Hailing from Tennessee, I was expecting over-saturated pop/worship with an acoustic flair, but Chris' gritty vocals and clear blues rhythms caught me by surprise, and I was torn which side to take. "Still Saving Me" is certainly one of the best here, offering a raw praise texture, while maintaining a bit of that Chris Tomlin-esque church service style. The follow-up "Defender," is another nice addition, again mixing some of his unique worship sound in with the somewhat unoriginal, but popular soul-inflected production. Wrapping things up nicely come the slow-paced "Blessed Assurance," turning the well known hymn into a lengthy, but quality rendition of the initial piece. If this track is any indications of what this artist could have in store for us in the future, and this song alone could keep me on the alert for coming discs. (Wow, I know!)
While is doesn't take to much away to the fans ears, the producing of the CD is probably the biggest problem. There is just not the freshness and upbeat flavor that most Christian radio listeners will be hoping for, and that could be a draw back for the new audience he will certainly reach with this effort. Not necessarily an overall musical mistake, but with the tension he has built in this arrival, I hope it won't a letdown to the anticipating public.
So while this album does not stand out as a whole, there are some obvious positive elements that point to the future more than instant success. At times, the lyrics fall short due to generic themes, but this will most likely change as Chris matures and grows into what could be the next big thing we have all been waiting for. I wouldn't recommend this album overall to the reader, but I would urge you to keep him in mind, and remember his name is he get's another attempt to prove his place in the music scene. ~ Christian Lingner
2 1/2 0f 5 stars
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