AMG Review of Ultimate Collection

Jared Johnson
All Music Guide

The Ultimate Collection is a good place to start for fans of prolific singer/songwriter Matt Redman, one of the most well-known and respected worship leaders around the globe. His highly personal, scripture-based approach to songwriting has made him a favorite at Passion conferences worldwide and has become a standard for congregational worship since the late '90s. Treasured favorites such as "Blessed Be Your Name," "The Heart of Worship," and "Shine" have been recorded not only by himself but my other popular artists such as Michael W. Smith, Rebecca St. James, Newsboys, and others. The Ultimate Collection mixes live and studio tracks from ten albums along with rare and never-before-heard versions of some of his favorites. While practically any selection from Redman's catalog would be notable and worth a listen, this collection paints him as the master that he is, particularly via the live tracks such as the Passion recording of "Better Is One Day" and the 2004 live version of "Blessed Be Your Name." And it's in this fervent, authentic approach to worship that it's clear why Redman is one of the most influential worship artists of his generation.