Musically in the church, we are in what many are referring to as a “hymns resurgence.” Many modern artists are reworking familiar hymns and also focusing on sometimes rarely-heard hymns with new arrangements to give them a wider audience. Jars of Clay and Ashley Cleveland have done albums of hymns as have the various artists of Passion. The Indelible Grace discs have come to feature some big name artists as well. The result has been a renewed focus on deep theological truth at the center of worship set to accessible music. All the while, Red Mountain Church of Birmingham, AL has been turning out a steady stream of albums as good, if not better than anything you’ll hear from all of these other hymn-remakers. The Red Mountain Music website explains:

Our particular focus is arranging new music for all-but-forgotten hymn texts. We are excited to be a part of a hymn re-write movement that is truly resurrecting hymns for the church nationwide.

Under the direction of Brian T. Murphy, Red Mountain Church has now released four full-length albums and one E.P. Their newest is titled This Breaks My Heart of Stone and is possibly the strongest outing to date from an already stellar catalog. Red Mountain Church (RMC hereafter) has had a healthy obsession on reworking hymns particularly from the William Gadsby and Murphy says of this release:

Our Gadsby Hymnal obsession lives on, and for this record, we worked with 9 more songs from “Gadsby’s Hymns”. We also branched out a little and spent some time working with William William’s texts, which are not found in the Gadsby. We felt like two of his songs fit the collection for this record, and we decided to include them.

Murphy also adds:

It is important to note that every song on this record was written or co-written by our friend, and fabulous Texan, Benj Pocta. We met Benj the same way everyone meets these days - on the internet, and before long we were sending demos back and forth. Benj traveled to Birmingham several times to write, write some more, and ultimately record this record with us.

I don’t know who Benj Pocta is, but I appreciate his influence. RMC releases have always been strong, but Pocta’s presence seems to have added a depth and consistency that makes this album, at least for me, stand out as a significant step forward. Pocta’s banjo adds a layer of warmth, particularly on the opening track “This Breaks My Heart of Stone.” Everything comes together on this track, building on Daniel Lanois-like shimmers of rever with banjo accompaniment and even electronic flourishes while we meditate on the wonder that truly is salvation. God, indeed, breaking our hearts of stone. Each element is restrained and well-placed. This is by far my favorite Red Mountain track and that’s saying a lot.

The album remains consistent yet varied enough to hold one’s attention. Rooted in Americana and what some might call folk-rock, the lyrics (and their theological truths) are always at the forefront. Yet the music is not just an afterthought. The music is rich and warm andoften features subtle layers of reverb and keyboards to add depth.

“Melt My Soul To Love” draws from Southern plantation gospel chants with its claps and stomps while “Jesus’ Gracious Hand” is straight-ahead country. Yet these diversions add depth rather than distract and they help to build a consistent whole rather than seeming as mere experiments. Each is performed consistently and passionately. The theme of the overwhelming goodness of God’s mercy runs throughout, which means that we are confronted, not just with God’s goodness but our desperate need for His grace, themes which seem to be all but forgotten in many modern songs.

Had I heard this album even just weeks earlier, it surely would have been one of my favorites of 2007. As it stands, it’s already one of my favorite discoveries of 2008.

• Visit the official Red Mountain Music website