There’s always been something refreshingly simple about Jennifer Knapp’s music. The gritty folk/rock songstress has been winning people over for four years with gritty, scripture-inflected songs such as “Undo Me”, “Whole Again“, “A Little More”, and “Into You”. Even though her last album, Lay It Down, was much more stripped down and acoustic than the runaway success of Kansas, it still resonated with listeners, each guitar-driven meditation sinking in slowly as it wove its own tale of a woman confessing her brokenness before God. Jennifer has always had this refreshing way of being impressive and yet keeping it simple, sidestepping overproduction and other nasty musical trends in order to maintain a certain vulnerability to her music.

It’s no surprise, then, that there have been mumblings here and there in the CCM industry about Jennifer possibly changing her style. We’re used to it by now - something this good can’t last forever, and must succumb to the pop music monster eventually. (I mean, look at Michelle Tumes, for crying out loud.) Jennifer has indeed made attempts to stretch herself during the production of her third album, The Way I Am. But listeners can rest assured that she hasn’t abandoned the sound she’s famous for. This world needs its girls with guitars, and at the same time, everyone deserves to experiment a bit. There’s no need to panic. There might be a bit of programming here, and a few strings (okay, more than a few strings) there, but for the most part, this is still the same old Jennifer we’ve gotten to know over the years. No drastic makeovers or anything.

I’ve personally had more than a month and a half to listen to this thing (the official release date is November 20th). I’m glad I’ve had ample time before reviewing it, because more so than Jennifer’s last album, The Way I Am has to grow on you. Aside from the slight departures from Jennifer’s usual sound, one of the first things Jennifer’s listeners will notice is that there aren’t any real strong rockers on this album to follow in the footsteps of “Undo Me” or “Into You”. Yet most of the album is electric guitar-driven. How does that work? I’m not sure, but it does. I’ll usually get bored with an album where the stuff in between the ballads can be characterized as mid-tempo at best. I learned to love Lay It Down, but that was mostly due to the acoustics. If there’s one drawback to The Way I Am, it’s that everything seems a bit murkier. Jennifer’s lyrics, while as poignantly spiritual as ever, are a little bit tougher to decipher. Songs don’t transition as smoothly as they did on Kansas. A lot of them are great songs, and the album beats out both of Jennifer’s previous works in terms of its length, making it clear that Jennifer really put some hard work into giving us a quality product. There’s just something about the whole unit that seems to fall short. But, let’s deal with the songs one by one.

By and By
Mercy me, who do You say I am?
Do I not love You, did I not nail a hand?
The album definitely gets off to a strong start with an angular acoustic intro that builds the framework for this earthy, slightly blues-inflected number. It reminds me a little bit of Melissa Etheridge, interestingly enough. Though I wouldn’t call it a “fast” song, it’s probably the most aggressive tune on the record. Lyrically, it seems like it’s supposed to paint a poignant picture of the resurrection, and Jennifer’s guilt in betraying Christ, but I can’t quite put the pieces of the puzzle together to determine exactly what her point is. Just making out some of the words is hard enough. I love Jennifer’s voice, but at certain points on this album, she seems to run the words together. Maybe it’s just me. It’s still my favorite song on the record, despite my slight misgivings. I like how the strings stutter along with Jennifer’s guitar during the verses.

Breathe on Me (Come Freedom Come)
Crack Your back on a slab of wood
Come freedom, nail it down
I come crawling…
This song wisely builds momentum - seeming a little lackluster at first, but crescendoing to a strong chorus, thanks to the help of strong drums and lush strings. At first, the acoustic intro and the pace of the song seem a bit lackluster, but the song quickly becomes a sure-fire hit, and as such, it was a wise choice for the first single out of the box (even if there has been some confusion as to the song’s actual title). Again, Jennifer’s enunciation is a bit murky, but her point comes through a little better - she wants to identify with the sufferings of Christ. Her portrait of the crucifixion here is one of the most poetic since Third Day’s “Thief” or Jars of Clay’s “Liquid”.

