessing to me and has helped me focus on our glorious Savior and the blessings that are ours in Him.
I love “Nothing That My Hands Can Do.” Looking forward to accessing the lead sheets for this great “new oldie.”
Kendall, you can find it here: http://sovereigngracemusic.org/Songs/Nothing_That_My_Hands_Can_Do/33
I’d like Meghan Baird to know what a vocal inspiration she has been to me and many other young women. I know she’s probably very humble and would thank the Lord for her gift and point all praise back to him. But I also wanted to note how sincere she is in worship (watched her perform from WorshipGod11 on youtube) in a way that is undistracting and very encouraging. God is obviously at work in her and it’s blessing many to his glory.
Bob, if there’s any way for you to pass on the message to Meghan, thanks. :)
I will do that, Clarice! Thanks for your encouraging words!
Great Project. Awesome
I love the title “Age to age”… for me it shows God’s goodness and faithfulness! Great job! God bless!!!
This album is touching our church in a mighty way. We’ve already done “Our Song from Age to Age” and “How Great You Are” as special music, with “O My Soul, Arise”, “Nothing That My Hands Can Do”, “Father, How Sweet”, and “Immovable Our Hope Remains” on the way (and potentially even more).
This is in addition to songs already used or in steady rotation, such as “All I Have Is Christ”, “Behold Our God (Who has held the oceans)”, “Blessed Is the One”, “Completely Done”, “Greater Than We Can Imagine”, “Hallelujah What a Savior”, “His Name is Jesus”, “I Will Glory in My Redeemer”, “Let Your Kingdom Come”, “Out of the Depths”, “The Lord Is”, & “What A Savior”.
Sovereign Grace Music is a huge blessing to our church. Thank you for everything you do – all glory to God!
Is there any chance that piano music for “From Age To Age” will be available soon?
Dave, thanks for your encouragement! The piano music will be available soon, Lord willing!