By BRUCE DENNILL
Because of the nature of the music that they write – designed (hopefully) to help facilitate other people to in some way come into the presence of God – contemporary worship artists tend to have patches in their career when their material instantly connects with listeners and periods when, though the music is no less well-made, that association is not as evident.
Laura Story is going through a pleasingly sustained phase of the former. Interestingly – or frustratingly, for other songwriters who are wracking their brains for ways to stay fresh – she’s doing it by sticking with a formula that is fairly entrenched not only for her, but for many artists operating in the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) sphere.
Critics (and cynics) often slate such music for being knowingly safe; even unimaginative. But in accountability terms, staying close to the acknowledged bedrock of the artist’s (and, often, listeners’) faith – the Scriptures – or at the very least, the experiences of those who believe in the God described in them is important if the songs under consideration are going to have any integrity.
Musically, Story favours arrangements that sound like pop; often with the suggestion of country music structures (particularly in the ballads, such as the title track), eschewing both the stereotyped church chorus sound that can be a hard sell to listeners who are not believers and the heavily produced, youth market-focused atmospheric rock that occupies the other end of the scale.
Story’s music is as approachable and friendly as the singer’s wide smile on the cover makes her look, and about as likely to knowingly offend anyone. It’s comforting rather than challenging, generally speaking, though the title track does explore the “Why do bad things happen to good people” conundrum.
God Of Every Story is well-written, elegantly performed and superbly produced by CCM stalwart Ed Cash. On that last score, listen to the subtle, stirring bass behind the strings in Who But Jesus.
- There Is A Kingdom 7.50
- O Love Of God 7.00
- I Can Just Be Me 7.00
- Who Is Like Our God 7.00
- God Of Every Story 7.75
- Who But Jesus 7.50
- Keeper Of The Stars 6.75
- Forgiven 7.00
- You Gave Your Life 7.00
- Grace 7.00
- He Will Not Let Go 7.00
Rating: 7.136