Are We There Yet?

The Hillsong UNITED heard on Are We There Yet? aren’t the same band that created cosmic-scale anthems in the 2010s. On song after song, listeners don’t encounter praise & worship superstars loftily exalting the Creator of the universe, but rather humble Christians seeking shelter in a time of great change. On the potent “Show Me Your Heart,” worship leader Taya Smith-Gaukrodger nails this profound sense of humility: “Show me Your heart ’cause I need a Father/Show me Your love ’cause I need something that won’t break.” Longtime fans are sure to interpret Are We There Yet? as a return to roots; this is especially true of “On Repeat” and “God Song,” which eschew opulent digital textures for lean, rock-informed arrangements reminiscent of the group’s 2000s output. It’s as if Hillsong UNITED, having ventured to the outermost reaches of space in search of the divine, are now making their home in the very earth from which they sprouted.