Coming off as massive as ever, the 2012 edition of
Jesus Culture features
Derek Johnson, Mary Kat Ehrenzeller, Nate Ward, and
Justin Jarvis, a young quartet of worship leaders who bring a
Hillsong United-styled sound to the group. Check the majestic,
U2-esque opener, "Here We Are," for a taste, or better still, jump right to the album's key cut, Ehrenzeller's "Mighty Fortress," a tension-building number that comes with an unforgettable chorus. Ehrenzeller is also in charge of the almost eight-minute ballad "Who Can Compare," and as such, comes out as the leading star of the bunch, but
Johnson, Ward, and
Jarvis are all assets, pouring themselves into these
Coldplay-sized live performances and handling more of the songwriting than expected. Odd that "I Won't Settle" is chosen as the closer, as it doesn't reach the epic heights of some earlier material, but shuffling it back into the set is simple, making Emerging Voices an easy recommendation. ~ David Jeffries