Hillsong rant

Well Hillsong Conference 2006 starts today and, like last year, it looks like I won't be going. Not that things are as difficult as they were then. So far no signs of the problems of yesterday, which is good. Hopefully that will be the same tomorrow and that will make it easier to relax.

I bought the new Hillsong live CD `Mighty To Save' today. It's standard stuff. They don't seem to be featuring Darlene Zschech as much as they used to, on lead vocals at least. That's a huge loss to them if it's a conscious move away from her as worship leader. (Not of the church but the Hillsong band as such).
The best song on first listen is a Darlene led one, `At The Cross'. The title track is a weird name for a song, and an entire album, but surprisingly isn't a bad song. I just wish they'd stop re-hashing the Hillsong United CD which is released earlier in the year. The songs `Take It All' and the excellent `From The Inside Out' were ripped from the United CD just like `There Is Nothing Like' (one of my all time fave Hillsong tracks) was taken off the United CD and recorded for `God He Reigns' last year. If they'd taken `The Stand' (great song) as well I'd be pretty upset.
There's enough talent within the Hillsong team to not have to re-record their own songs. It's bad enough that the overall quality of the music is slipping without giving everyone the idea that they are running out of ideas for songs. I don't subscribe to the theory that any praise and worship/Christian song is a good song just because it's a Christian song. There are many out there that I don't like and that do absolutely nothing for me.
I like to be moved by music, either the words or the music, and not every Christian song does that. So Hillsong, in my opinion, need to bring Darlene back to the forefront. She's done two very nice solo CDs but without her the Hillsong music brand isn't as appealing. That's nothing against the musicians/songwriters that are there in her place. But would the Rolling Stones be the same without Mick Jagger? Is INXS the same without Michael Hutchence? Imagine U2 without Bono.
OK, so there's a bit of a long bow being drawn there, but you get my point.