Album Review :
Dave Hunt - You're The Light EP

Artist: Dave Hunt
Title: You’re The Light EP
Label: independent
Release Date: 5/29/12
Reviewer: Jonathan Andre

Tracklisting:

1. Everything I Need
2. Brought to Life
3. God, You Are My God
4. Only Want to Live
5. Forever Reign (Live at Crossroad)

Independent artist Dave Hunt has achieved many milestones when it comes to his musical career. Worship-leading for more than ten years, Dave is also a ‘…student minister, a university minister, a worship pastor, and helped plant two churches. He’s led worship at all sorts of gatherings from Passion Conferences to weekly college worship gatherings…[he’s also] been nominated for a Dove award, [and] has a cut on Casting Crowns’ Lifesong…’ Stumbling across his iTunes digital EP You’re the Light a few months back, I was impressed at how polished and crisp his sound was (and how come he’s not signed yet?). With 5 songs (3 originals and 2 covers), Dave’s running theme of God the provider of our needs is evident through each track, as the listeners delves into the worshipful moments as Dave cries out to the Father, proclaiming that ‘…from the dawn of time You reign, til the end of days, You’re the God who saves…’ (‘God, You are My God’). With musical leanings to other worship leaders like Chris Tomlin and Desperation Band, Dave Hunt’s EP is quality out of left field, as I am left with a yearning for more, anticipating another album in the future.

‘Everything I Need’ starts off the EP with an explosive guitar introduction as we are introduced to the fact that even in some circumstances we can feel like there’s no way out, God is with us, ‘…[shining] in the darkness, You’re the hope that’s rising from the deep…’ With a ingenious melodic hook filled with strong percussion and simple guitar chords (C, F, G, Am); Dave brings out the best in the song as we are met with hope and assertion that Christ is everything that we need in our lives, bringing us comfort in the midst of our trials. ‘Brought to Life’ also follows on from this theme that Christ within us enhances our lives through His Spirit; that once we fully grasp the life-giving gift God offers to us, we can proclaim that ‘…I’m alive, I’m set free…You’re the light that shines in me…’ Filled with a strong percussion and electronic looping beat, as well as a strong guitar and a great vocal, Dave creates a worshipful declaration, with listeners individually and corporately coming together to praise the God who ‘…raised me up, by grace I’m found alive in Your love…’ Well done Dave for these two songs, both doing a dramatically good job to set the heart in alignment with Christ as we are continuously overwhelmed at what He has done for us!

The remainder 3 songs echo what the last two have been proclaiming; sometimes even more so as Dave shares his heartfelt melody, ‘Only Want to Live’. With a musical backbone of a keyboard and a soft drum, Dave shares his heart of longing to come back to Jesus, where ‘…Your grace it floods like the sea, Your love poured out, it pardons me…’ Throughout his album, his continuous focus is about Christ, and what He accomplished for humanity to reconnect with the Father; with ‘Only Want to Live’ creating a yearning in Dave (and also the listeners) that our soul can never be satisfied unless we seek after God. Both ‘Forever Reign’ and ‘God, You are My God’ are both covers, originally recorded by Hillsong and Desperation Band respectively. With both songs staying true to the originals, it is in my listening of ‘God, You are My God’ that I gained more appreciation of its meaning, and how through the lyrical ‘simplicity’, ‘…God You are my God, glorious…’ communicates volumes as we are met with a glorious God, and humbled with the truth that ‘…no praise can define You…’ Played in a more acoustical setting accentuating the vocal ability and the humbleness and poignancy of the lyrics, ‘God, You are My God’ is one of my favourite worship songs of late. And now who doesn’t know ‘Forever Reign’? Covered by many artists including Kimber Rising and Newsboys, ‘Forever Reign’, played almost exactly like Hillsong’s live version (this version also recorded live!), showcases all that is great in a worship song- reminding us everything that He is and everything that we are not. Because as we understand our own weaknesses and His ultimate strengths, we can rely on the God of creation for every need, proclaiming His worth to the world as with sing out ‘…light of the world, forever reign…’ Well done Dave for this emotional album!

Overall: As I concluded Dave’s EP, I was impressed at how much I was able to enjoy the songs, and (especially with the covers), not worry that he wasn’t any ‘prominent’ artist. On the contrary, his recording of ‘God, You are My God’ may even better Desperation Band’s live version on Center of it All! The 5 melodies on You’re the Light are a certain purchase if you want to enjoy good quality worship music, akin to similar artists like Hillsong or Desperation Band. Thanks Dave for this truly worshipful experience!

RIYL: Hillsong, Desperation Band, One Sonic Society, Passion

Buy the Album: iTunes/Amazon mp3