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Band: The Waiting Kind

Title: In The Land Of Hope

Label: N/A

Release Date: May 2009

Review By: Scott L

Tracklisting:

1. Hope Arise
2. Resound
3. I See Love
4. Over And Over
5. Sing, Shout, Dance
6. Redemption Song
7. Innocent Blood
8. Highest Of Heights
9. For The World
10. In Wonder
11. Come

My office looks out onto the convergence of four paved walking paths near a park and a lagoon. Even though the days are growing colder, the paths are still well traveled. The most common sight I get when I look up from my computer screen is of people carrying small orange bags. No, not AT&T bags. Believe me, what’s in these bags is definitely not a new Blackberry. These people are walking their dogs along the paths… and in those orange plastic bags are the results of Fido’s most recent pit stop. I was thinking about this and about how humanity is a lot like these people, because so many people go through life , day after weary day, carrying unimaginably nasty burdens. And this is why the gospel is so amazing… Jesus’ words were, “Come unto me all that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. This is the hope that The Waiting Kind offers to the lost and weary listener in their aptly titled CD, “In The Land Of Hope”… the hope of burdens lifted and souls set free.

The Waiting Kind is a 4-piece from Boise, Idaho that plays a modern brand of worship similar to bands like Ascend The Hill, The Red Airplanes, and The Glorious Unseen. More along the lines of alt-worship than CCM-friendly bands like Telecast or Starfield, if you’re looking for some new music that glorifies God and still maintains it’s indie edge, The Waiting Kind should be your next musical investment.

Just shy of 50 minutes, there wasn’t a single dud on this disc. The standout tracks on this one were kinda tricky. Worship oriented music by it’s very nature speaks as much to the heart as it does to the ear. Hopefully more so. I liked all of the songs on the CD, but the two that really spoke the most to me personally were “In Wonder” and “Over And Over”. Both are just phenomenal songs. Particularly, “In Wonder”. I’m not one to gauge worship as a purely emotional experience… but if you’re not touched by this song you probably need to get saved.

One of the things that I found the most enjoyable about The Waiting Kind’s CD was the freshness that they infuse into the majority of their songs. Sure there are a couple that are sort of business as usual, like “Sing, Shout, Dance”, but for the most part the songs are fresh and alive… and really succeed in capturing the intimacy of worship. Am I the only guy that’s tired of the current CCM worship machine? Anyway, don’t get me started on that… I’m liable to say something I’ll regret about industry poster boy little Davy Crowder… and nobody wants that.

Since you’ve read this far, you’ve probably got a pretty good idea where these guys are going to be lyrically. And you’re right. The songs here are all about glorifying God and calling others to do the same. They deal with the awe and wonder of God. God’s sovereignty. God’s love and grace. All in such a way as to inspire the listener to join in and worship as well.

The Waiting Kind’s myspace describes the band as a “progressive worship band that has a passion for seeing young, old, broken, and restored people touched by God’s presence in music. We believe in the power of ‘waiting’… for the moment when our brokenness is met with God’s redemption. As we wait… he hears and responds to our voice. ‘…yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary…’ Isaiah 40:31. We believe strongly that there is a power to waiting on the Lord in worship… the strength that comes in this setting is unlike any other grace we have come to know. We pray that this is a sound that not only mirrors our love for what our Savior has done… but a sound that captures the heart of Him who first loved us.”

Overall: If we were under the old rating system, this CD would have scored a 9.5/10. I really wrestled with whether I should go with a 9 or a 10 on this one. I’ve never given a 10 yet, but this is about as close as I’ve come. The Waiting Kind’s “In The Land Of Hope” is a beautifully crafted glimpse into the band’s heart for God. If there was a required listening category for believers, I’d put The Waiting Kind in it. It really is that good. This CD will be logging time in my house, car and iPod for a long time. And it should be logging time in yours as well. You can’t miss with this one.

www.myspace.com/thewaitingkind

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