Album Review :
Community - All For Love, All For The Gospel

Artist: Community
Title: All For Love, All For The Gospel
Label: Unsigned
Release Date: 10/9/2010
Reviewer: Jeremiah

Tracklisting:

1.  What You Offer Us
2.  Oh Sleeping Child…
3.  …Wake Up And Love…
4.  …He Who Is Worthy
5.  Sons And Serpents…
6.  …Love Will Win…
7.  …So Tear Down These Walls
8.  It Burns The Soul
9.  Love You In The Least Of These
10.  Someday We’ll See…
11.  …Grace Is Fully Ours

Community was founded by Brett Baggett after he had a vision from God to use his talents to bless others.  That God wanted him to do music but not on his own.  This is how Community was started as a way to worship God through not only songs but through loving others in the process.  To give people the gospel of Jesus Christ and to share how He’s changed their lives.  Half of all the money they receive through donations, t-shirt sales, etc. they give back to the needy.  All of their releases are available for free download with the ability to donate if you feel lead.

The songs of their new full length “All For Love, All For The Gospel” will grab at your inner spirit with sincere and honest lyrics.  This is evident in songs like “…He Who Is Worthy” whose chorus says All of our offerings are vain, If loves not the one that’s healing the pain, If all of our sins washed away, What’s the point of the grace that’s not changing our ways and on “…Love Will Win…” And we rejoice when you say that we’re better off another way, Because our hands have bled for far too long while we masquerade, And I rejoice when I am weak, Because you’re the only strength I’ll ever need, And the only good inside of me is because of your grace and on “Love You In The Lease Of These” Spirit wake me up, Because my flesh is fading away, And the gospel needs proclaimed. They also offer a fresh approach to a very watered down worship market.  “Oh Sleeping Child…” starts with an euro pop beat that blossoms into an experimental rock number.  “Son And Serpents…” flirts with a little bit of screamo.  “…So Tear Down…” is chill with chilling keys toward the end.  I really liked the synths on “It Burns The Soul…”.  And on the ending “…Grace Is Fully Ours” delightful ambiance floats throughout.

I really like this album but there’s one problem I have with it and that is the production.  The production isn’t terrible but it’s still a hindrance in certain spots throughout the album.  So much that it can be a distraction from the overall listening enjoyment that this album is.

Overall: This is a solid album from a very solid dude working along with a lot of other solid people worshiping God through music and their loving actions.  This is definitely a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of its contemporaries.  Down the road I hope this entire album can be recorded over again because there are some great songs on here that could be phenomenal with a bigger budgeted recording.  As it stands though this is an excellent ministry that offers their music for free.  I encourage all that feel lead to donate to help continue their ministry.