Here’s another entry into the older hymns, new tunes camp – (a camp I absolutely love and found incredibly valuable to the church). You can download this album for free for a limited time (another thing I absolutely love). A brief first listen is very positive – the songs have a little bit of an (electric) edge to them – this would be in contrast to Indelible Grace/Red Mountain Church style.
From the website:
Page CXVI is a project started with the idea of making hymns accessible and known again.They are some of the richest, most meaningful, and moving pieces of music ever written.
Here are the hymns included on this album:
Come Thou Fount
In Christ Alone (actually a new hymn and one of my favorites; new hymns are also needed in the church)
My Jesus I Love Thee
When I Survey The Wondrous Cross
Nothing But the Blood
Solid Rock
Joy
(HT: Between Two Worlds)
Help My Unbelief 
Posted by Ed Eubanks on March 13, 2009 at 11:26 pm
I say, “meh.”
Hey, I’m all for new tunes where they are needed. And I love many of the new hymns that are coming (or have come) into popularity.
Since when does “Come Thou Fount” need re-writing? Maybe if your worship style is a candidate for the Christian Guitar Hero game. But if your congregation is anything like mine– in other words, like 90% or better of all the churches out there– and you have only a pianist for accompaniment, your best bet is to stick with the traditional tunes for many of the above.
Posted by Joel on March 16, 2009 at 10:58 am
While I love old hymns and new music, I’d be interested to see these type of “projects” branch out more. I don’t think we need any more versions of Come Thou Fount, Nothing But the Blood, or My Jesus I Love Thee. They are great songs/hymns, but they are very, very frequently on these “old hymn, new tune” compilations (Jars of Clay, Indelible Grace, Matthew Smith, Nathan Clark George, Red Mountain Church, and even Sufjan Stevens, etc. all have versions of one or more of these songs).
Posted by Adam on March 16, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Ed & Joel…I agree with you both. I’m just a sucker for free music and I do like the electric vibe, but absolutely agree that it won’t help most churches.
We also need new hymns to be written and find their way into the church. Some of this is being done, but I would love to see more.
Posted by New Music: The Autumn Film « Help My Unbelief on March 17, 2009 at 10:38 am
[…] I discovered The Autumn Film after poking around the Backstage site after I downloaded the Page XVI hymns that I blogged about last week (just a few posts down). After listening to the free four song EP, I also downloaded their […]