Just a year after releasing his critically heralded national debut Awakening Hearts, worship artist Mike Lee returns with his brand new studio release, All I Need. Produced by Cody Norris, Scott Cash and Ed Cash (whose Dove Award-winning collaborations include Chris Tomlin, David Crowder and Kari Jobe), the new EP is a more stripped-down collection than his band-driven debut, providing a glimpse into his artistic, personal and spiritual growth.
All I Need captures a tumultuous time for Lee, who spent the last year balancing touring and leading worship at his home church in Fort Wayne, Indiana with his job as a mixed martial arts trainer, in addition to newfound fatherhood and a life-changing diagnosis for his own father.
"Last May we released the first project, but I wrote the title track for this EP, 'All I Need,' the same week," explains Lee. "I'm not a believer in coincidence. The same day my first album came out, my dad started chemotherapy for stage four lung cancer. There I was about to start this whole new journey with music, sitting next to my father who was being strapped up with needles, and I'm just going 'alright Lord, what are you doing?'"
Lee's wife was also pregnant with their second son. Balancing work, music, an ailing father and a baby to be, the simple but poignant chorus of "All I Need Is You" sung straight to the Lord provided both the peace he so desperately needed and became the catalyst for his upcoming EP.
So often I'm looking at the Word and writing with an audience or a congregation in mind, but this was one of those times when I wrote without thinking about what anyone else would hear," says Lee. "I had so much going on that the only way I could think to communicate was to sing to the Lord. As a thread through the whole of this season, it is fitting that God as all we need would be the central theme of this collection."
As Lee prepares for the release of the songs that were born from a year of trials, he finds himself with a plethora of things to celebrate, from overwhelmingly supportive friends and fans on Kickstarter who successfully backed the upcoming EP, to the re-diagnosis of his dad down to stage three cancer, to a healthy new addition to the family. Now eight months old, baby Stetson joins three year-old big brother Preston, both of whom join Lee and his wife Michelle on the road.
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Acoustic Reflections| Posted June 01, 2015
On the heels of a successful debut with Awakening Hearts, singer/songwriter Mike Lee returns with a follow-up EP, All I Need.
What Works:
The soft, acoustic approach carries a nice "rainy day" living-room feeling of intimacy, with simple instrumentation and well-mixed, passionate vocals. Lee is an effective worship leader and keeps the focus squarely on Christ.
"Come on, Come on" boasts a hook catchy enough to round out an album highlight that calls the Church to action in worship of Christ. Definitely a single candidate, the song's guitar riffs and upbeat chorus lends a lot of credibility to what Lee can accomplish as musician and lyricist.
"Different" leads with a country beat into an emotive chorus of praise. The song definitely sets a solemn and reflective mood. Lee's honest and vertical reflections set to simple, crisp music definitely succeeds at its goals and should help listeners delve into reflection and praise of their own.
What Doesn't:
Lee is capable of writing a standout worship milestone, but I think this EP may not be where it's found. The low-key tone will definitely make this an album for specific moods and tastes.
In a sea of albums aiming for the same goal, a big challenge facing this EP is defining itself among similar artists. I think that's one of the areas of struggle here that could be focused on in the future. Good things are certainly to come from Mike Lee, and I think this EP is just the opening number.
Closing Thoughts:
Mike Lee has crafted a deeply personal and relevant EP. Filled with honest reflections, powerful worship, and effective music, All I Need is all a listener would need to delve into the praise of God in song. The decision to opt for a simple acoustic approach will draw some, while possibly leaving others dissatisfied. And I do fear a sound and execution that is very familiar, despite the acoustic angle, could leave the project a bit too undefined to be a standout. Still, it's a success on many fronts, and it is a commendable achievement for Mike Lee.
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