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In Awe of His Amazing Love: Thoughts and Notions
Not so long ago, a group of FCCYers from Cagayan De Oro got together and recorded a set of self-written contemporary Christian songs in a makeshift household studio. Little did they know that in a span of only six months, their album would sell out more than two hundred copies all over the Philippines, and would get to be played on the local airwaves as well.
The group, which calls itself Thoughts and Notions, is comprised of chief lyricist Jasper Lloyd Tan (who is incidentally the outgoing national Link steward), all-in-one instrumentalist Wilbert Tan, and key vocalist Cathrina Tan Dimaano. Their first album, entitled In Awe of His Amazing Love, is a Pop-rock Christian album with ten tracks, influenced by mainstream music groups such as Barbie's Cradle, DC Talk, Jars of Clay, Six Pence None the Richer, Dashboard Confessionals, and Coldplay.
The songs are quite personal; remarkably, all of them are written in the first person. They are not what one would normally expect from a typical Christian album; most of the songs deal with the general themes of love, hope and inspiration, themes which are not exclusively religious in nature. My Love Song, their first single, has been playing on the airwaves of CdO, and it is; as the writer himself said: a "bouncy" song. Savior, Defender, and The Healer portray different images of the Lord as drawn from personal experience. Earthbound Angel speaks of one's search for the meaning of worldly existence. Strength I Need is taken from the viewpoint of one who comes before the crucified Lord to offer his sacrifices and ask for strength. A Love So Real tells of how true love can be so overwhelming. Repentance reminds us of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross to cleanse us of our sin, while A Brand New Day and The Journey Ends invite us to look forward to the day when we break free from all suffering and enter into the fullness of life.
These beautifully crafted songs express a deep longing for God, as well as great faith in the Lord and gratefulness for his works. Indeed, unlikely as it may sound, these are prayers wrapped in song, in tune with today's youthful pop culture.
The CDs were initially offered at Php 200 each as a fundraiser for FCCY Cagayan de Oro chapter. After the group got signed with Praise Music Philippines Inc. last Oct. 21, 2005, the albums will be available at a slightly higher price next year at Praise Inc. outlets nationwide.
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