Piercing Lyrical Honesty
Posted March 31, 2014
By SarahFine_NRT, Staff Reviewer
If you would have told singer/songwriter Michael Boggs he would one day be a musician performing in front of thousands of people, there is a good chance the former college football star, who dreamed of going pro, would have laughed in your face. God's sense of humor sure is grand, isn't it?
A former member of the well-known 90s group FFH, Boggs took to a solo career after the group went on hiatus back in 2007, going on to release various worship-oriented albums, including both a live and a hymns project.
More Than A Lion is Michael's latest release, and was birthed from a spiritual awakening of bravery, where God was challenging him to start acting "less like a lamb and more like a lion."
Those unabashed themes of honesty and bravery are evidently strung throughout the course of this 12 track effort. With a twangy infusion, "Turn Around" speaks openly about the lives of those who might seem fine from our perspective, but are struggling to keep it together. It's a well-crafted reminder that we were all a mess at one point, but that Jesus can redeem any broken life for His glory.
"The Resurrection And The Life" is a short portion of spoken-word Scripture that is surprisingly darker in nature, but the perfect prelude to the song "Alive," a convicting song about how Christ didn't come to save good people, but rather, bring those who are dead in sin to life. An incredibly powerful pair.
"Heart On My Sleeve" and "Song In Me" showcase how this album perfectly bounces back and forth between rootsy folk and blatant country. I can't say that I'm well-educated on either genre, or that I listen to much from either as well, but as someone who is a rookie to this style, I'm immediately impressed by how well Boggs' meatier, Southern vocals partner with his sonic craftsmanship and forthright lyrics. Lyrics he openly admits, he is only now brave enough to sing.
Perhaps the biggest highlight is the track "What Would Jesus Undo." The title alone sparks an idea of what lies ahead for the listener, but what you'll find here isn't merely a list of religious cliches that Boggs is suggesting fall to the wayside. Rather, what you will discover is the heart of a gracious Savior who cries out to the hearts of His follows to stop living legalisticly in His name: "I wonder if He shakes His head and thinks "that's not what I meant" / What does hurting the hurt improve?"
Closing Thoughts:
More Like A Lion lives up to its title fully. Boggs has crafted some of the most piercing lyrics this listener has heard in quite some time. While it doesn't have much to offer from a musical standpoint (the songs tend to sound similar after a few listens), it definitely left me questioning my beliefs in the best way, wondering how I could better represent Christ to a world desperate for truth. If that was his mission, Michael Boggs has more than accomplished it.
Song To Download Now:
"Alive" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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