Review Detail
With Broken Fists - Aaron Neiquist
Aaron Neiquist
WL Quick Tip: The song "Changed" is on Song DISCovery 72, and the rest of the tracks are equally able to find their way to your church's set list."With Brokeness in broken fists we beat upon the breast of falleness." What? You just don't get that kind of poetry in worship music these days. Aaron Niequist has trampled the industry's definition of worship songs. With Broken Fists is a collection of well-crafted cries of a people reaching out to a God that is intimately present. In 2007, Niequist left his position as the worship leader at Mars Hill (the one in Michigan with pastor Rob Bell), though Niequist says the songs on With Broken Fists were written for that specific worshiping community.
So as songs for your service of worship, you have to think about cracking the verse-pre-chours-chorus mold and get a little open-minded with your sequencing (but Hillsong United and Crowder's band have been teaching our congregations to sing that way for years). Then you have to get a little used to Niequist's vocal tone (a little nasally in a Jon Foreman meets Phil Wickham way). But that's how we like our indie pipes, it makes them stand out from among the mob. So built on gospel and congregational structures that are piano driven, Niequist is able to broaden the musical range and incorporate bluegrass choruses and choral supports while also juxtaposing banjos, cellos and tubas to create that elegant unity only available with a little courage to experiment. Then to bring the crescendo to the whole, the songs reflect a kingdom theology that pursues action and underscores a heart for the poor. Need I say more?
aaronniequist.com
