A Genuine, Authentic, Heartfelt Debut| Posted December 14, 2023 What You Need To Know Ben Fuller is a Contemporary Christian Music artist originally from Southern Vermont. He grew up in Southern Vermont on his family's dairy farm working alongside his father where he would pass the time by singing to old classic country tunes.
Sometime between working on the farm and his time in college, Ben picked up a guitar and started singing. Ben struggled with certain aspects of growing up and turned to cocaine and alcohol at a young age. In 2017, he abruptly lost his best friend to a heroin overdose and his entire outlook on life shifted. Motivated to change his life into something better, Ben moved to Nashville to pursue a career as a country singer in late 2018.
A family that he is close with invited him to church one Sunday and as he walked the halls into the auditorium filled with 3,000 people, Ben knew one day he would sing "that kind of music" for the rest of his life.
As evidenced by his lyrics, videos, and commitment to connecting with and ministering to those incarcerated, Ben lives out his new-found relationship with Jesus, desiring to share what God has done for him in turning his life around. Today, Ben lives completely sober, while sharing his story filled with hope, mercy and grace.
This self-titled album is Ben's first full-length release that includes five new songs ("Grace of God," "Man on Fire," "He Got a Hold of Me (feat. Jo Dee Messina)," "If I Got Jesus," and "Testimony." The remaining songs first appeared on his Who I Am EP which was released in July of last year.
What It Sounds Like Ben has a great lyrical range, which shines both during live concerts and on any of his recorded songs. The album is a lyrical journey of his life (thus far), talking about the lessons he has learned from the hard knocks of life, and his newfound freedom from freshly knowing Jesus as his personal savior.
The melodies on this album are tight, the lyrics are impeccable, and the production quality is perfect. The vocals are crisp, clean, powerful, and heartfelt, yet NOT overproduced! Ben hit a home run with this one, and it is going to be hard to match either the quality or quantity of songs on this perfect debut album. There are touches of Sunday morning sprinkled throughout, with keyboards/piano that are crisp, clean, and intelligently placed in most of the songs. A choir perfectly accompanies Ben at times without overshadowing him, or stealing the stage.
The thing I like most about this album is that when I crank it up a little, it feels like Ben is in the room with me, carefully and sincerely singing his heart out (just like in each of his concerts).
Spiritual Highlights
There are so many biblical truths on this record that it would take another full article just to cover them all! However, here are just a few of the nuggets that can be heard.
On "He Got a Hold of Me," Ben sings "It was at the end of myself, When I cried out for help/It was in the wandering lost, When I stumbled to the cross/And at the lowest place, I met the highest name/Broken and left crawling on my knees, He got a hold of me/Jesus." These lyrics are so powerful and true, that they deserve no additional commentary, nothing can be added to them.
On "If I Got Jesus" Ben sings "If I've got Jesus, I've got all that I could ever need/Take the world away from me, And I'll be ok/If I've got Jesus, There's a hope that's living deep inside/A joy that I could never hide, And a safe place to fall/If I've got Jesus, I got it all." This truth takes some believers an entire lifetime to figure out. Yet, here is Ben, an infant in his walk with the Lord, shining a light on one of the absolute truths of Christianity.
I really appreciate when an album has biblical truths and anecdotes, and this one is filled with them! There are many antidotes to fear, depression, and the lies of this world, and there is no better example of this than the song "But The Cross." I love these powerful lyrics: "They say you're too guilty for His grace/You're too far gone and now you're too late/But the cross says they're wrong/Don't believe the words they say, Let the truth wash them away/'Cause His blood says you're loved/Every lie is bound to leave/When there's nothing you believe but the cross."
Best Song
"He Found Me" is such a great track that highlights the depth of Ben's vocal range and his powerful voice. It also serves as a microcosm of his life's journey, which he can, and does deliver with genuine heartfelt gratitude. I have been lucky enough to see him perform this one live, and watched as he poured his heart out, as tears slowly trickled down his cheeks.
Ultimately, the message that this song delivers resonates with any person who has ever experienced hard times or personal failure. It also lays out the truth for anyone who does not know Jesus personally, that Jesus found us–the sinners–and came to our rescue, and that there is nothing we could ever do to "find" Jesus. This song extends a gentle hand to non-believers and invites them to join us in experiencing the true meaning of life, peace, rest, and gratitude, even during the storms of life.
Bottom Line
It is hard for me to offer an unbiased review of this album, because I have been a huge fan of Ben since the very first time I met him, and saw him perform in person. If you have ever seen him in person, you know that he is a big humble teddy bear, very friendly, and 100% genuine. He has a huge heart for God and people. I have been fortunate to see him in concert twice so far and can attest to the fact that he puts every ounce of his energy and being into belting out each song. He is one of those rare artists who are just as good in person as they are on their recorded releases. I have yet to be disappointed by anything Ben sings or releases. This album is no different. You're going to want to download this debut, and add it to every playlist you manage!
to add lyrics if not listed.
