Tauren Wells' debut full length solo album has already earned early accolades for its title track, the compelling and poignant song "Hills and Valleys." Radio success has brought Tauren's earnest songwriting to the Christian music listener base's attention.

As it turns out, "Hills and Valleys" was just a taste of the depth of Tauren Wells' passionate perspective on faith and rich songwriting abilities. He took us behind the scenes of all of the songs on the record to give us more insight into the album as a whole.
 
"When We Pray"
"When We Pray" was written because a broken world needs a praying church. This song speaks to the idea that we actually have the power to change the realities in which we live through prayer. It's something that the believer needs to harness and exert in our lives if we're really going to change the world around us.
 
"All About You"
"All About You" is a song that just points very clearly to Jesus. I think that we need a clear sound in the world today, and people clearly need to see Jesus. I just wanted a song to remind myself as a center point and others that this is not about my little thoughts or my little ideas or my little talent, it is about making much of Jesus. I'm happy to have Hollyn on that track with me. 
 
"Never Gonna Let Me Go"
"Never Gonna Let Me Go" is a song about the faithfulness of God through every season. One of the lines that I love is "I'm tearing apart my master plan and I'm holding on to my Master's hand." The safest place that you can actually be is in the great unknown, and you can trust God even when you're walking through dark places. 
 
"Hills and Valleys"
The heart behind "Hills and Valleys" is that we would all learn how to posture our hearts through life's series of highs and lows. The terrain of life can be very beautiful and also very treacherous. This is inspired by a quote that said to "stand tall in valleys and bow low on mountaintops." I've heard a lot of messages and songs about God being the God of the highs and the lows or the hills and the valleys, but never about how we're supposed to respond when we're in the valley or how to respond when you're on the mountaintop. This is a soundtrack through life's highs and lows.

"Nothing But You"
I just feel like there's always this desire and drifting in me to pull away and go toward--even if it's noble things and good things--there's always this pull away from the focal point, which is Jesus. I wanted to have a song that said I'm not going to pursue vain things. I'm not trying to be famous, that's shallow. I'd rather be significant than prominent. That song speaks to the heart of that message.
 
"Known"
"Known" was inspired by a quote from Timothy Keller that says "to be loved and not known is comforting but superficial, to be known but not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and fully loved is a lot like being loved by God." It is amazing to me that God could see my in my entirety and love me fully. That is ridiculous grace, as the song says, and yet He loves me so much that He confronts me with His truth so that I can become more like Him. That is very special.
 
"Love Is Action"
"Love Is Action" is the soundtrack for world change.
 
"Undefeated"
"Undefeated" is that jam for people that may feel like they have been taking hit after hit, loss after loss, disappointment after disappointment, maybe even struggling with some kind of sickness or chronic illness. There's people in my life that deal with chronic illnesses, and there's always this struggle between "I know that I live in victory, but I'm not feeling very victorious right now." The truth is, even if we suffer on this side of eternity, ultimately we will win, and we will be whole and we will be right because the victory that we have extends into eternity. It's not one-sided. Like Paul said, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed." You may get knocked down here, but ultimately, you're undefeated.
 
"All My Love"
"All My Love" is a song about complete and total dedication to Jesus. There's always this splitting of affections in our hearts, and yet the greatest command is to love the Lord with all your heart and mind and strength, and to love others. So that song talks about how you can't say that you really love God but not love people: that's empty religion. If your affection is totally aimed at God, it's going to be aimed to people.
 
"God's Not Done With You"
"God's Not Done With You" is a song for the person who feels disqualified by their past guilt and shame to say that God has the ability, He's actually a master architect, and He specializes in building on what remains in your life. If all you have is ruins, then ruins will be what He uses to recreate the great design that He has for your life. 
 
"September"
"September" is just the turn up song! Shout out to Earth, Wind and Fire for letting me do it. That's one that we did for the tour [with Lionel Richie], and it's just a dance track.
 
"Supernatural"
"Supernatural" is about this idea of feeling something that you can't quite articulate. It's written in hopes that people will maybe be listening to the album and feel something that they're not used to feeling. We point to that supernatural love that we have in Jesus Christ.

You can get Hills and Valleys on iTunes here.