Perfect for the hopelessly romantic and the deeply spiritual
Written: Feb 15 '01 (Updated May 23 '03)
Product Rating:
Pros: Relaxing, soothing music that manages to be deeply religious and still have universal appeal.
Cons: Most songs are slower-paced.
The Bottom Line: An absolutely lovely album with compelling, believable lyrics that express deep spiritual longing, that will hopefully appeal within and beyond Christian circles.
Michelle Tumes has a fine debut on her hands here that she's going to have a tough time outdoing. Signed to Sparrow Records in 1997 and carefully brought into the Christian music fold by super-producer Charlie Peacock, Michelle released Listen early in 1998, quickly establishing herself as a mainstay of the softer, more inspirational side of Christian radio. I know what you're thinking - don't we have enough Kathy Troccolis, Sandi Patties, and Points of Grace? Indubitably. But the typical, cheesy-keyboard driven, lyrically substandard sound accompanying most mellower Christian albums just isn't Michelle's thing. Instead, her songs are crafted to soothe and inspire without beating her listeners over the head with pop bombast and constant quoting of Scripture. Make no mistake - Michelle's lyrics are explicitly Christian (and she had a hand in writing each of the songs on this fine album). But they are driven mostly by Michelle's lovely Australian voice and her simple but lovely style of piano playing. In short, this album gave Christian pop radio something it needed for a long time - the concurrent presence of a deeply worshipful heart and an ear for musical integrity to accompany it. (Not to disrespect the aforementioned artists, but I think their style is getting a little old by now.)
Right from the first notes of the title track, Listen, you'll be drawn in by her persistent, percussive piano style and her breathy vocals. Most pop artists would opt to start out an album with a trite, upbeat, feel-good pop anthem, or a tear-jerking ballad. Not Michelle. She begins effectively with this mid-tempo piece that is very reminiscent of Enya with its captivating chorus and background vocals that seem to echo off into eternity. This is one of those songs that awakens a longing in the soul of the listener without beating you over the head and telling you that you need to be awakened. It sets a great example for what it is to come.
Healing Waters follows next, seeming a little out of position so early on in the album, because it is essentially a ballad propelled along by very soft drums and lush strings. It's definitely Michelle's biggest radio hit so far - a song many Christians have related to and felt inspired by, even if its message is nothing new to any of us. The lyrics paint a simple portrait of sin ("I've built a bridge all of my strength cannot cross over") and the longing for redemption that results from it. Similar lyrics could have easily added up to a fluffy, poppy Point of Grace song, but what makes them work in this context is the ease with which Michelle's voice glides through them. She isn't showing off with high notes or anything (though she does sustain the "e" in "healing" for quite a while during the chorus) - just simply expressing her thanks for God's forgiveness. The background vocals add a nice flourish to the bridge, and the "oh"s in the chorus add a sort of exotic feel, just due to the way she signs them.
Heaven Will Be Near Me continues the soft pace, building off of a wonderfully pretty piano melody and painting some lovely pictures that bring back memories of a summer vacation: "Families roam along the shore/Their laughter travels through my soul/And I think of You/Lovers watch the evening sky/They whisper as the wind goes by/And I think of You." This song means a lot to me, because it is clear that the beauty of nature, the warmth of family and friends, and her love for God are not compartmentalized into different areas of her life. Each element of beauty leads her mind right back to God - an idea that is definitely presented in the Bible but not often grasped my the typical Christian, who often sees the world as one big distraction. The passionate bridge just gives me chills: "There's fire in my soul/There's healing in Your eyes/I just want to fly in Your arms/If ever I grow cold/I want to realize/Heaven will be near me when I think of You."
Feel is definitely the most upbeat song on the record, but don't expect punchy drums and guitars to suddenly pop out of nowhere. It's definitely a celebrative song, with a melodic mood that you might find on a Sting album, and its lyrics read like a therapy session, encouraging the listener to let out whatever joy or sorrow or confusion or whatever else they may be feeling, to be real with it and rejoice in that freedom. This song is a fine example of how it is possible for a Christian artist to write a song that is wholly universal - the concept of being honest before yourself, before others, and before God is definitely not unique to the Christian religion. Here we begin to see that by virtue of simply making some beautiful music, Michelle can definitely find appeal well beyond the Christian genre.
