Of Dirt and Grace: Live from the Land

Of Dirt and Grace: Live from the Land is the thirteenth live album from Australian contemporary worship music band Hillsong United, a worship band from Hillsong Church. The album was released on 15 July 2016, under Hillsong Music, Sparrow Records and Capitol Christian Music Group.[1] Touted as a "visual album", the record features new arrangements of their fourth studio album, Empires (2015), which were performed live and filmed around various locations in Israel. The album was also released in DVD on 29 July 2016. "Prince of Peace" was released as the album's lead single in July 2016.

Of Dirt and Grace: Live from the Land
Live album and video album by
Hillsong United
Released15 July 2016
RecordedMarch 2016 in various places in Israel
GenreContemporary worship music
Length77:37
LabelHillsong, Sparrow, Capitol CMG
ProducerJoel Houston, Michael Guy Chislett
Hillsong United chronology
Empires
(2015)		 Of Dirt and Grace: Live from the Land
(2016)		 Hillsong: Let Hope Rise (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
(2016)
Singles from Of Dirt and Grace: Live from the Land
  1. "Prince of Peace"
    Released: 1 July 2016

Background

Hillsong United previously took inspiration from the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes for their fourth studio album, Empires (2015).[2] The group wanted to film live performances of the song around places in Israel where the aforementioned events took place, as well as other Biblically historical locations.[3] The album features new arrangements of the songs from Empires, as well as two tracks from Zion (2013), "Scandal of Grace" and "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)", and the Hillsong Worship song "I Surrender" from Cornerstone (2012).[4] While Empires featured "EDM pulses" throughout the album, Of Dirt and Grace features the tracks "decelerated into slow and pensive ballads."[4] Of Dirt and Grace: Live from the Land differs from previous Hillsong United albums, due to the visual concept, the abundance of ballads, as well as the prominence of vocalist Taya Smith, who sings in half the album.[4] Several members of the band wrote blog posts on Hillsong's website narrating their experiences while recording and filming the album.[3]

Promotion

On 21 June 2016, Hillsong United performed "Say the Word" on The Morning Show.[5] On 1 July 2016, the live performance of "Prince of Peace" was released as an instant-grat single for those who pre-ordered the album,[3] while its music video was released in Hillsong United's official website.[3] The music video of the live performance of "Say the Word" was released on 14 July 2016.[6]

Reception

Giving Of Dirt and Grace four out of five stars, Lucas Munachen of Jesus Freak Hideout opined that the "slow build" of most of the songs "creates an ethereal atmosphere that sets its sight above", and called the usage of the filmed performances "an original concept that enhances the beauty of these songs even further."[7] Timothy Yap of Hallels praised the visual album concept, stating, "While many worship albums serve to engage the ears, Of Dirt and Grace makes Jesus palatable through all our five senses.[4] Ryan Loche of The Church Collective felt the new versions of the songs from Empires "[give] great ways to bring some of the synth-heavy songs from the past album to a more acoustic [worship] team."[8] Phil Schneider of ChurchMag called the album "a beautiful album, a passionate and creative performance," adding, "As a live album, it’s sonically perfect. As a concept album, it’s intellectually inspiring. As a worship album, it’s both spiritually uplifting and challenging."[9]

Awards and accolades

On 9 August 2017, it was announced that Of Dirt and Grace would be nominated for a GMA Dove Award in the Long Form Video of the Year category at the 48th Annual GMA Dove Awards.[10]

On 17 October 2017, Of Dirt and Grace won the GMA Dove Award for Long Form Video of the Year with director Joel Houston and David Rubie alongside producer Jason Strong being the receipts at a ceremony at Allen Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.[11]

