Contemporary stylings of 12 familiar worship songs.

After the success of Table of Plenty in 1997, our Brothers and Sisters of Charity, and Troubadour For The Lord ministry office received countless requests for a follow up project. City of God is that project. They are similar in concept and performance, but City of God takes the creative journey a step further with what I see as better, and more advanced arrangements. Table of Plenty was a very fun and creative project using the best players and arrangements available at the time. City of God is that, but with the further artistic development afforded by the years since the initial release of Table of Plenty.

One of the challenges of this project was simply and perhaps obviously, that I had already used most of my personal first choices of most familiar and favorite Catholic worship songs on the Table of Plenty project. City of God caused me to rely more on the favorite songs of others, plus my own choice of further great songs that I had sung in congregations throughout the world in my years as a Catholic since my own conversion in 1978. Frankly, this caused me to use more creative arrangement tools to help these songs come to life in the studio. Hopefully the result is a recording that is a deeply enjoyable rendition of songs much beloved by millions in the Church throughout the years since Vatican II.

The songs themselves cover an expanse some 40 years since Vatican II. Some, like Carey Landry’s Abba Father and Hosea, are older, and come from the initial years following Vatican II. Some, like City of God and Earthen Vessels, are from the intermediate development of the St. Louis Jesuit years. Those songs like We Remember are from the further years of development from fine ecumenical liturgical composers like Marty Haugen. I have also enjoyed including some newer compositions written by Tom Booth that came out of the Life Teen movement. I especially enjoy the deeper contemplative mystical theology found in God Beyond All Names.

Musically, I created more complex arrangements through the use of key modulations, expansive pop and classical vocal overlays, and many different acoustic and electric guitars. I always enjoy pulling out the steel string guitar to add to my more traditional classical playing. I thoroughly enjoyed playing several vintage electric guitars myself, in addition to calling in some of the finest session players in Nashville as well. Some songs had almost 100 vocals, and as many as 10 guitars. The title song, City of God, employs over 200 tracks, the largest number I have used to date. Mixing this was a real challenge, and Brent King did a remarkable job as recording and mixing engineer. Through all this complexity we worked to achieve a performance and sound that will retain the depth and simplicity of God, and His work though the work of His people.

Phil Perkins provided some of his best orchestral arrangements to date. Fitting an orchestra into an already busy track is difficult, and Phil did so masterfully, without getting in the way, and, indeed, strengthening existing, and adding wonderful movement and emotion to the songs. I am always grateful for my long time, and most trustworthy friend and coworker.

Through all this we hope and pray that we have worked together to produce a rich project that will reach meaningfully into the hearts and souls of those who heard these songs at important points in their spiritual journey, and which still bring up wonderful and rich memories. We also hope to reach those who have never had the pleasure of enjoying these worship songs before. This is something of their timeless quality, and why it was a pleasure and an honor to set these songs to music again.

John Michael Talbot