The I Heart Revolution: With Hearts As One

by Andree Farias

Part greatest-hits collection, part social justice initiative, Hillsong United's The I Heart Revolution with Hearts as One is exactly what thousands of fans of the alternative praise band have been clamoring for: a comprehensive, two-disc recap of all the highlights of the group's last three years in music and ministry. United has been around since 1998, but it wasn't until 2005 that the team truly hit its stride, releasing a trifecta of best-selling albums (Look to You, United We Stand, All of the Above) that really put them on the map and at the forefront of youth-oriented worship music, not just in their native Australia, but globally as well. These twentysomethings are a sensation everywhere they go, so it makes sense that With Hearts as One was recorded on location at different stops during the group's worldwide travels. Save for a few omissions from their earlier years ("Everyday," "My Best Friend," "Now That You're Near"), every major United anthem is included here, including "One Way," "Salvation Is Here," "Tell the World," "Take It All," "From the Inside Out," "Hosanna," and two dozen others. In the spirit of their booming, larger-than-life performances, these recordings are kept mostly raw and unretouched -- the idea is for listeners to get a feel for what it's like to be in the thick of a sweaty, floor-stomping, arm-raising United crowd. No shoving allowed, of course, but when the intention is to draw kids' attention away from themselves to a greater cause, that's quite all right.

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From Rwanda to Cape Town, Buenos Aires to Mexico City, Los Angeles to Toronto, London to Budapest.. Shanghai to Sydney.. We've recorded almost every united worship service for the last 2 years.. Bottled just some of the moments and put them together for all who'd choose to hear.. The end result is the sound of a generation across the earth singing praise and worship to our God.. The sound of the nations joining as one in the same song..