Track listing
Standard edition[1]
No.TitleWriter(s)Worship leaderLength
1."Here Now (Madness)" (by an empty tomb just beyond the city walls)Joel Houston, Michael Guy ChislettJoel Houston, Taya Smith, Jad Gillies7:34
2."Say the Word" (from the mount of beatitudes)HoustonJad Gillies3:43
3."Heart Like Heaven (Falling)" (as the sun went down over Galilee)Matt Crocker, HoustonMatt Crocker8:14
4."Touch the Sky" (from the lowest place on Earth and the cliffs of Arbel)Houston, Dylan Thomas, ChislettTaya Smith[4]4:05
5."Street Called Mercy" (from Via Dolorosa and a dead-end-road by the old Dead Sea Works)Crocker, HoustonJonathon Douglass, Taya Smith, Matt Crocker3:57
6."When I Lost My Heart to You (Hallelujah)" (by fire in the hills of Galilee)HoustonTaya Smith, Matt Crocker8:21
7."Even When It Hurts (Praise Song)" (in the cold night of a not too distant war)HoustonTaya Smith[4]5:50
8."Prince of Peace" (from a Golan Heights Memorial of War and by the shining lights of the old city)Thomas, Houston, CrockerTaya Smith[12][4]8:12
9."Empires" (from the ruins of Katzrin)Houston, Thomas, Chris Davenport, Ben TennikoffJoel Houston7:17
10."Rule" (from a stage by the Dead Sea)Crocker, Houston, TennikoffMatt Crocker3:57
11."Captain" (adrift on the Sea of Galilee)Benjamin Hastings, Seth SimmonsJad Gillies6:24
12."Closer Than You Know" (from a quiet place beneath an olive tree)Houston, Crocker, ChislettJoel Houston, Taya Smith10:03
Total length:77:37
Bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Worship leaderLength
13."I Surrender" (by the ancient walls of a ruined temple)CrockerMatt Crocker6:10
14."Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" (from the sea on which He walked)Crocker, Houston, Salomon LigthelmTaya Smith8:06
15."Scandal of Grace (I'd Be Lost)" (by an empty tomb not far from Golgotha)Crocker, Houston, TennikoffMatt Crocker, Taya Smith7:18
Total length:99:11

Charts

In Australia, Of Dirt and Grace: Live from the Land debuted at number twelve on the ARIA Albums Chart, marking it as the twenty-ninth Top 50 chart entry for a Hillsong album.[13] The following week, the album reached a new peak at number eight, thus becoming the twenty-first top 10 entry for a Hillsong album.[14]

Chart (2016) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[15] 8
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[16] 80
French Albums (SNEP)[17] 61
New Zealand Heatseekers Albums (RMNZ)[18] 2
UK Christian & Gospel Albums (OCC)[19] 1
US Billboard 200[20] 40
US Christian Albums (Billboard)[21] 2

Release history
Region Date Format Label
Worldwide 15 July 2016[22] Digital download, CD Hillsong Music, Sparrow Records, Capitol CMG
29 July 2016[23] CD/DVD

References
  1. "iTunes - Music - Of Dirt and Grace: Live from the Land by Hillsong United". iTunes. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  2. Greer, Andrew (15 June 2015). "Hillsong United: Building Upside Down Kingdoms". CCM Magazine. Salem Publishing. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  3. Clarks, Jessie (1 July 2016). "Hillsong UNITED To Unveil LIVE Visual Album "Of Dirt And Grace - Live From The Land" Available Beginning July 15". The Christian Beat. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  4. Yap, Timothy (12 July 2016). "Hillsong UNITED "Of Dirt and Grace: Live from the Land" Album Review". Hallels. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  5. @morningshowon7 (21 June 2016). "TUNE IN ALERT: @hillsongunited perform 'Say The Word' LIVE on @morningshowon7 NOW! #TMS7" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. Longs, Herb (17 July 2016). "Hillsong UNITED "Say The Word" LIVE Of Dirt And Grace". The Christian Beat. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  7. Munachen, Lucas (17 July 2016). "Of Dirt and Grace: Live from the Land". Jesusfreakhideout.com. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  8. Loche, Ryan (15 July 2016). "Worship Review, Hillsong United, Of Dirt and Grace". The Church Collective. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  9. Schneider, Phil (16 July 2016). "'Of Dirt and Grace' by Hillsong United [Saturday Morning Review]". Church Mag. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  10. "2017 Nominees | The 49th Annual GMA Dove Awards". GMA Dove Awards. 9 August 2017. Archived from the original on 25 December 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  11. "2017 Winners | The 49th Annual GMA Dove Awards". GMA Dove Awards. 9 August 2017. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  12. @hillsongunited (1 July 2016). "Check out the first song from #ofDirtandGrace - Prince of Peace LIVE with @taya_smith taking the lead!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  13. Ryan, Gavin (11 July 2016). "Australian Albums: Delta Goodrem 'Wings of the Wild' Is No 1". Noise11. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  14. Ryan, Gavin (18 July 2016). "Australian Albums: The Avalanches 'Wildflower' Tops ARIA Chart". Noise11. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  15. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  16. "Dutchcharts.nl – Hillsong – United - Of Dirt and Grace - Live from the Land" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  17. "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes - SNEP (Week 29, 2016)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  18. "NZ Heatseekers Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  19. "Official Christian & Gospel Albums Chart Top 20 | Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  20. "Hillsong United Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  21. "Hillsong United Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  22. "Of Dirt and Grace: Live from the Land". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  23. "Of Dirt and Grace: Live from the Land (CD+DVD)". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
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