Holly Spears [Heartache To Hope]
Posted April 02, 2012
By KevinDavis_NRT, Staff Reviewer
Holly Spears released her full-length album, Heartache to Hope (Girl on a Mission Music), on April 3rd, via her own label, Girl on a Mission Music, LLC. Leading up to the album release, Spears has released her debut singles, “Learning to Love” and “Watch Over Me,” which has a music video. Produced by Mitch Dane, the album features vocal, bass, keyboard and mastering support from Jars of Clay. Spears grew up in the small town of Wana, West Virginia, where she found her voice as a little girl, accompanying her father on Sunday mornings in church choir. Spears spent her high school and college years writing songs and learning about the world of music business. She played in various bands and interned at a local radio station, where she was introduced to front man Eliot Sloan of the platinum-selling pop/rock band Blessid Union of Souls. Soon after, Spears was in the studio with Sloan who worked with her to craft her sound.
Opening tracks “Just Another Love Song” and “A Beautiful Mess” are great examples of the transparent and vulnerable lyrics found throughout this very compelling album. Musically and lyrically, I was captivated by the hook-filled and honest nature of these songs. “Why do I always try to hide, everything that I feel inside, dress it up and make it look all pretty, don’t let ‘em ever see the grittier side, I’m trying to hide” is the chorus of “A Beautiful Mess.” Holly pours her heart out in every single song and ironically the remaining songs actually do in fact reveal the “grittier side she’s trying to hide” starting with “Identity” which causes tears to start streaming down my face for the next few songs which are all in the style of JJ Heller’s hit song “What Love Really Means” both in message and music. I lose it when Holly passionately belts out “She’s screaming out I want to be free, she’s longing for identity, she’s thinking what happened to me, who am I to be…she’s trying to find, her peace of mind, she can’t rewind back to the time when she knew her identity.” “Hard To Carry” wrecks me as the song allows listeners to eavesdrop on Holly expressing the hurt she’s experienced as she prays: “Lord help me to forgive her please, she’s so hard to carry, this broken heart inside of me, is so hard to carry…help me bless her soul, wash us white as snow, help me to let it go. Give me strength to set us free, it’s so hard to carry, this bitterness that’s poisoned me, is so hard to carry.” The song is a modern day Psalm as her brokenness is so heartfelt and personal and she ends the song with a David-like realization, “I wrote your name down today, and asked my God to help me see you, the way I know that He sees me, loved, forgiven, pure and redeemed.” Oh my, the tears just kept flowing as this gorgeous and poignant song ends.
The album continues in prayer and hopefulness with “A Small Voice” as Holly prays: “I need You to protect me from the ones who came to rob me of my innocence, my confidence, my self-respect…come rescue me, from all I’ve seen, I’m hurt and bleeding, I need You, I need You, I need You…” A Brit-Rock musical style arrives for “Where’d You Go,” and the singles “Watch Over Me” and “Learning To Love” which completely fits as the second half of the album has songs that reflect the transforming healing process from “heartache to hope.” “Watch Over Me” has a very entertaining music video portraying the lyrics of the song, “come next to me my dear, whoever thought I’d fall in love with an angel, whoever thought I’d fall in love…when you’re here I know, I am loved it shows, God sent you to watch over me, I am loved tonight, that you hold me tight, I need you to watch over me.” The catchy beat and engaging lyrics has made it one of my favorite songs of the year. In yet another vulnerable moment, Holly continues her desire for transformation in “Learning To Love” with the hopeful lyrics, “we’re all learning to love, we’re leaving it all behind to free our minds, to seek and find, we’re learning to love.” In Christ, we can all learn to love one another and receive love in return. I really enjoy how this album tells the story of redemption as each song gives a glimpse of how Holly moves from “Heartache to Hope.”
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Heartache to Hope by Holly Spears tells the story of a hopeful small town girl with big city dreams and an even bigger heart. "My dream for this album is to reach the deep, deep wounds in the hearts of everyone who hears it," says Spears. "I hope to connect with people through the pain I have experienced in my own life, only to help them see the hope I have found on the other side. From Heartache to Hope, I have been through a lot in my life, just like everyone else in the world. My goal is to help others find truth in the fact that no matter what they've gone through or what their situation is, there is always hope and they are never alone." If you are looking for the words to express your feelings to God in times of hurting and pain, these songs are a wonderful companion. The stand-out songs “Identity,” “Hard To Carry,” “A Small Voice,” “Where’d You Go,” “Watch Over Me” and “Learning To Love” are the most transparent, vulnerable and authentic songs I’ve heard in quite a while. If you like folk-style “gourmet” singer-songwriters JJ Heller, Sara Groves and Audrey Assad, you need to check out Holly Spears. View All Music And Book Reviews By KevinDavis_NRT | View KevinDavis_NRT's Profile
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