A few weeks ago, I was rather harsh in my criticism of startup label INO Records for signing a laughable facsimile of SonicFlood while they were still in limbo with their old label, and rushing an awful album out the door before too many people knew what had happened. In the interest of fairness to said record label, I’ve decided to give one of their other artists a shot. That artist would be singer/songwriter Sara Groves, a relative newcomer to the Christian music scene who is quickly gaining a name for herself.

I first heard of Sara last year when I caught her single “How Is It Between Us” on a sampler put out by the now-defunct Release Magazine. I liked the “conversational” and uncluttered nature of the song, but I didn’t know enough about Sara to determine if she was a brilliant folk/pop songwriter or just another adult contemporary vocalist who happened to have a few clever songs up her sleeve. I figured a whole album of that style might get a little too plain for a while, and so I forgot about Sara until All Right Here, her second album for INO, released this summer to rave reviews. Unable to get my hands on a single full song from the album, I had to settle for quoted lyrics and song snippets to whet my appetite. It turned out that this was all it took - I remember having a distinct reaction that is extremely rare for me the first time I hear a new artist: I think I’m in love.

Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But I was enchanted by Sara’s voice, the few clever lines I was able to catch before the snippets cut off, and the diverse and yet simple nature of the music backing her up. I’m not much for impulse buys these days, but I think part of me was itching to find that hidden album that would Immediately blow me away and become my Album of the Year. Okay, so perhaps my expectations were ridiculously high for this one - it’s not the absolute best thing to come out in 2002, but it’s probably Top Ten material. Simply but smartly produced, Sara’s album comes off as a labor of love and not just another pop album in faux-introspective clothing. Quiet piano ballads and folksy acoustic instruments abound. It’s kind of like what you might get if you crossed Nichole Nordeman with the late Rich Mullins.

Sound intriguing? It is, if you’re into thought-provoking songwriting from a decidedly Christian perspective. I wouldn’t say that any of the musical arrangements on this project are mind-blowingly innovative - the tempo is mostly slow to medium (with a few notable exceptions), and at times it can seem like there are one too many ballads. Sara’s voice sometimes gets compared to Sarah MacLachlan (I think that’s a requirement for any Christian artist named Sarah), though it’s got more of a plaintive texture to it, with occasional country overtones a la Susan Ashton. When this record is firing on all cylinders, it’s really tasty, and even when it’s not, there’s something endearing about even the weakest songs.

Less Like Scars
Less like tearing, more like building
Less like captive, more like willing…
Sara starts the album off on a deceptively downbeat note, with a few gentle guitar chords and a flourish of piano notes as she sings: “It’s been a hard year, but I’m climbing out the rubble/These lessons are hard, but healing changes are subtle”. Suddenly, the song shifts gears into a confident, up tempo number that manages to be radio-ready without sounding like everything the radio plays. Using a series of clever metaphors (all of which are “less like“ one thing and “more like“ another), Sara alludes to a painful situation that doesn’t seem so bad now that she sees how God is bringing her through it. Partially inspired by the horror of 9/11 (what isn’t these days?), Sara smartly makes the song instantly relatable by describing healing as a process instead of settling for the usual description it’s given in Christian music - a lightning bolt that suddenly zaps you and makes you happy-go-lucky again. Her voice really soars on the chorus, bringing even more attention to the encouraging line at the crux of the song: “In Your hands, the pain and hurt look less like scars and more like character”. The only drawback to the song is the background vocals, which are a little too “Nashville” for my tastes, but then, they’re not that noticeable until near the end. Still a well-crafted song that will hopefully be spicing up adult contemporary Christian radio stations soon if it isn’t already.

Every Minute
And the table was full of good food, and friends and neighbors
That‘s not how we like it now…
Since the project is mostly ballads, it’s not too obtrusive for one to show up this early. Driven mostly by piano and light percussion, this song serves as Sara’s ode to family, friends, and nostalgia about the old days when she felt more of a sense of community with these people. Lamenting the modern lifestyle in which “If you stay at home, you’re a loser”, she tells these special people that “I wish we could all go camping/And lay beneath the stars/And have nothing to do and stories to tell”. Relationships are obviously very important to Sara - a theme which resurfaces throughout the album, and I tip my hat to her for downplaying the distractions of post-modern life to accept “the risk of self-discovery”.

Fly
Oh, how the little things strengthen my tiny wings
Help me to take on the world…
Remember that comment about thinking I was in love? Delete that from your mental database; it‘s quite obvious that Sara is happy with the lover she‘s already got. She dedicates this beautiful song to her husband Troy, and man, he must be the nicest guy in the world. The song floats along on gentle piano and luscious strings (arranged by John Catchings, who is always a class act), and in it she reminds him of how her spirit soars when he takes time to do the little things, to “Speak in a summer tone, pause in the afterglow”. Hopeless romantics will swoon when they hear this song - women because it will rekindle the hope that guys like this do exist, and guys (rare though we may be) who relish the thought of a wife reacting like this to us someday. More than any other song on the disc, this is the one that will probably earn her the Sarah MacLachlan comparisons.