The Way I Am
Crooked path, you never asked
You just left me there
And I deal with the aftermath
And you don‘t even care…
The title track also seems to drag at first, with a simple guitar and a plodding drum beat hat seems slightly cut apart by a DJ or something. However, it proves to be one of the most meaningful tracks on the record. The inspiration for this song seems to be the verse in the Bible where Christians are exhorted “If your eye offends you, pluck it out.” At least, that’s what I think Jennifer’s alluding to when she states “It’s better off this way, to be deaf, dumb, and lame, than to be the way I am.” Well, thank God Jennifer isn’t a Biblical literalist. This song is a simple confession of Jennifer continuously straying from the will of God. If she were to actually sever all of these offending parts of her body, she’s be a gimp by now, and certainly not a very good guitar player! Seriously, though, this is the sort of refreshing honesty that we all love about Jennifer. She looks back on her temptations, and realizes that what once seemed to promise her happiness had no intention of delivering it, and now she’s left to deal with the pain and guilt. I expect this to be a good follow-up single to “Come Freedom Come”.

Say Won‘t You Say
Every morning I have chance to rise and give my all
But every afternoon I find I have only wasted time
In light of Your awe…
Here’s where Jennifer throws the first real curve ball. After three medium-paced tracks, you might expect something a little more fast-paced or aggressive. Jennifer goes the other way - but she doesn’t do the expected acoustic ballad, either. This tune is a pretty song of love and devotion to God, but it’s strangely dominated by a certain warm, fuzzy keyboard tone that brings back not-so-great memories of Christian radio in the 80’s. I don’t know if Jennifer was going for that vintage Christian music sound, but this sounds uncomfortably similar to something Amy Grant might have cooked up pre-Heart in Motion. There’s still the familiar acoustics at work, so I’m sure it would be a much better tune minus the keyboards. I wholeheartedly support Jennifer’s right to experiment with her sound - this just wasn’t among the best results of the experiment. I suspect adult contemporary Christian radio will eat it up, though, finding solace in this smoother version of Jennifer to help comfort them in the wake of Steven Curtis Chapman’s recent forays into that evil rock music.

Around Me
One big bang, an atom I?
Oh, how‘d I come to be?
Whittled from a bone is harder to believe…
This was definitely an experiment gone right. It’s ironic that despite my complaints about the album being rather low-key and yet not being acoustic enough, this track ended up being a definite standout. It’s pretty much Jennifer singing solo with her electric guitar and a few splashes of cymbal playing here and there, but no percussion in terms of keeping the beat. The rhythm is very fluid as a result, almost as if Jennifer is pausing to think up the next few words whenever she feels the need to do so. Her electric guitar takes on a hushed tone - like something you might hear when electric guitars are used in jazz music. It’s difficult to explain, but the result is lovely. Jennifer is pondering the great mysteries of creation, and realizing that her salvation is even more of a miracle than that. The sparse nature of the song has a very wintery aura about it - perfect for the time of year the CD’s being released. It took me a few listens to connect with it, and I’m sure it’ll leave many of Jennifer’s fans scratching their heads. Despite that, I hope Jennifer plans on making this one a permanent part of her set list when she plays live. (Side note: When I first started listening to the album, the track list had not yet been finalized, and this song had traded places with track 10, "In Two". Call me crazy, but the old order makes more sense to me.)

Come to Me
Leaves a mind left to wonder where in the world she‘s gone
Once a head laced in halos, how could it go wrong?
A quirky electric chord progression opens this slow-burning rock tune, one which basically seems to be a depiction of God offering comfort to a child who has sinned against Him and hurt herself. A pretty basic message, very much in line with themes on Jennifer’s last two albums, but again, we get mired in sloppy enunciation. I thought that one particular line from the chorus was saying “I’ll give you rest, you’re too way depressed”, when in fact Jennifer was singing “I’ll give you rest, under wing to breast.” Huh? I still don’t get it. I’ll grant that Jennifer has very poetic ways of phrasing things from time to time. But here, it’s a bit too sudden of a jump from casual, everyman-speak to a cryptic literary device. Still, I like the guitar, and the track’s a keeper.

Charity
Poke my finger in Your side
And give an eye to how the blood, it drips
Who am I to ever doubt?
Straight away, this is probably the most rocking track on the album. It locks into a simple 4/4 beat, though it seems to want to run along a little faster than it does, much like the song “Lay It Down”. The verses are gentler, making Jennifer’s lyrics easier to make out. Basically, the song seems to be about God surprising Jennifer with unexpected blessings, and her struggling to understand how she could deserve such a response to her sin. I really like the false ending to the song that gives way to a decent guitar coda, but overall, it seems like the track isn’t as strong as it could be.

