Empty & Beautiful

Well, I've been emersed in listening to Matt Maher's new CD called Empty & Beautiful. I'm not going to officially review it... I love the guy and his music too much to be objective.

The CD is interesting in that it's a collection of new songs and new recordings of songs previously released on older CDs. I have no inside info, but I'm guessing that his new label, Essential Records, wanted to reach the widest possible audience with his most proven work.

The end result is a wonderful CD. His title track, Empty & Beautiful, is inspiring and beautiful. His catchy tracks Looks Like a Fool, Great Things and Shine Like The Son will stay in your head for days. And his remake of As It Is in Heaven is amazing.

There's just not a single track I don't like. I sound like such a groupie, it's embarrassing!

Below are the tracks:

1. Your Grace Is Enough *
2. Look Like A Fool
3. For Your Glory *
4. As It Is In Heaven *
5. I Rejoice
6. Maranatha (Come Again)
7. Great Things
8. Leave A Light On
9. Shine Like The Son
10. Unwavering *
11. Lay It Down
12. Empty & Beautiful

* = new recordings of previously released songs.

I understand Essential Records trying to establish Matt as a Christian artist first and foremost, but I hope the record label doesn't dissuade his expression of his Catholicism in his future works. There is nothing nearly overt about Catholicism in this release, as it is so well and movingly displayed in his other CDs, like Behold the Lamb of God and The End and the Beginning. That's what I love about his talent more than others... he brings the faith alive through music like no one I've ever heard before.

Simply put, the man is off-the-charts talented... he could write a song about a colonoscopy and I'd be singing it out loud in my car with the windows down. I've listen to this CD about fifty times already and will keep on listening until my CD player wears out.

Congrats, Matt!

God is smiling! Touch as many souls as you can!