Matt Hammitt:
Posted September 18, 2011
By godtunesreviews,
You may know Matt Hammitt as the lead singer of successful rock band Sanctus Real, but with Every Falling Tear he goes solo as he shares the story of the struggles he and his wife Sarah had to endure during the birth of their song Bowen. Bowen, whose name means "small victorious one" was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, which meant that only half of his heart had developed. Doctors were not even sure that Bowen would be even born. After months of prayer, Bowen was successfully delivered into the world in September 2010. Bowen had defied the odds, and God had performed a miracle. Every Falling Tear (released exactly one year after Bowen's miraculous heart surgery) is a collection of poignant songs that follow the struggles of the Hammitt family during this time, and the growth in Matt's faith as he learned to completely trust in God throughout these struggles.
Every Falling Tear opens up with the first single "All of Me", beginning with haunting piano and featuring guitar work that resembles U2, a track that reflects Matt's decision to give up his fear of losing his son in order to recklessly love him. "You're gonna know all my love/even if it's not enough/enough to mend our broken hearts/but giving you all of me /is where I'll start." The following songs "Holding You" and "Let Go" are written about surrender. The latter of these two songs follows the story of wife Sarah's struggles during the time before Bowen's birth, offering an encouraging reminder to the listener that"In these hard times/it's not in what you hold onto/it's in the one who's holding you tonight." Co-written with Joy Williams, "Let Go" features beautiful piano, as it speaks of letting go of our troubles and handing them over to God, and trusting that he is in control of everything.
The acoustic guitar driven "Trust" was written during the time of Bowen's heart surgery, when Matt struggled to believe that any good could come out of the situation. This song offers an encouraging reminder that God has always been faithful to us in the past, and we need to continually place our trust in him. Lyrically, "You Are My Treasure" is a beautiful worship ballad that encourages the listener to make Jesus their treasure. "Without You" speaks of our need for God in our lives, saying that life without Him would be meaningless and incomplete.
Lyrically, "Let It Bring You Praise" is the strongest track on the record. This song is an emotional prayer from Matt, as it reflects his heartfelt desire to let everything he does bring glory to God. "Before I was born/You numbered my days /the story is yours /I'm just a page /with every word /I want to proclaim /let my life proclaim." "Little Light", featuring incredible guest vocals from Audrey Assad, is another one of the highlights from the album. It is a peaceful lullaby dedicated to Matt's children, giving a sweet reminder that God is always watching over them. "I Couldn't Love You More" follows in much the same manner, a comforting reminder that Jesus loves us more than we can ever imagine. Every Falling Tear comes to a close with "This Is Grace", a song that re-centres around the album's theme, saying that the reason for our suffering is so God can be enabled to move in and work freely in our lives.
There's no doubt that Every Falling Tear is certainly an emotional record! I was thoroughly pleased with this album, because not only does Matt emphasise the difficult times he faced during Bowen's condition, he also shares how much he grew in faith in spite of this tough situation. Be sure to keep some tissues nearby as you listen to a truly inspiring project filled with songs of comfort, hope and redemption, and a strong reminder that God has the power to make good out of any circumstance! View All Music And Book Reviews By godtunesreviews | View godtunesreviews's Profile
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