Courage

Description

Courage is a studio album by the British worship singer and songwriter Stuart Townend, self-released in September 2018, marketed and distributed by Integrity Music.

As we all know, Stuart has written some of the most popular of our modern worship songs and hymns («In Christ Alone») and new material from him has been eagerly awaited. The theme of his new album is “courage to face my own pain, to share my pain and to sit with the pain of others” and the standout track for me is «Keep You Here». It’s a beautiful acoustic number and is particularly moving as when it was being recorded with Stuart’s family, his brother Phil was dying of cancer. A song of affirmation in a dark place. The title track is Stuart’s response to death with powerfully honest, original lyrics and with Celtic touches, courtesy of Keith and Kirsten Getty, who collaborated with the veteran on several of the tracks here. «I Am Here For You» was co-written with daughter Emma and has some heartfelt and beautiful words about living with depression and anxiety. It is sung without affectation by Emma. These intensely personal testimonies are the core of the album and other, more praise-based songs I personally didn’t find as strong, although «Lead On, Lead On» is a brave attempt to re-work John Henry Newman’s «Lead, Kindly Light» hymn. [Stella Redburn, Cross Rhythms, March 2019]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/courage/1433903753)

CD tracklist:

01. How Shall I Sing That Majesty? – 4:05
02. May the Peoples Praise You – 4:30
03. How Good It Is to Sing (Psalm 147) – 3:55
04. Still, My Soul Be Still (feat. Kaz Barnett) – 5:28
05. I Am Here for You (feat. Emma Townend) – 3:12
06. Courage – 5:12
07. We Believe (Apostles’ Creed) – 4:49
08. Keep You Here (feat. Phil Townend) – 4:52
09. Lead On, Lead On (feat. Emma Townend) – 4:19
10. I Will Wait for You (Psalm 130) – 5:23
11. For the Cause – 4:23
12. Christ Be With Me (Prayer of St Patrick) – 3:26