Reviews of the CD Broken Bones Rejoice
Mike Rimmer – Cross Rhythms Magazine
It's a bit of a feat these days to create a studio worship album packed with vibe and free from musical cliché but here's one! Steve Counsel may look like a refuge from The Faces in 1973 but the Londoner knows how to create edgy worship that is the perfect antidote to the smooth banal stuff emerging from most quarters. Borrowing from his bluesy roots (Counsel blows a mean harp – check out "Roll Away The Stone"), vocally he sounds like a young Van Morrison spitting out the words here with a raspy soulful passion. Formerly the worship leader at Malibu Vineyard, it isn't surprising then to see Kate Miner pop up to add her distinctive voice to "Rock Of Love". The rich organic style captured here is reminiscent at times of the albums produced by Chris Lizotte back in the '90s. Counsel shows his softer side on mellower numbers like "Our Lord Has Come" and "Our God Of Glory" and then there's the brooding epic "Song For Mary". The greasy guitar groove of "I Wanna Know You" and "Let Your Love Rain Down" immediately put the album on the map. Although it's a little raggedy around the edges, that only adds to the charm and the overall organic production works well to help create an album that stands out from the overproduced identikit pap that passes itself off as worship these days. Definitely worth checking out if you want to worship and you actually like music!
Worship Leader Magazine – Worship Leader Magazine
Rock 'n' Roll in past decades had a down-home reality that has been white-washed by many mainstream pretty-boy posers. In the old days a group like the Stones or The Clash could say all they needed to say in ten words or less, backed by chugging guitar riffs and punchy sentiments that added grit to their growling vocals. That's how Steve Counsel rolls,too. And if you need to take a hammer to the candied musical stasis you find in the local Bible bookstore, grab a copy of Broken Bones and swing away. Steve's music isn't going to shelter you in tones of melodic grace, he gives it to you raw and real, talking about things like desperation ("Restore Me Again") and the majestic nature of God ("Our God of Glory"). As for musical diversity and lyrical originality, Broken Bones is pretty straightforward. But that compliments the heavy, bluesy slop-rock style that Counsel offers to God and to God's children who were bred on old-school tones.
Andy Piercy, Musician, Producer: Delirious, Matt Redman, Rita Springer
If you think the phrase "dirty guitar" means getting a finger print mark on your nice clean Taylor acoustic during the Contemporary Worship service then beware; this is worship music played from the hip on a Les Paul with the guitar strap worn at its longest setting!
Steve is a Jesus-redeemed, God-loving, Spirit-filled, expat Brit rocker with a passion for pouring his heart out in thanks and praise and he's not scared of bringing his loose and bluesy electric guitar style to the party (or the service if you're not careful…).
Definitely not an album for putting on as background music before the oldies midweek communion, this is Friday night worship in the back room of a club somewhere on the wrong side of town (in fact probably just the sort of place you might find Jesus looking for people).
If you fancy a change from the usual worship stuff or just like your rock music a bit raw and edgy then give this a listen. OK, it may be a tiny bit ragged in places but it's packed with "attitude" so be careful, it may just grow on you.
So get your 'air guitar' out, crank up the volume on your stereo and leap around the room doing some Keith Richard or Slash impressions while listening to it, or better still put the roof down on the Cadillac convertible and sing along as you drive across the desert (well, we can always dream….)