Album review: The Shack Soundtrack
Time for my weekly album review and this week my wife picked for me, it is another soundtrack from the film The Shack. I am keeping to just doing the soundtrack this week as we haven't gotten round to re-watching the film yet, however I will say the film is amazing and based on an incredible book, so you can imagine the expectations for the soundtrack were pretty high and it definitely delivered.
The album was released in February 2017 and had modest success in the US, peaking at number 40 but did not chart anywhere else, this is fairly surprising considering the people who feature on the album. The soundtrack is primarily christian music with a lot of country music artist contributing.
I absolutely love this collection of songs, most of which were written for or inspired by the film, they capture the feel of the story line perfectly. It is always refreshing to see the soundtrack to a Christian film containing several Christian artists like Skillet, Hillsong UNITED and NEEDTOBREATHE alongside several artists who don't usually do Christian music like Kelly Clarkson, Lady Antebellum and Dan + Shay. The songs cover many themes that feature within the film, including loss, lacking in faith, re-finding faith, strengthening faith and trusting God.
My favourite song on the album is Stars (The Shack Version) by Skillet, this won't be a surprise to anyone who read my review of Skillet's most recent album where I mentioned that the original version of Stars is my favourite Skillet song. This is an acoustic version of the song which carries the same power and feel as the original but really accentuates John Cooper and Jen Ledger's voices by having less around them, allowing you to really focus on their voices and what they are singing even more. I absolutely love the original and this version definitely equals the original, which is rare for me often a new version on a song is better or worse which makes this more powerful. With regards to how this fits with the film the focus of God holding and having power over everything is the overall realisation and brings trust in God back to the lead character.
Honourable mentions for this album got to Keep Your Eyes On Me by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill and Phone Call To God by Brett Eldredge. Firstly then Keep Your Eyes On Me is an amazing duet by the husband and wife team of Tim and Faith, when I saw this was happening I got very excited as duets i'd heard previously were really good and they have since done a collaborative album which I absolutely love, this is no exception. Their voices blend perfectly and you can clearly hear the chemistry they have after 24 years of marriage. The song itself is from God's point of view that through everything God is still faithful and by having faith in him you will get through, no matter how hard it may be. Next Phone Call To God, I've always liked Brett's music and he has some really good songs, but this has elevated him to a new level. There is so much depth of emotion in his voice in this song which really makes you feel the despair he does. It is a metaphor for prayer in a way where he is on the phone to God asking a load of questions with no verbal response, much the same as prayer.
Now for the ratings of each song;
1. Dan + Shay - When I Pray For You 9/10
2. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill - Keep Your Eyes On Me 9.5/10
3. Lady Antebellum - Lay Our Flowers Down 9/10
4. Hillsong UNITED - Heaven Knows 6.5/10
5. Francesca Battistelli - Where Were You 8.5/10
6. Kelly Clarkson and Aloe Blacc - Love Goes On 8/10
7. Lecrae ft Breyan Isaac - River Of Jordan 8.5/10
8. NEEDTOBREATHE ft Lauren Daigle - Hard Love 8/10
9. Dierks Bentley - Days Of Dark 8.5/10
10. Brett Eldredge - Phone Call To God 9.5/10
11. Devin Dawson - Honest To God 9/10
12. Skillet - Stars (The Shack Version) 10/10
13. We Are Messengers - I'll Think About You 7.5/10
14. for KING & COUNTRY - Amazing Grace 7/10
I would love to know what you think of this soundtrack and even the film or book too.
If you don't yet have a copy of the soundtrack, film or book and would like one here is a handy link.
*affiliate link
I absolutely love this collection of songs, most of which were written for or inspired by the film, they capture the feel of the story line perfectly. It is always refreshing to see the soundtrack to a Christian film containing several Christian artists like Skillet, Hillsong UNITED and NEEDTOBREATHE alongside several artists who don't usually do Christian music like Kelly Clarkson, Lady Antebellum and Dan + Shay. The songs cover many themes that feature within the film, including loss, lacking in faith, re-finding faith, strengthening faith and trusting God.
My favourite song on the album is Stars (The Shack Version) by Skillet, this won't be a surprise to anyone who read my review of Skillet's most recent album where I mentioned that the original version of Stars is my favourite Skillet song. This is an acoustic version of the song which carries the same power and feel as the original but really accentuates John Cooper and Jen Ledger's voices by having less around them, allowing you to really focus on their voices and what they are singing even more. I absolutely love the original and this version definitely equals the original, which is rare for me often a new version on a song is better or worse which makes this more powerful. With regards to how this fits with the film the focus of God holding and having power over everything is the overall realisation and brings trust in God back to the lead character.
Honourable mentions for this album got to Keep Your Eyes On Me by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill and Phone Call To God by Brett Eldredge. Firstly then Keep Your Eyes On Me is an amazing duet by the husband and wife team of Tim and Faith, when I saw this was happening I got very excited as duets i'd heard previously were really good and they have since done a collaborative album which I absolutely love, this is no exception. Their voices blend perfectly and you can clearly hear the chemistry they have after 24 years of marriage. The song itself is from God's point of view that through everything God is still faithful and by having faith in him you will get through, no matter how hard it may be. Next Phone Call To God, I've always liked Brett's music and he has some really good songs, but this has elevated him to a new level. There is so much depth of emotion in his voice in this song which really makes you feel the despair he does. It is a metaphor for prayer in a way where he is on the phone to God asking a load of questions with no verbal response, much the same as prayer.
Now for the ratings of each song;
1. Dan + Shay - When I Pray For You 9/10
2. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill - Keep Your Eyes On Me 9.5/10
3. Lady Antebellum - Lay Our Flowers Down 9/10
4. Hillsong UNITED - Heaven Knows 6.5/10
5. Francesca Battistelli - Where Were You 8.5/10
6. Kelly Clarkson and Aloe Blacc - Love Goes On 8/10
7. Lecrae ft Breyan Isaac - River Of Jordan 8.5/10
8. NEEDTOBREATHE ft Lauren Daigle - Hard Love 8/10
9. Dierks Bentley - Days Of Dark 8.5/10
10. Brett Eldredge - Phone Call To God 9.5/10
11. Devin Dawson - Honest To God 9/10
12. Skillet - Stars (The Shack Version) 10/10
13. We Are Messengers - I'll Think About You 7.5/10
14. for KING & COUNTRY - Amazing Grace 7/10
I would love to know what you think of this soundtrack and even the film or book too.
If you don't yet have a copy of the soundtrack, film or book and would like one here is a handy link.
*affiliate link
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