Captured

A more driving, organic, intimate collection
For his new album, Tom Booth added a sweet Martin acoustic to his electric guitar and amps. A chamber orchestra squeezed in beside his rock band. The result: a more driving, organic, intimate collection. Like candles in a small chapel, the 12 songs on Captured illumine the face of the Lord, guiding listeners to a place of deep prayer and praise.

Lyrics drawn from Scripture, saints and mystics
Drawing from Scripture, saints and mysticsThomas Merton, Charles de Foucauld and Teresa of Avila among themthe lyrics have startling theological depth. Contemplative, candid and serious, they challenge us to give Christ exclusive allegiance in our lives.

Lush orchestral arrangements by Don Hart
Some tracks feature lush orchestral arrangements by Grammy-nominated Nashville legend Don Hart. Its the perfect musical frame for these devotional texts. Players include Dave Cleveland on guitar and Carl Herrgesell (Elton John, Kenny Loggins) on Hammond organ and keyboards.

Loving God is more than singing this song
The album opens with Can We Love? This string-based ballad contends that loving God is more than raising our hands or even singing this song. The refrain echoes Christs challenge to James and John: Can we love? Can we lay down our lives? Can we wear His crown of thorns?

Intense, acoustic title track warns against pride
The intense, acoustic title track warns against building our house on sand, our lives on selfishness. Separated from Christ through pride, we construct monuments doomed to fall. Randy Severences poetic text is unflinching: under the weight of my own importance, / I am crumbling into a thousand grains of sand.

Beautiful ballad urging us toward the poverty of Jesus
Empty touches on these same themes. Another beautifully arranged ballad, it urges us to move toward the poverty of Jesus, who emptied himself for us. Robert Feduccias refrain echoes both Job and St. Augustine: Empty I came, empty I leave, / my heart is restless without you.

Rock anthem with snippets from a poem by St. Teresa
A lesson in detachment a la Lilies of the Field, God Alone Is Enough is a rock anthem that includes snippets from the famous poem by Teresa of Avila. O Salutaris Hostia (O Saving Lamb) only adds to the devotional nature of the collection. Its a welcome new contemporary setting of the timeless eucharistic hymn by Thomas Aquinas.

Folk-style cover of a classic Rich Mullins song
Come, Holy Spirit will be familiar from spiritandsong.coms The Commons and Never Too Young, OCPs middle school songbook. A cover of the classic song by Rich Mullins, You Did Not Have a Home is a folk-style tribute to the humanityand povertyof Christ: The hope of the whole world rests / on the shoulders of a homeless man.

Psychedelic-rock meditation on Psalm 23
Arranged for synth pad, sitar and acoustic guitar, You Are My Shepherd is a psychedelic-rock meditation on Psalm 23. One of the more electric, vigorous tracks, You Stand Knocking proclaims loyalty to Christand gratitude for grace and mercy: though I wandered and have strayed, / still your mercy reigns.

To be captured in [Gods] storm of love is to be truly free
As Tom explains in the liner notes, To be captured is to be caught up in the exhilarating, sometimes frightening, but always life-giving storm of Gods love. To allow oneself to be caught up or captured in this storm of love is to be truly free.

A masterpiece of contemporary Catholic music
Sporting an entirely new, more organic sound, Captured hearkens back to Toms early workepic ballads like I Will Choose Christ, Here I Am and Fragrance Prayer. A masterpiece of contemporary Catholic music, it creates a place to encounter the living God.