Nice Things Others Have Said About Us and Our Music   

"Brighter Still" offers listeners a funky jazz and classic rock feel to worship music.  The vocals are very good, harmonies are extremely tight and the lyrics are very deep to the heart of their beliefs in God."
--Phantom Tollbooth  

Harmonious baby boomers…each member of Nathanael’s Creed possesses an openness both charismatic and engaging…their powerful lyrics and melodies touch listener’s hearts and minds as their colorful imagery allows their listeners to reflect on the struggles, joy, despair, commitments and faith that make up life today.” 
--Jan Pollack, North County Journal (St. Louis)

I call myself lucky enough to know the four extraordinary men who make up Nathanael's Creed. I know their hearts and I trust their faith. They are all deeply faithful and loving individuals who collectively make up one of the most inspirational and truthful music groups I've ever come across. Listening to their CD, you understand how deeply their love for Christ is. You hear the tender care that went into every song and nuance on their highly entertaining and emotional CD. The enjoyment of hearing their music is second only to having the pleasure of seeing them perform in concert. Their admiration for each other and the Lord is something to capture in person. It makes your appreciation for their music that much greater. Yes, I have the good fortune of knowing these four incredible people. But even if you are not that lucky, your life will be enriched by the hours you can spend listening to their music and experiencing their faith. 
--David Horstman, Director of Music
St. Peter’s Evangelical Church, St. Louis

What a great evening it was, filled with beautiful music, positive energy and (most importantly) the presence of the Holy Spirit. Everyone who attended the concert was blessed by your performances. The new CD is filled with music that touches the soul with the love of Jesus.
--Tom Ressler, senior pastor
St. Peter’s Evangelical Church (St. Louis)

Real life with a Christian message of hope.
--Paul Gentry, Christian Music Content Award

In my estimation good musicians are pretty common, but men of God are always in great demand. Keep doing great things for God and "greatly praising" God's name.
--Duayne Meyer, pastor
Northfield Community Church, Northfield (Chicago), IL.

A tasteful melodic musical approach with powerful lyrics, sweeping from dynamic classic rock to touching ballads. The importance of a worshipful approach to everyday life shine through this varied collection of thoughtful songs.
--www.servantsheart.net

There are echoes of all sorts of people in the mix, sometimes Rich Mullins and Steven Curtis Chapman, other times John Michael Talbot and Michael Card.
--Trevor Kirk, Cross Rhythms magazine and UCB Europe

We must all "Step Out of the Boat" every day, and Nathanael's Creed shows us how...
with honesty and joy.
--Thom Price, EWTN Radio

Well produced and well-presented original music…a wellspring of talent.
--Lynn Stinnett Williams, Catholic Faith & Family

Harmonic wonder!
--Bob Gulla, The Providence (RI) Phoenix

"There’s something inspiring about seeing mature Christian men in meaningful, productive fellowship, particularly in the musical arena, where pride and ego can often raise their heads. One gets an almost immediate sense of positive and well-balanced relationship upon hearing Brighter Still, a collection of songs by Nathanael’s Creed, a quartet that has the sound of solidarity. The foursome is a self-contained and versatile band capable of spinning tightly knit jazz/funk, Caribbean-tinged workouts and guitar-dominated mid-tempos, all with simple but highly inspirational messages. "This Day," a robust, cowbell-laced pop-rocker, uses its energetic thrust to buttress lyrics custom-made for the bathroom mirror: "On this day, I will choose life/ The best that God has to give/ On this day, there’s no turning back/ From this day on, I choose to live." Whether the guys are turning out sprightly, rhythmically complex foot-tappers or solemn ballads, their words resonate richly with spiritual truths that uplift and edify.

The gentle "Light and Salt" adopts a humble perspective about being a messenger of the Gospel, readily admitting that "I cannot make you hold my faith or share in its delights/ But I can be light for your eyes/ And I can be salt on your tongue." "And So I Sing" works as a statement of purpose, set to a breezy island groove that conveys joy in the face of tribulations: "It is your hand that guides me back/ Down the dark road back to your side/ It is your Word that stills the storm/ And leads me through the night/ And so I sing."

Steve Givens’ lead vocals have a steady, measured quality that is equally effective on the jazzy "You Are More," where he swings it a little, and the more solemn strains of "Here I Am," a lilting and moody piece that strongly recalls prime-period Neil Diamond ballads like "Play Me."

"With You" is a standout track that uses contrasting styles to palpably illustrate the difference between a life lived in faith and one that lacks a spiritual center. In a minor key, mid-tempo feel along the lines of America’s "Horse With No Name," the song’s two-pronged lyric begins its comparison with the lines, "Without you, I have nowhere to stand/ Without you, I cannot even breathe/ Without you, I’m frozen in my fear." Then, suddenly in a major key, the rhythm seamlessly shifts to a swaying, joyous evocation of total provision and transcendence through Jesus: "But with you, all things are possible/ With you, I am in love/ With you, I finish the race, I fall on my knees/ And rise up again with you."

Solid musicianship, inventive and varied arrangements and a spirit of collaboration take Brighter Still above its modest means, production-wise, leaving its listeners with enriching spiritual food and a reminder of what can be accomplished when a team of believers unite in service of a common goal." 
-- Steve Morley, UMC.org