You Did That for Me
I don‘t have to know it all
I don‘t have to be so proud and stand so tall…
One of the folksiest songs on the record is up next - the story behind this one is that Sara and her husband are big fans of Pierce Pettis, who played this song live the first time they saw him in concert. He never got around to recording it, so Sara politely asked him if she could have a go at it, and here it is. Now I don’t know much about Pierce - he’s one of those names that critics seem to rave about but his records seem to be hard to find. I know that he was responsible for the song “You Move Me”, which ended up being recorded by both Susan Ashton and Garth Brooks. Anyway, the lyrics to this song are smart and soothing, reminding us that we don’t have to prove ourselves to God - Jesus has already paid the price and we can stop trying to pay our own way. The music is just kind of okay. Having three ballads in a row so early in the record kind of tests my patience, and though I like the slide guitar and all that, I tend to get bored with this song. Oh, well, it still isn’t bad, and I’m sure it will speak to a lot of people on a very personal level - that‘s one of Sara‘s greatest strengths.

Just One More Thing
I‘ll be there in a minute, just a few places to go
You wake up a few years later and your kids are grown…
Now this song, I love. Bringing the tempo up slightly from the last few tracks, this song uses a more playful piano riff and a trumpet to add a hint of Beatles influence to a song that puts Sara’s priorities firmly in their place. Sara sounds ever so slightly frustrated against this whimsical backdrop as she gripes, “There’s always just one thing. There’s always another task. There always just ‘I have one more small favor to ask’.” Basically, the song was written as a reminder to herself and her husband that “Love, to me, is when you put down that one more thing and say ‘Nothing will come between me and you’.” Very simple, but a message we all need to hear in this society where the together your schedule is packed and the more keys you have on your keyring, the higher up you are on the totem pole. I love the little sketches that Sara includes next to some of these songs in the liner notes - for this one, she’s drawn a cluttered desktop.

All Right Here
It makes me stronger and it makes me wince
It makes me think twice when I pick my friends…
The title track jumps in rather unexpectedly with a roll of the cymbals and a strong folk/rock guitar riff, as if Caedmon’s Call dropped by for a house party. Sara basically attempts to sum herself up in this rollicking number - her fears, her joys, her insecurities, what makes her tick. At first, the song was a bit of a turn-off as she rattled off all of these little things about herself and then repeatedly stated “It’s all right here” - isn’t that kind of a truism? Where else would it all be but inside you? But then I realize the possible double entendre of the words - instead if “It’s all right here“, think of it as “It’s all right here”. In other words, she knows the whole ball of wax isn’t perfect, but that’s okay because she’s a work in progress. I love when she sings, “I’m not God, I’m a girl, I confess that I don’t have a sea of forgetfulness” - it stresses that we are very different from God in that we can’t choose to turn off the memories of the things He forgives us for and forgets. They stick with us because there are lessons to be learned and people to share with when they go through similar things.

Remember Surrender
Remember how soundly you fell fast asleep
In the face of your troubles, your future still shone like the morning sun…
This lovely tune has a very soothing melody that floats around with the piano and acoustic guitar - it’s almost a lullaby. Taking on a similar message to “You Did That for Me”, Sara gently reminds us of how we rob ourselves of peace when we kick ourselves over our own sin. “Remember that it’s not up to you, and it never was”, she gently pleads. She seems aware of her own difficulty in this area, though: “Why can’t I live there and make my home/In sweet surrender I want to do so much more than remember.” The musical mood reminds me very much of Andrew Peterson‘s “Steady as She Goes” - the two artists would probably be a perfect pairing for a concert tour, as they both invoke the ghost of Rich Mullins on frequent occasions.

Maybe There‘s a Loving God
Maybe I was made this way
To think and to reason and to question and to pray…
For this autobiographical ballad, Sara adds a little bit of ethnic flair to her repertoire, including hand drums, a bouzouki, and a lovely Asian-sounding flute that makes me think of “I’ll Be There” by Escape Club every time I hear it (not that anything else about the song is in any way similar). This all mixes in beautifully with the piano that seems to be Sara’s favorite instrument (even though she isn’t actually playing it herself). The song seems to describe her as a little girl, dealing with big questions about the existence of God that her parents are trying to snuff out by taking her to see a counselor and trying to diagnose the disorder that causes her to “spend each night in the back yard, staring up at the stars and the moon”. The song breaks out of the usual verse/chorus format, looping through its A section three times with different lyrics before reaching what sounds like a chorus, and then varying the lyrics as it runs through that tune a few times as well. It’s a refreshing change that fits well for a “story song”. I love how it sums up the innocence of childhood, that sense that there’s something out there that can’t be scientifically proven, and it’s commendable that Sara deals with it completely unfettered by religious jargon. I think it’s much more effective than a song that tries to spell out the four spiritual laws against a catchy backbeat.

