I feel like Chi Rho calling this a "greatest hits" album is a bit of a misnomer in the collegiate realm. From what I can ascertain, this recording is the latest incarnation of the group singing arrangements from the past years. This compilation-esque album should be considered a revisiting of tracks from the past and not simply a collection of those previous gems.

That's really nitpicky perhaps. But it does speak to why certain tracks sound better than the originals and others don't fair as well. Vocal talent changes, Liquid 5th and previous producers have developed new tricks of the trade, and arrangements are tinkered and tailored to suit current needs and tastes. It may not be a big distinction but one worth noting.

Anyway, I like the album. Chi Rho has really struck a chord with me now and then on some of their albums throughout the group's rich history. And some of my personal picks for what their greatest hits should be are included here on Greatest Hits so Far. Though three are noticeably absent.

The sound is lush and heavy on most of the tracks (see that aforementioned change in production techniques). There is a wall of sound that envelopes the listener consistently and there is a lot of goodness in the singing that warrants such an experience. The blend is really solid on most of the tracks, with only occasional blips where more attention could have been paid to matching intonation. Nothing drastic, but still. I do love the downhome earnestness left on Carry Me Through. It sounds less polished than most of the other tracks and that takes me to campfire days at Church Meeting time and circle-ups at 4-H camp.

Wade in the Water is probably the best track on the album. The jazz-reimagined track ebbs and flows like a mighty river, with an amazing bridge stack that put such a huge smile on my face. This will be played weekly for the rest of the year. I may even see if my group could end up singing this, I love it that much. MORE LIKE THIS PLEASE.

I want to ask why White Owl and The Fall from This Restless Maze and Bone + Tissue from Redemption aren't included. Those three would have made this historical reimagining really soar.

As I said, it's hard to categorize this album. I mean, I would have loved to hear Caleb Cabiness sing again on this release as a true greatest hits, but it is what it is and so far Chi Rho has done a pretty good job of recording some good songs.

Greatest hits albums are fun projects. There is a certain appeal to the idea that an artist gathers and presents what they perceive to be their best work, for fans and audiences to reflect on and enjoy. Now, does this concept always produce great results? No. However, in the case of Chi Rho, this has proven to be something truly special.

As someone who has reviewed both the work of Chi Rho in the past and still occasionally consumes their music, I feel justified in saying that after all this time the result has stayed consistent. Greatest Hits so Far is a testament to this. The current lineup of Chi Rho has revisited past arrangements and made them sound just as good as past incarnations did.

Perhaps in the collegiate space, no other group has steadily produced meaningful, great-sounding spiritual music.

What is most remarkable about this collection of music is how consistent the studio sound of Chi Rho has remained. To think that for most college a cappella groups, the lineup changes alters the musicality at least a little bit but Chi Rho continuing to have such a distinct sound is astonishing. Phoenix Burn, Something Beautiful, and Something to Believe In are prime examples of their signature sound featuring engaged and highly rhythmic higher vocals in the backing group, a dynamic and conviction-filled lead, and a song that sounds and feels purposeful.

Even Chi Rho’s secular tracks resonate on another level. (Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay is wonderfully interpreted, sacrificing the classic song’s affinity for soul for modern pop. The unique rendition features various gears that breathe new life into an old favorite. Don’t You Worry ‘bout a Thing is bursting with immense vocal flair, including waves of spicy percussion, a clean collective sound, and great attention to detail in the track’s mixing and editing.

But perhaps Chi Rho’s greatest asset, which has helped the group to remain a standout college a cappella group, is their ability to sing with such unwavering unity. So much of Greatest Hits so Far is ripe with cohesive singing that helps to portray Chi Rho as one united sound. If you want to hear the group completely dialed in on the same page, look no further than Show Me What I’m Looking For. Whether your focus is on intensity, note execution, or blend, the song has it all.

Washed by the Water still to this day remains an all-time favorite arrangement of mine not only from the standpoint of a captivating lead delivery but also for how well the group presents such a mature performance. The arrangement is incredible, with each verse and chorus packed with spirit, life, and musical goodness.

Greatest Hits so Far is an album that will make you a believer in what this group is capable of musically. At fifteen tracks, there is bound to be at least one or two songs that you will love!

