Campfire by Rend Collective Experiment

Put Mumford & Sons, Phillip Phillips, and a small dash of Third Day into a blender and you might come up with something like the latest album from Rend Collective Experiment. But that rather cynical description dismisses the Irish group’s originality and misses what’s at the heart of their mission and their charm—the desire for authentic worship and a love of good music. Campfire is a live, acoustic collection of some of their praise and worship songs recorded at a campfire on their favorite beach with friends and fellow worshipers singing along. The location and format give greater emphasis to the group’s folk leanings than their studio albums. Their cover of Matt Redman’s “10,000 Reasons” is a standout. Give it a few listens, and you’ll likely find yourself singing along too. (Integrity)