Here's a post about a duo that is rapidly becoming one of my favorite worship bands.
All Sons & Daughters is mostly made up by David Leonard and Leslie Jordan. When they record and tour, they have more players around them (including, often the guys from "Delirious?"), but the heart and soul of the "band" is just this duo.
The All Sons & Daughters sound is very broken-down, stripped-back, and acoustic, most prominently featuring Leonard's piano and Jordan's acoustic guitar. They both sing, coloring almost every note of their songs with beautiful harmonies. They avoid having too many bells and whistles, but still display musical proficiency and complexity. Their harmony-rich vocals alone are a real aural treat.
What I love most about them, besides the very acoustic sound, is probably their songwriting. This pair has written some really great songs- some you may have heard, especially if you've been hearing us, include "Brokenness Aside" and "God With Us". Brokenness Aside is a very clear confession of our sinful, fallen state, while at the same time celebrating God's tendency to take fallen things like us and make them beautiful. God With Us, co-written with the ever fantastic Jason Ingram, takes the often-sung idea of Emmanuel, "God with us", one step further by celebrating God's presence in the very room where the song is sung, if two or more are gathered.
This duo sees all of the hurt and pain of life as an unavoidable part of worship. Only by starting by recognizing our complete depravity can we truly appreciate what God's relationship with us means. They never seek to beat around the bush or pretend like life isn't hard- it is, and they see beauty in that. We praise God for taking us out of the pain we were in and for sustaining us through the pain we are in.
Checking these guys out is definitely worth your time, especially if you're a fan of the acoustic sound and the search for simplicity I love Rend Collective so much for. They just released a new album, self-titled, but if you only buy one album of theirs I would recommend their 2013 "LIVE" album, as it is essentially a "best-of" filled with some really great tunes. Look them up, and enjoy!
I am a sinner, if it's not one thing it's another
Caught up in words tangled in lies
But You are a savior and You take brokenness aside
And make it beautiful, beautiful
-"Brokenness Aside"