I don't usually review religion-themed a cappella for RARB, but when I do, it's almost always Jewish (for which my background gives me some basis). So it's definitely a surprise for me to review Chi Rho, a decades-old Christian ministry a cappella group, from the perspective of someone not Christian and not at all interested in ministry. That being said, even from this outsider perspective, I've gotta say: this album's pretty good!

This being a greatest hits compilation album is probably the biggest thing that can hold it back, for two reasons. First, a compilation album in almost all cases is unable to convey a coherent concept, theme, or other type of throughline like a from-the-ground-up album can. This limits the potential of how songs can become greater than the sum of their parts. This, however, is alleviated by one key caveat of this album: it's actually not a compilation of past recordings. These are actually songs the group covered across its history, revamped as desired and completely re-recorded with the group's most recent personnel. This definitely dampens a lot of the disjointedness that could've been a lot more extreme if the original recordings were simply carried here in remastered form. It's a great way to theme the album that pays homage to the group's history.

That being said, the second pitfall is the expectation of start-to-finish high levels of polish. A greatest hits compilation has the connotation that one should be ready for nonstop strong songs with consistent levels of polish. Greatest Hits so Far has a few rough edges that seem to change drastically with each new song, which amplifies them to the point of distraction.

This is perhaps most evident in the tracks starting from Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing through Sweet, Sweet Spirit. Each track seems to remedy a nagging issue of the previous one, but introduces a new noticeable issue. Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing is a Latin soul Stevie Wonder cover that has some good foundations but feels a bit underbaked by the end. Dive is a more artistically fulfilling track, but the overproduced sound sticks out even more in the context of the songs immediately before and after it. Speaking of which, then comes a cover of the iconic James L. Stevens arrangement of Sarah F. Adams' Nearer My God to Thee (originally performed by BYU Vocal Point). It's not as legendary as Vocal Point's original performance and it's hard not to think of that while listening, but by using such a fantastic arrangement it is still quite good on its own. Everything is a solid bubbly pop bop, but it is such a huge drop in energy and passion from the singers compared to the previous song that it can't help but feel underwhelming. The traditional choral 4-part Sweet, Sweet Spirit is executed better than I've heard from most college a cappella groups attempting to perform this type of music, but I feel the musicality and connectivity between phrases could've been elevated even further for a truly engaging track.

An album can tie tracks with such rapidly changing genres and arrangement styles together in a way that makes flaws more forgivable and strengths more frequently noticed. In my experience, the best strategy to accomplish this is to either be consistently consistent (high levels of polish almost entirely throughout), or consistently inconsistent (there are flaws there, but they're consistently similar flaws from start to finish). Greatest Hits so Far is inconsistently inconsistent — the most apparent flaws of one song are completely different from the next. This makes those minor flaws consistently apparent since they can't be normalized.

That being said, I respect the gamble of having such diverse styles on this album that, even when the strengths are disjointed, still results in an engaging listen. Now to Him is a great closer that utilizes the same strengths but develops better over its duration. (Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay is a risky arrangement of the classic that bites off more than it can chew but is still an entertaining time. I keep harping on Dive's distracting production, but it is quite strong despite that. And it's hard to describe why Another Day is my favorite on the album except that it simply fires on all cylinders all at once (Vincent Melara's overwhelmingly charismatic solo, Roman GianArthur's slick arrangement, Liquid 5th's production, and all of them working together to create some excellent development).

Production by Liquid 5th is impeccable (except for Dive) and seems catered to give these hugely varied songs the treatment they each need. Solo work, save for a couple of mismatched soloists to song choice, is excellent. Arrangements don't push the group's vocal ranges in daring territory that often, but they also create walls of sound that keep songs moving and developing.

One more thing: this album needs better liner notes. Collegiate a cappella groups consistently fall into the trap of crediting performing artists as songwriters, and the same happens here. As I've mentioned in past reviews, the former is not necessary to credit, the latter is, and crediting the former as the latter should not fly. The issue is somewhat mitigated on Greatest Hits so Far, where many of the songs are written by the performing artist or are hymns with the original writer credited, but it's still apparent on other songs. This doesn't affect that album's score, but it is still important to point out.

Compilation albums may be limited in their potential, and the occasional unevenness on Chi Rho's Greatest Hits so Far may belie the album title somewhat. But get past that hurdle, and you'll find a great selection of Christian a cappella music here, and a great ode to the group's history, too.