Music
Press
"I am sitting here... listening to your album for the first time and i am speechless... it is beautiful, powerful, melodic, heartbreaking, deep, simple, lush just plain beautiful. i want to cry and hug you, i feel like i am witnessing a birth, some profound new yet familiar things" - Jacob & Lily
This record is brilliant. The combination of poignant lyrics, diverse instrumentation, and thoughtful orchestration cannot help but demand the listener's attention. - Tinamou
In a world that is desperate for music that breaks us out of our individual perspectives, and worship music that moves us beyond a single gathering, listening to Todd’s music brings a wonderful Catharsis. - Restoration Village
my absolute favorite song on the album: “If You Must Fight.” The trumpet, backing vocals, accordion, and organ all coincide to make a song that’s as musically diverse as any by Sufjan Stevens, Danielson, or Bodies of Water... I can’t get enough of this song. - The Blah Blah
"Tired worship music gets much-needed rejuvenation through the thoughtful, inventive approach of Todd Berger's solo worship project "And Have Not Love."In addition to substantive lyrics, there's plenty of musical style that ultimately makes it a rewarding, inspiring listening experience." - Christa Ann Banister, music critic for CCM Magazine
"As he played and sang, something came through to the room of friends. It sounded a little like hope. Minor chords used liberally and unexpected musical twists peppered the performance." - ReamOfPaper.com
Discography
Todd Berger “And Have Not Love”, 2008 (Coming Dec.'08)
Word Music “Absolute Smash Hits”, 2006
-featured Todd's song "Simple" on compilation CD and songbook.
Village Thrift “Circa 2005″, 2005
Volatile Blue “Find Your Way”, 2004
DGWM “New Day”, 2001 (wrote and recorded title song)
Volatile Blue “Live! Unhinged” EP, 2000
Volatile Blue “Deluge”, 1999
Photos
Bio
Crucial to Todd Berger’s music is the message of love in action.
On his first solo project, “And Have Not Love,” Todd Berger uses Psalms-inspired lyrics to drive home the message that maybe all we need is love after all.
“The whole album, the songs, the theme, has to do with applying our love and taking action. Love being the motive,” says Todd. It’s a peace, love and hope message that’s as old as time, but never redundant.
Released in early 2009, the album is a new sacred work for listeners who are tired of the “worship” cliché, but still long to experience God in the moment. Employing acoustic and non-traditional instrumentation along with samplings and backbeats, Todd creates an unconventional expression of the sacred.
The outcome is a multi-cultural, multi-genre spin on the acoustic/pop genre—a musical ideological “place of peace in the midst of a musical war-zone,” says Todd.
It’s a style that serves him well. Based out of Cleveland, Ohio, Todd Berger performs with a troupe of rotating back-up musicians playing anything and everything from the fiddle to the hip-hop essential turntable.
As much as Todd enjoys being surrounded by a full cast of musicians, he’s also comfortable performing with only his Rhodes keyboard, or alone at the piano.
His strong, rough-around-the-edges vocal styling nails in the emotion of the lyrics. Lines like, “My soul stay quiet for God. I’ve come to rest in him” and “He only is the rock of my strength I can refuge in,” can’t help but move one towards a place of worship and celebration.
Todd’s been on the indie-worship circuit for several years now, having collaborated with Worship Circle Records to pioneer the Village Thrift series alongside indie-folk/worship darlings, Ben & Robin Pasley of 100 Portraits and Enter the Worship Circle. Todd has also collaborated with Ryan Lott of Son Lux, fellow Clevelander, Dee Jay Doc (2% Milk) and performed with Worship Circle Record’s Aaron Strumpel.
Currently collaborating with Ben Pasley and Tony Vilgiate of Chainsaw Weasel, Todd is hoping to transition Village Thrift into an online creative community where songwriters, dj’s, and re-mixers can collaborate to develop and release new worship music to the public.
It’s a project that he hopes will enable other musicians to create their own love songs to God and effectively minister that love to others.
Essentially, it’s an influence thing, for Todd, with love being the motive.
Love indeed being the answer.
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