"This coming year marks 20 years since my life took a huge turn, a positive turn, toward Jesus. I got married last spring and a few weeks after our honeymoon, I took my new bride to the camp where that turning point took place - Young Life's Malibu Club in Canada, which is where I heard the Gospel for the first time. I found myself going back to 1995 in my head, to the excitement of meeting Jesus and making a commitment to follow him; I was 16.
It was a cornerstone week for me and I had no idea just how much better my life would be after I made that decision. It was that return visit to camp, with my wife, that I decided what this next record would be about. Psalm 51:12 "Restore to me the joy of your salvation" - that has continually been on my mind as I've written these songs. "Renew a right spirit within me." I need renewing and restoring desperately. Nothing does that look like looking back on the timeline of your life and realizing how faithful and present God has been the whole way. So, pen to paper, the words started coming. These songs are written from the spirit of that 16 year old, new believer, in awe of being forgiven. I chose Ed Cash to produce this record. He was my camp musician in 1995. His voice, to this day, takes me back to those first days of faith. He knew immediately what I wanted to convey and he's helped me bring these songs and these memories to life." - Brandon Heath
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The Sweet Spot| Posted January 14, 2015
20 years may not sound like a substantial chunk in the grand scheme of things, but for critically acclaimed, GRAMMY nominated male vocalist Brandon Heath, it's enough to flip life on its head completely.
No Turning Back, the latest studio offering from the "Give Me Your Eyes" songwriter, chronicles a milestone two decades since he gave his life to God. Each song reflects his personal journey, ranging from struggles in his newfound teenage faith to present day as a seasoned worship leader and blissful newlywed.
Right away, listeners are welcomed by Heath's signature lyricism. Songs like "Everything Must Go" and "Sing Brave" feel like sitting down and catching up with an old friend. While these tracks don't showcase his most original songwriting to date, they definitely present his most personal and heartfelt side.
"Girl Of My Dreams" falls along the same lines of the prior two songs. Recently married last summer, Heath pens the swoon-worthy tale of he and his wife's quirky courtship and marriage in what is sure to become a staple couples song: "Falling in love is a beautiful thing, like every morning's the first day of spring / God must be smiling down over me, I'm in love with the girl of my dreams."
A storyteller by design, Brandon is also known for producing songs that offer quite a bit to chew on thematically. If I could pinpoint a recurring theme throughout each song on this album, look no further than the message of selfless love-- in life both temporary and eternal.
"When You Look At Me" finds its core in being known entirely by God: "It's like I'm barefoot running through a golden field / Like a child, that's how You make me feel / Oh Lord, when You look at me."
In some sense, you can call this Brandon's most worshipful project yet. Prior albums full of genuinely tough questions led the way to this batch of eleven faith-fueled declarations. Take the sonically charged highlight "One Way To Heaven," which not only exemplifies how phenomenal Heath can sound when treated with the right amount of production, but lends an attractive gloss to a subject that could very easily feel overused or trite.
Closing Thoughts:
Brandon Heath is a well of creativity. Though his tried and true formula never grows tiresome, he hits his sweet spot when he pairs vibrant synth elements with his upbeat blend of acoustic pop. He's done this before of course, namely 2011'sLeaving Eden, but perfects the marriage here in ways unlike before.
While Brandon has never been an artist to shy away from his faith, the bold No Turning Back is noticeably his most spiritually overt effort, with many moments thoughtfully acknowledging God in an intimate setting. This is a big step forward in Brandon Heath's ever-evolving career.
Song To Download Now:
"One Way To Heaven" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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