One Worship, Vol. 2

Personnel: Kiki Duenas (guitar); Nadira Bailey (violin); Pablo Aguirre (piano, keyboards); Taylor O'Connor (Hammond b-3 organ); Henry Melcher (keyboards); Nate Morton (drums).
Audio Mixer: Benny Faccone.
Audio Remasterer: Mike Purcell.
Recording information: Farias Productions; I-58 Studio, Westlake Village, CA; Legends Studio, Burbank, CA; Mucho Fruto Studios, Porter Ranch, CA; Ndahouse Studio; Steakhouse Studio, North Hollywood, CA.
Photographer: Shaughn Crawford.
Arranger: Pablo Aguirre.
Coming out of the In His Presence Church in Los Angeles, California, One Worship deal in the same big worship music as Hillsong, but you can't use Coldplay or U2 as the easy pop touchstones here. The secular mix to compare to Pastor Debra Arnott's group might include Sarah McLachlan, Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, and even Gloria Estefan, but CCM artists like Chris Tomlin, Meredith Andrews, and Britt Nicole are closer in sound, especially if you back any of the above with a high-power choir. Check the opening "I Believe" for a polished and posh example, or the more upfront and immediate "Invitation," an organic and humble showcase for Arnott the singer/songwriter. Special guest Shelia E. helps deliver the Latin-flavored highlight "I Will," while Yanni associate Pablo Eustache supports the worship number "My First Love" with an exotic flute improvisation. With so many styles, a possible complaint is that One Worship are hard to define here, but everything is executed with style, skill, and grace, so embrace the ambition and talent while resisting the urge to pigeonhole. ~ David Jeffries