New Music Review: “I Am Mountain” by Gungor

Many West Michigan residents recall singer-songwriter Michael Gungor, who served as music pastor of Resurrection Life Church in Grandville for about five years before moving to Colorado in 2006.

Gungor had already demonstrated his musical gifts in co-writing (“Friend of God,” with Israel Houghton), and in his role as a traveling performer with the Acquire the Fire youth events.

In 2008 Michael, his wife Lisa and newly-formed band (Gungor) released the album “Ancient Skies” which helped place them on a national stage.

Their follow-up CD, “Beautiful Things,” was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2011 and the subsequent “Ghosts Upon The Earth” also received a Grammy nod.

Now Gungor continues a trend much broader than worship music in his latest, “I Am Mountain.”
The title song is a good sampling of this sometimes stark and ethereal effort.

Building on the Biblical account of the fall of humankind when God proclaimed, “For dust you are and to dust you will return,” (Gen. 3:19b NIV), the songwriter describes in the lyric the identification between humans and the rest of God’s creation.

Even the close harmony and understated instrumentation support the mood, offered as a visual experience in the “I Am Mountain” music video.

Other of the new songs continue in the allegorical, storytelling mode with some electronic effects and experimental sounds added.

Michael has noted a mixed response following the CD’s Sept. release, with some comments on the lack of the worship music of his past. While perhaps not for the casual listener, “I Am Mountain” is nevertheless an intriguing and poetic statement.



The Facts:

Artist: Gungor
Title: “I Am Mountain”
Connect: www.gungormusic.com