This Peace
No time to grab the camera, no time to write it down
Just time enough to breathe it in, and linger…
One of the simplest songs on the record is up next - truthfully, this one unobtrusive enough that for a while, I forgot it was there, given the songs it lies between. It’s a gentle and subtle reminder of the peace that passes all understanding - the simple beauty of a passing moment in which Sara can sense God nearby. Actually, God is never mentioned in the song - it’s interesting how Sara can get away with that and still leave no question as to the spiritual nature of the song, given the surrounding context. The instruments here are fairly minimal - piano, a little bit of acoustic guitar, very light percussion and bass, and a flourish of strings in the middle of it all. Sara’s voice is in fine form, as are her lyrics - the song would probably stand out more if the project wasn’t as ballad-heavy (but then, I hear her last record was even more so).

Tornado
Every time I find healing, you‘re making a new mess
And I am learning the real meaning of forgiveness…
Another pleasant surprise shows up next - a twangy, countrified composition that would make you swear you’re listening to Susan Ashton. We’re not talking Shania Twain country here, either - we’re talking something closer to the Dixie Chicks, though not as rowdy. For Sara Groves, I guess you could consider it a little rowdy. Keeping mostly to a light, percussive shuffle while Phil Madeira and a few other guest musicians tinker around with a fiddle, slide guitar, etc., Sara vents her frustrations with a friend who likes to stir up trouble and cause people grief. She tries her best now to let him interrupt the healing process, and admits her struggle to forgive him, but ultimately determines that “I will not let this bitter root grow in me”. Near the end of the song, the band kicks into double-time for an impromptu jam. It’s fun, though I sometimes wish the music were a little more forceful and even show-offy. But it’s still a fun song, especially when Sara remarks, “I could move and never send you a forwarding address“.

First Song that I Sing
Before my schedule tells me that my day is full
Before I‘m off and on my way, I want to praise You…
Remaining in upbeat mode, this song kicks off with a rhythmic acoustic guitar strum, as Sara tackles her “to-do list” for the day. It’s actually a pretty good mix of a story song and a worship song - she’s asking God to help her (once again) with her priorities, to make sure that she doesn’t forget to start her day with prayer and worship before rushing off to do whatever else she has to do. It’s another likely candidate for a single that Christian radio will just eat up (and that will deserve the airplay it gets) - anyone who’s been into CCM for longer than just a few years will probably be tickled by the inclusion of a few lines from Rich Mullins’ “Sing Your Praise to the Lord” near the end.

You Cannot Lose My Love
You will lose your confidence
In times of trial, your common sense…
Another gentle ballad shows up here - this one actually is a lullaby, written for her son Kirby. Her songwriting here actually reminds me of one of Carolyn Arends‘ piano based numbers, such as “Reaching” or “We’ve Been Waiting for You”, due to how she starts several lines with “You may lose…” and finishes each verse with “You cannot lose my love”. It’s one of those “simple but profound” moments that makes the album worthwhile - Sara has mentioned in interviews that bringing Kirby home from the hospital was perhaps the one moment in her life where she felt the most understanding of God’s love for her - she knew her son could grow up to be an axe murderer or something and she’d still love him. (Don’t worry; there’s no mention of axe murderers in this song. That would be kind of a disturbing way to sing a two year old to sleep…)

Jesus, You‘re Beautiful
Sweeter than springtime, purer than sunshine
Ever my song will be…
The record concludes with an original worship song written by Nate Sabin (who co-wrote most of the record with Sara, kind of playing Beaker to her Rich Mullins). Once again relying on a gentle mix of piano and acoustic guitar, and featuring some of Sara’s loveliest vocals on the record, it’s a strong, reverent way to close the album. For some reason , it reminds me of Jars of Clay‘s “Hymn” - mostly due to the lyrics and the spring-scented musical backdrop, and the fact that it’s the last song on the CD. It’s one of those songs I’d like to learn to play on my guitar, and slip into a worship set, pretending it’s older than it really is. It just has that sort of quality to it - hard to explain. Anyway, it’s a good Christ-centered song to end off a CD of Sara’s random musings on all of the blessings in her life.

I’m glad to be able to report that INO got it right by signing Sara Groves. She keeps it real, and I hope time and experience don’t tempt her to give in to a glossier sound (or release an album of urban-flavored remixes entitled A'ight Up in Here). She's all right just the way she is.

TRACK REVIEW SUMMARY
Excellent: Less Like Scars, Maybe There's a Loving God
Good: Every Minute, Fly, Just One More Thing, All Right Here, Remember Surrender, Tornado, First Song That I Sing, You Cannot Lose My Love, Jesus You're Beautiful
Decent: This Peace
Weak: You Did That for Me
Skippable: NONE

Website: http://www.saragroves.com

Great Music to Play While: Tearing up your to-do list and tossing it to the wind.


Recommended: Yes