Like The Rushing of Water Posted May 30, 2022 By SelenaSchulz_NRT, Staff Reviewer
What You Need to Know Contemporary artist Brandon Heath continues to make an impact on the contemporary Christian world. People all over the world have connected with his music. A five-time GRAMMY nominee, Brandon is also a two-time GMA Male Vocalist and the man behind the 2009 GMA Dove Award-winning Song of the Year, "Give Me Your Eyes."
In his most recent project, Enough Already, Brandon dives deeper into personal insecurities with hopes that by opening his heart, the songwriting he produces can connect with more people. He shares, "This has been a season of me rediscovering what I mean to God, and it has really just given me a lot of peace and a sense of belonging." More than just a personal blessing, this album is sure to bless a whole community of listeners as it also positively impacted me.
What It Sounds Like Enough Already provides a representation of Brandon's voice from many different angles. Paired often with electronic backups and interesting synth pads to peak the ear's interest, it gives a catchy tune. Subsequently, it was layered with all types of instruments, ranging from drums to piano, so that these nine songs flowed through my headphones like water. I personally love that analogy because water can roar, but water can also stream smoothly. Brandon explores both of these sides in the course of one album by utilizing different tempos and unique harmonies. It was a treat to listen to this album continually from start to finish and see the ebbing and flowing of his musical nature.
Spiritual Highlights
Brandon does an excellent job at centering the message of God in his music and the end product of this album is no exception. He clearly has a heart focused on furthering the kingdom of God, and I believe that one of the gifts God has given Him to assist with this is compassion. One place this is especially evident is in the lyrics of "That's Enough," when Brandon sings, "I don't know your situation/What kind of story you're in." He goes on to remind the listener that no matter where they're at, God is good and "that's enough."
The gentleness of this message lines up well with the representation of Jesus in the Bible. In John 15, Jesus speaks about His love for people and the specific ways in which we, as Christ followers, can emanate His glory by caring for each other. The lines I find the most powerful are John 15:12-13, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." Although I don't believe that Brandon based any single song off of this verse, he certainly reflected obedience to it throughout the entirety of his album and after listening, I could not be more grateful that he did.
Best Song
Walking into this album review, I wasn't quite sure what to expect and I nearly got through the entire album without being able to choose a favorite song. The entire album was beautifully made and I appreciated each track, but I couldn't possibly be a bigger fan of the title track, "Enough Already."
He repeats the fact "I'm enough already," consistently bringing the point home that we do not have to strive to earn God's grace. I love his honesty as he admits that "nobody's harder on me than myself," because that is something I personally resonate with. He then goes on to remind himself of the peace that God provides and the truth that He already loves us. It was the perfect reminder I needed, telling me to breathe and practice accepting God's grace just as I am right now. Through this song, I am finding it easier to believe "I'm enough already."
Final Word
Brandon has been releasing music for nearly two decades, but that hasn't quenched the flow of his creativity in the slightest. Rather, he has grown as a musician and this album is the perfect representation of that increase in maturity, both musically and spiritually. I personally enjoyed every song on this album, especially the deep cuts that may not be future radio hits. Brandon has been able to expand his musical horizons a bit more with every album and this project felt like a personal demonstration of that talent.
Through the smooth application of background instruments, he is able to accentuate the clarity of his voice. It's a process that many singers grapple with, because it is more than just sounding good. It's about singing the right song and declaring the right message. Brandon has certainly discovered that when he's singing about God's mercy, there's no going wrong. I greatly enjoyed this stretch of my musical palette and I am positive that much of the Christian music community will feel the same way.
