Rend Collective are becoming prolific. The Northern Irish worship band have released six albums in six years up to this point. Today, they unleash Campfire II: Simplicity.
As the title suggests, the album is a follow up to 2013's Campfire. That record was recorded around an actual campfire and the spirit of its acoustic sing-alongs is alive and well on the follow up.
A mixture of originals and covers means the album does sound like the sort of thing you'd sing around the campfire with a couple of guitars and some rudimentary percussion – well, you would if you were incredibly accomplished musicians and expert arrangers.
One highlight is their cover of the modern Hillsong classic Oceans. In the hands of Rend Collective the epic ballad becomes something more akin to a bluegrass stomp. They've breathed life into a track that's been overplayed on Christian radio and over sung in some churches. It's a treat.
Other gems include a version of their own song My Lighthouse – which bounces along with their signature irrepressible enthusiasm, and Your Royal Blood, which is a bit slower and includes a triumphant trumpet solo. Simplicity is another lovely track – more tender and with a plaintive tone which suits the band well.
There isn't a big musical departure here. The folk-pop style they've favoured since the first Campfire album carries on. Banjos and acoustic guitars dominate the sound. Those looking for more variety might be a bit disappointed – but keeping to the brief of the campfire sound would preclude the use of too much studio trickery or radical changes of musical direction. Simplicity is the subtitle of the album and that's what we get from it.
A few years ago, when they burst onto the scene with their debut album Homemade Worship For Handmade People, it seemed like Rend Collective might push the boundaries of worship music. In a way, that hasn't really happened – instead they've taken on a relentless touring and recording programme. Amidst this heavy schedule, the quality of their work has remained incredibly high. Yet, the initial promise of innovation and genre-bending hasn't quite materialised.
The band isn't without self-awareness. Recently their official Twitter account posted, 'Alternate album titles :"Campfire 2 : Revenge of the Banjo" or "Rend v Mumford: Clash of the pie-pans". Any other suggestions? #campfire2'
Hearing the band's idea for the album, it's difficult to argue with. "The church (like the fireside!) is for everyone," they say. "It's for the broken, the outsider, the hungry, the poor, the abandoned. For every wanderer still looking for a place to belong, these songs are for you."
On that basis, the album is a real success. These are songs which can be sung along to, whether you're actually around the campfire yourself, in church on a Sunday morning or going about your daily business.
