Brandon Heath

What If We

Brandon Heath has been one of my favorite artists since his first release Don’t Get Comfortable. Well, I took his words to heart and was incredibly fidgety when I heard he was coming out with a new album. Now that it’s been released, I have can’t help but sit still and listen to this incredible album. I’m sure a couple of you are familiar with his most well known song right now, Give me Your Eyes, which is played on many stations around the country.

Strengths

I had the privilege of seeing Brandon Heath in concert just a few months ago, and one of the things that stood out to me was how much sincerity he performed with; this was not lost in his album. The depth and sincerity Heath sings with is one of the best attributes of his work. It’s incredibly touching to hear about him singing about standing on the streets of London and crying, praying for God’s understanding, and his experience with other hurting people. This is not a superficial album in the least bit.

Other strengths include his brilliant voice and the shift in style from his last album. You can still tell that this is the same guy, but something about this album is different. There is slightly a more rhythmic feel to some of his songs and you can tell that his musical maturity is growing. His voice clean and clear while the music is not muddled  or too overpowering. It seems that the balance between vocals and instrumentation is very well done.

Weaknesses

Well, weaknesses aren’t things I like to think about because I like this album so much, but nonetheless, I will still address it. Things that leave me wanting more include the lack of  a wide variety of instruments as well as the lack of variety in song style. I would love to hear Heath do a purely acoustic track or a track that is done in simple harmony. I would like to see him expand his musical depth by further molding his lyrics to the style of the music. One might find that the instrumentation can sound similar throughout the entirety of his album. There are a few songs that certainly stand out, but I would still like to see more variety in how Heath expresses himself.

Aesthetic Appeal

Heath’s songs include much of a pop sound, but he also brings a more rhythmic and R&B feel to this album. Give Me your Eyes is a great example of this while Listen Up also portrays another side of this. Heath uses a lot of acoustic and electric guitar in addition to strings, clapping, piano, etc. However his voice is certainly the core focus of each song.It is mostly a vocal album with a few cool rhythms and beats, but he does not do a whole lot to expand on musical instrumentation and display. This seems to be a great album though. There is not much lacking, and it is something that appeals to a wide range of people. His song Give Me Your Eyes is number one on (the Christian genre of)  iTunes…

Spirituality

Heath sings about love. He sings about love for God, love for other people, and love for the world around him. Once again, Give Me Your Eyes is a good example of this. He sings about asking for God’s eyes, his view on the world, and the ability to see and do as God does. It is a cry to be more like Him, a desire to be his servant, and a cry to renew his heart. The rest of his album does not deviate from this theme. There is a strong feeling of praise and reflection in this album. It is not one lacking spiritual depth.

Standout Tracks

(Of Course) Give Me Your Eyes

Listen Up

London

Love Never Fails

Heath’s website

Heath’s myspace

Posted in Music, Review Tagged: album review, Brandon Heath, Chris, Christian music, Give me Your Eyes, What If We