Grit, Grace, Redemption Posted October 12, 2022 By JasminPatterson_NRT, Staff Reviewer
What You Need to Know Ben Fuller has released his first major record label album, Who I Am, with Provident Label Group/Sony Music. The album is an honest take on Ben's personal story and experience of God's grace that he hopes God will use to draw others into the same.
What It Sounds Like Who I Am opens strong with anthems "World Changed" and title track "Who I Am," singing the truth about what Jesus has done for us. It makes sense that the choruses and bridges are big and energetic, making you want to belt out the words along with the record. There are several moments like that on the album.
I love the choice to have piano mirror the vocal melody in the verses of "Wide Awake." That whole song feels epic and cinematic, from the production to vocal delivery. Who I Am not only has its big production and anthemic moments; it also does subtlety well, with simple, stripped down ballads like "Chasing Rebels" and "Other Plans" that give the lyrics even more space to take front and center.
Ben has a natural grit in his voice that sets him apart, and his vocal style sounds like a combination of Country and Rock stylings. As a body of work, Who I Am combines the familiarity of Contemporary while keeping a rock-influence that gives it an edge, and the blend is perfect.
Spiritual/Lyrical Highlights
A few themes stand out to me from this project. Declaring what Jesus has done for us through His death and resurrection and how that comes to bear on our real lives is a common thread from start to finish. ("World Changed," "But the Cross," "He Found Me")
Honesty is another. It's refreshing to hear Christian songs in which the artist isn't afraid to be real about their past, their struggles, and how God met them in the middle of it all without sugarcoating anything. I was also inspired by the skill of the songwriting. In song after song, the words are at the same time truthful, vulnerable, and crafted with compelling imagery.
Best Song On The Record
"Other Plans" wins best song. There's no other way to put it: we need more songs like this in Christian music. In this folky acoustic ballad, fittingly stripped down to just Ben's voice and guitar, Ben courageously and vulnerably opens up about his close call with suicide at the age of 16. He sings candidly about his thought process that day, how nervous he was, and God intervened to save his life. More than just great music, this is an important song God can use to rescue others.
Final Word
Ben Fuller was a new artist for me to discover and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know his testimony and music through Who Am I. When you listen to this album, you'll not only enjoy a unique sound, but you'll be reminded of God's power to redeem and rescue. What Ben sings about in his own story will give you hope for what God can do in yours.
