Matthew Browne
Woodstock, Georgia, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
There is a romantic quality to Matthew Browne's "In the Winepress" its breezy guitar riffs and sweet keyboard twinkles. Browne writes with a sharp pen, never settling for tried and true tropes that permeate most Christian Contemporary releases. Each story plays more like a carefully crafted love letter than a clichéd cut. The music itself is also atypical and the marriage between the lyrics’ literary content and high brow alternative rock moves makes the record extremely listenable. Ultimately, the whimsy feel and inventive storytelling are what make "In the Winepress" a success - a must for any Christian music fan tired of the same old. - Billboard Discoveries
Matthew is the teaching and worship pastor of Roswell Community Church, Georgia and this CD consists of songs he's written over the last few years along with a couple of re-worked traditional hymns. The title 'In The Winepress' hints at the honesty and earthiness of the songs; no praise clichés in sight. These songs are first and foremost about Jesus, his everlasting love and how he went through the winepress for us, and secondly about the real Christian life, with its highs and lows, attributing difficult times to God's winepress - "the divine pressure that God lays on our backs and our souls that feels like it will kill us but actually unleashes our potential. . . the winepress is the redemption story of humanity. A thing dies and then is reborn into something far more powerful, beautiful, complex." The songs cover times of elation, anger, reflection, intimacy, vulnerability, praise and thanksgiving and are thoroughly refreshing. Both musically and lyrically the style is very much a slightly electrified Fernando Ortega, and the musicianship, engineering and production is excellent, with an attractive sonic clarity. It's hard to pick out highlights as there is not a single duff track, but "Our God Is Alive" is particularly good, covering the fall, restoration and future of man all in one, and "Waiting" has some well crafted imagery from the prodigal son parable - "Run to me, cause I cannot run to you, hurry please, I am too ashamed to speak or move" and a poignant ending, "Take my dreams and fill my heart with yours. . . and you are gentle as a kiss and violent as a sword." - Cross Rhythms
Discography
"In The Winepress"
1. All That's Left
2. Waiting
3. Our God Is Alive
4. Hallelujah, What A Savior
5. All Things New
6. God Is In
7. Gladdening Light
8. I Am Yours
9. Bravery
10. Jesus, Thy Blood And Righteousness
Photos
Bio
Matthew Browne’s debut album, “In The Winepress,” is unique in its contrasts. His lyrics are at times uncomfortably honest but also lovingly poetic. Accompanied by music evoking both tranquility and tension, the combined effect of tones and words invites the listener to confront the realities of Jesus as our God, a God who reaches out to us in unending mercy and love.
Pushing boundaries and exploring new aspects of worship music, these tracks bravely echo both honesty and reverence at the same time. Void of the standard one line shallow rhymes, this album opens more questions about what it means to follow Jesus then it provides answers inviting the listener into the struggle. A sound that is perfect in it's imperfection, it feels as human as it does inspired. For anyone holding onto faith in the face of doubt, this beautiful picture of hope will be music for the journey.
Matthew’s efforts to avoid the historical cliches of “traditional Christian music” are successful, but he does not shy away from or water down theology. Part of the intent of this album is to open new artistic dimensions for Christian music but not every song pushes limits. The tension in “Our God Is Alive” is well balanced by the intimate ballad, “I Am Yours.” The sometimes uncomfortable honesty in “All That’s Left” and "Waiting" with the updated hymn, “Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness,” bring together generations that are often musically at odds.
One common theme throughout the album is Matthew’s heart to pursue Jesus without facade or pretense. The album expresses worship through honest pain, joy, doubt and peace without embarrassment and with the confidence that nothing can remove us from the love of our Father. There is no happy mask of plastic perfection, no distant or redundant exaltation and no attempt to present God with anything other than an open and honest heart.
This album is a window into Matthew’s journey with Jesus in the language and music of his generation. The indie/alternative genre has not yet become a mainstream staple in the world of Christian music, but as that tide rises, Matthew hopes this album to be one amongst a growing multitude of Christian artists pushing the limits of traditional and normal in the praise of a God who is in no way traditional or normal – a God who puts his children through the crushing winepress to craft them into an exquisite bouquet, rich in honest love.
Matthew is a teaching and worship pastor at Roswell Community Church in Roswell, GA. He studied music composition at Columbia in Chicago. Matthew, his wife and two young daughters live in the North Atlanta suburbs. Matthew is a sought after speaker and worship leader.
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