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Songs For Little Rooms

Emu Music, $24.95

Reviewed by Joshua Maule

03 May 2010

12:00pm Monday, 3rd May 2010

What are the ingredients required for heartfelt praise of God? Electrified equipment? Sub-woofers? Packed out stadiums? Such would suggest hundreds of Australian churches lack real praise. From the tiny country parishes, to the freshly dreamed-up church plants still gathering their first members - small churches exist for reasons all and sundry.

'Bigger is better' is not an assumption Emu Music wants to make. That's why the Aussie label has just released Songs For Little Rooms, a live recording showing church music can have heart and soul in a congregation smaller than 1500. Or 30, for that matter.

The 10 track release features some previously released tracks (New Song In My Heart, Never Alone, Nothing But the Blood) as well as some that, as far as Eternity is aware, have not seen the light of day until now (Perfect But Painful, Father's World, Where Are The Words).

If you're anything like me you'll baulk at the fact that already-released Emu tracks are being released again. Surely there are enough new songs being written that this isn't necessary? But you'll be glad to know the band - who can be seen as well as heard on the accompanying DVD - breathe fresh life into the old tracks with their stripped back, lounge room feel.

Perfect But Painful, written last year by Greg Cooper (Garage Hymnal), is an honest track about the suffering Christ went through on our behalf. It's a gritty reminder that straining for perfection this side of heaven always comes with heartache.

Another new track Where Are The Words by Mark Peterson is about the struggle we face when trying to adore God. It's the idea that our words fail to deliver the praise God deserves; a lovely concept, tainted by the cheesy duet in the middle chorus.

The band also does a version of Father's World, written by Maltbie D. Babcock in the 19th century, which brims with majestic worship of the living God for his wonder-filled earth teeming with beautiful things. It brings-out the simple elements of creation, and honours God for them. It's sung magnificently by Alanna Rodgers.

So, did Emu achieve their goal? Mostly, yes.

While some little churches will see the band's set up and conclude it is anything but pared-back, the two disc album is a decent training tool with usable ideas for small and large churches alike. It is a welcome antidote to the blast-their-heads-off philosophy found in many churches: little can be lovely.