Christ of Hope is obviously a little more focused on Michelle's specific religious beliefs - but it's not a cheerleading Jesus song. It's a simple ballad built around a benediction of sorts - a wish being delivered to a friend who is far away that Christ will keep them safe and remain close by their side. Once again, there is a definite human emotion embedded in Michelle's spirituality that comes across as quite believable.
My Constant One is slightly more upbeat once again, building on a steady tempo created by some bell-like keyboard sounds at the beginning. This is basically a love song to God - Michelle's interpretation of His promise to be by her side in her best and worst moments. Here we can see that her devotion has a definite romantic flavor to it: "I want to kiss the mouth that soothes me/When the smile has vanished from my lips." I don't think she views God as the big boyfriend in the sky, but rather she seems to relate her words to God like someone who is closer than an intimate human lover could ever be. Once again, it is a longing that people other than just Christians will find they can relate to. The chorus does seem a little strange at first, resting on an understated beat that seems slightly techno-flavored, but it is done very tastefully, and doesn't distract from the song.
Untame Lion is another slow tune, delving deeper into the romantic side of Michelle's personality. Here she takes on the metaphor used by C.S. Lewis in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe", where the lion character Aslan is a metaphor for Jesus (the lion analogy is also used in the gospels, of course). It builds nicely on some chiming keyboard sounds and some breathy, echoing "ah"s from Michelle (who I think has done the majority of her own background vocals by recording over herself numerous times). Musically, it doesn't stand out to me as much, but she definitely proves here that she knows a good book when she reads one!
Rest My Soul is another song about missing someone who is close, digging a little deeper this time into the loneliness and uncertainty that can arise from being separated from loved ones. Once again, the music is fairly slow and doesn't stand out to me as much (it's a nice melody, just not as compelling as some of her other songs), though the sweeping, stormy bridge is quite memorable.
Please Come Back was Michelle's very first single - an obvious choice for a Christian inspirational radio hit due to its retelling of the prodigal son story. (Amazingly, they stuck it pretty far back in the album - looks like her producers favored a more even pacing over the instant recognizability of songs, which is usually a good thing!) Unlike most Christian songs that deal with this subject from the point of view of the lost child, this song takes the point of view of the parent who misses their child and would gladly give them everything and forget all past offense if the child would just come home. It's a tried and true parable, and it's nice to hear Michelle singing it from God's point of view. (I saw her do an excellent solo rendition of this tune in concert - just her and a piano. That's when you know you've got real talent and not just a pretty voice.)
Life Is Beautiful is completely unrelated to the movie of the same name; in any case, it's a great ballad, where the subtle production falls away and you basically get Michelle and her piano and a nice, autobiographical story of a girl growing up with a head full of big dreams. Michelle draws some nice parallels in this song between having little to speak of in terms of material wealth, and a heart that overflows with spiritual joy ("She had no mansion on a hillside/But she had castles in the sky"). Another song with potential for appeal outside the walls of the church.
He's Watching Over You finishes the album off with one more ballad (how else would an album like this finish?), this one having a slightly Asian flavor to the music. It doesn't really say much more than she already said in "My Constant One" in terms of God continually being present and working in human life, but it does sum up the album nicely, leaving the listener with a longing for God and an understanding of God's love for humanity.
All in all, this is an incredibly redemptive and peaceful album - it seeks to calm the listener and not to convert them, which is something I respect in a Christian album. The inclusion of several songs that aren't specifically religious sitting comfortably along songs that are adapted straight from the Bible or from Christian tradition further helps Michelle to retain respectability in an increasingly fickle industry. After this album, she did a slightly more "pop" thing on her second album, mainly because she had more dimension to her style than this album displayed. But I still think this one suits her best - and that's saying a lot coming from a listener whose standard taste is edgy alternative/modern rock. If you're tired of hearing the same old inspiration Christian ballads, but you don't care for more aggressive music or you just need something to slip into the CD player for meditation, prayer, falling asleep - even romancing, definitely give this album a listen. I think that fans of some of the more "ethereal" acts like Enya, Iona, some of Sixpence None the Richer's lighter material, and even Cindy Morgan will definitely appreciate this one. If you've heard Nina Gordon's song "Tonight and the Rest of My Life" on the radio and wished her whole album had been done in that style, you will probably want to check this out, too.
TRACK REVIEW SUMMARY Excellent: Heaven Will Be Near Me, Please Come Back, Feel, My Constant One, Listen, Life Is Beautiful
Good: Healing Waters, Christ of Hope
Decent: Untame Lion, Rest My Soul, He's Watching Over You
Weak: NONE
Skippable: NONE
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