Review – Zac Hicks and “The Glad Sound”

For anyone who ever thought that uplifting worship music in a pop/rock vein wasn’t a perfect companion for rich hymnody well…you’ve just never stumbled across the debut CD from Zac Hicks and Cherry Creek Presbyterian “The Glad Sound”.

This was certainly proved true as I read through some of the recent reviews on Itunes.

“Surprised how much in your face rock there is on this album”
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This music ROCKS! These lyrics encourage you to praise with your mind as well as your heart. The deep texts supported by the incredible, modern sound, truly gladdens the heart. “The Glad Sound” is an intense album of worship that will please both the intellectual hymn reader and the rockin’ worshipper.

And I totally agree!! I’ve been listening to this album now for a couple of months and I’m still shocked at how well these songs serve the rich hymn texts.

Zac Hicks, who wrote and produced this album leads worship and serve’s as an assistant pastor at Cherry Creek Pres.  I met Zac a couple of years ago when he stumbled across my Shorter Catechism CD.  Ever since we’ve been trading songs and resources as musicians who help pastor churches as well.  As I’ve gotten to know Zac it has been awesome to see his passion to reach and connect two worlds that up to now have been at best distant cousins twice-removed…the modern worship movement (Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, etc) and traditional hymnody.    This album speaks to his enduring passion and skill to bring together the best of both worlds.   You can read more about the Hymns Movement at Zac’s website.

Below is the tracklist, and underneath that the lyrics to one of my favorite’s on the CD with links to a video demo and a leadsheet.  I hope you check it out!

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“The Glad Sound” – listen and purchase HERE

Track List
Hark, The Glad Sound!
Arise, My Soul, My Joyful Powers
We Have Come (Come, We That Love The Lord)
Bread Of The World In Mercy Broken
Lo! He Comes With Clouds Descending
What Offering Shall We Give?
Psalm 76 (God Is Known Among His People)
Christ The Lord Is Risen Today
All Ye Gentile Lands Awake
There Is Room
Light After Darkness

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Arise, My Soul, My Joyful Powers
demo | leadsheet

Arise, My Soul, My Joyful Powers

And triumph in my God;

Awake, my voice, and loud proclaim

His glorious grace abroad.

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He raised me from the deeps of sin,

The gates of gaping hell,

And fixed my standing more secure

Than ’twas before I fell.

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Chorus:

Arise, my soul; awake, my voice,

And tunes of pleasure sing;

Loud hallelujahs shall address

My Savior and my King.

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The arms of everlasting love

Beneath my soul He placed;

And on the Rock of ages set

My slippery footsteps fast.

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The city of my blessed abode

Is walled around with grace,

Salvation for a bulwark stands

To shield the sacred place.
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words: Isaac Watts, 1707-9
music: Zac Hicks, 2009
(c) 2009 Unbudding Fig Music (ASCAP)