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Alternative rock quintet Kutless has released an album of some sort continuously for just
about each of the past seven or eight years, and it seems that 2009 will end in the same fashion. To date, their most
popular release is their worship album, Strong Tower, and now the boys from Portland have released their second
rock worship offering, titled It Is Well. Will it garner the same record sales? Will it be accepted by fans of
multiple genres? Will it do justice to the wonderful God that we serve? Simply stated: yes.
It Is Well opens with the title track, a very unique rendition of one of the most popular classic hymns of
all time. The timeless words are the same of course, but the background music is updated and carries a more electronica
rock sound. Overall, the final product comes out nicely. The album itself covers some other wonderful praise songs like
“Hungry,” “God Of Wonders,” and “Remember Me,” but Kutless also has some of their own material on here too.
“You Are Everything” is a very nice praise song while ”I’m Still Yours” is absolutely beautiful. Mixing acoustic strings
and soft vocals together make this original a song for everyone's favorite list. The grouping of cover songs really
combines well with the ones written by the band members themselves.
There's not a lot that stands out as anything particularly different on It Is Well, but perhaps that was the
band's intent when putting together another worship album. Here it's all about placing the focus on a wonderful God through
making beautiful music, and Kutless has accomplished that in full. There are no tracks worth skipping, and I think that any
fan of Kutless, their Strong Tower release, or those who like the lighter side of rock-n-roll will definitely enjoy
this one.
- Review date: 10/16/09, written by Kevin Hoskins of Jesusfreakhideout.com
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Kutless has always seemed to be a band in conflict. They have the potential to be either a
rock band or a worship band. And so, they have elected to attempt both, alternating styles with releases.
Strong Tower, their first worship album, was a solid effort that their fans enjoyed for the most part.
And so the band's worship side has returned with It Is Well, another admirable effort. To put it briefly,
It Is Well is thoughtful, pleasantly melodic, and solid throughout. Unfortunately, it also borders on
uninspiring at times, such as the lackluster interpretation of "God Of Wonders." However, there is a nice mix of
original songs and well-known classics. A definite highlight is "Redeemer," a (unfortunately) short medley of
beloved Keith Green classics "Oh Lord, You're Beautiful" and "There Is A Redeemer." It is definitely nice to see
the band looking into the past for some much-loved songs. Other highlights include "What Faith Can Do" and a cover
of the familiar "Give Us Clean Hands." The album is certainly not groundbreaking or overly creative, but nobody
expects that anyway. It Is Well has just enough Kutless rock flair to keep it interesting, and it
ends up being entirely enjoyable.
- Timothy Estabrooks
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Record Label: BEC Recordings
