Review

MercyMe is a talented group of young men who earnestly deliver an impressive set of worship songs designed to express the full spectrum of emotions present in the heart of each Believer.

From the opening strains of “I Worship You” to the gentle plaintive piano tones of the delicate “In You”, this band displays a maturity and poise that are rare in today’s youth worship arena. The lyrics are strong, the production is nothing less than phenomenal and the overall effect of this disc is that these young men have spent a long time developing their respective talents in order to give back to God an offering of worship.

The standout track on “Almost There” is easily the song “I Can Only Imagine” where the song expresses a strong sense of wonder and yearning to be in the presence of The Almighty and experience all of his glory and grace. “I can only imagine what it will be like/ When I walk by your side/ I can only imagine what my eyes will see/ When your face is before me/ I can only imagine/ Surrounded by your glory/ What will my heart feel?/ Will I dance for you Jesus/ Or in awe of you be still?/ Will I stand in your presence/ Or to my knees fall?/ Will I sing hallelujah/ Will I be able to speak at all?' (from “I Can Only Imagine')

Avoiding the typical modern rock stylings of their peers, MercyMe keeps their sound reigned back a notch into the more Power Pop flavored variety. Keyboards and guitars are layered over tasteful harmonies and a crisp drum kit sound that still allows room for the songs to evoke a natural sense of genuine worship. It can’t be stressed enough that one of the best things about this band is the solid vocal work of Bart Millard. His voice is clear and strong when the verses rise into the heavens and then earnest and reflective when a soft voice of comfort is required. His talent helps to launch this album beyond the reach of what most debut releases deliver and makes this CD from MercyMe well worth the listen.

Review by Keith Giles