Fall Down
What am I supposed to do about it now?
Past regrets and long laments, they find me somehow…
Astute listeners who have seen Jennifer at recent festivals will recognize this as the “What am I supposed to do” song. Having heard a rough version of it before hearing any finished tracks from the album, it was one of the first to catch my attention, and remains one of my favorites. Carried along on a swaying 3/4 beat, it does a good job of blending the acoustic guitar with the more aggressive electrics during the chorus, and working the strings into the background without being overly sappy. It reminds me in some ways of the classic “Hold Me Now”, especially since Jennifer is looking back on past transgressions and pleading with those who would judge her to see the redemptive work that Christ is doing in her instead of just condemning her. Knowing what it’s like to deal with those regrets, and how hard it is to move on underneath the weight of my own criticism, I really identify with this song. It reminds me that someone else is going through the same thing I am, and much like “In Two”, it really makes me want to get inside Jennifer’s brain and see what’s going on in there.

Sing Mary Sing
Before the vow was made
In her belly lay the King…
Here we move from power ballad territory back into a more relaxed, mid-tempo atmosphere. This song really had to grow on me - its tune wasn’t as interesting as many of the others on the album, and a song written to Mary, talking about the birth of the baby Jesus, seemed out of place on an album that deals so obviously with His death. It almost seemed like this was leftover from the Jennifer Knapp Christmas album that never was. Not that the music is necessarily Christmasy - it has a very workman-like feel to it. I can’t quite explain it. Unlike “Charity”, I don’t think speeding up this song would be the answer. It just needs something a little flashier. It’s almost like the anti-experiment among a number of more interesting tracks. Having said that, it’s not a bad track. I could listen to Jennifer singing just about anything, and I’d really enjoy the sound of her voice. But that’s probably all I really connect with on this track. (Amusing side note - did anyone notice Jennifer’s penchant for starting and ending a song title with the same word? Happens four times on this album.)

In Two (The Lament)
Finish up your coffee, love, it‘s getting cold
Let‘s finish up this fight tonight
Before the sun draws nigh and I‘m old…
If my criticism of some of the preceding tracks made you think I didn’t like Jennifer’s softer side, then let me debunk that suspicion here. This song is not only one of the best on the album, but one of Jennifer’s best ever. It’s simple, relying mostly on a gentle, 3/4 acoustic guitar strum (and nary a drum to be found), and yet it has a few twists. First of all, the subject matter seems to stray from Jennifer’s usual. She may still be singing about God or Jesus here, as she generally is, but then, it may be a boyfriend. The lyrics seem to depict a quarreling couple. Jennifer has a sobering realization in this song - “I know how to break a man in two.” For all the women out there - This is not a good thing. It takes guts to admit not only that your actions are hurting someone, but that you sometimes do this intentionally to get what you want. Either it’s the most personal glimpse into Jennifer’s life that we’ve had yet (come on, she’s one of the most eligible non-teen bachelorettes in Christian music, so many of us guys are curious!), or it’s a powerful glimpse into just how intimate she considers her relationship with Christ to be. Either way, I love it. While strings are present to add to the sad emotions, the surprising element would have to be the horns. I’m not talking ska horns. I’m talking the lower end of the horn spectrum - trombone, tuba, maybe French horn. It helps to make the sadness feel more urgent.

Light of the World
Sing me a lullaby, soft as You can
I‘m alright, I‘m alright…
The most surprising experiment on the album actually turns out to be one of its most beautiful moments. It’s going to be a tough one for a lot of fans to embrace - the track is fully dominated by programming. If Jennifer’s playing her guitar, I can barely hear it beneath the looping synths and the syncopated rhythms (cleverly beating out another solid rhythm of 3 - I swear, I have an extreme bias toward anything not done in 4/4). This is probably the closest thing to a straight worship song found on the album, consisting of a minimal set of lyrics that loop around with the rest of the music, and yet it runs for nearly six minutes. Toby Mac (from dc Talk) makes an interesting appearance halfway through the song (I think anyone who sings a record deal with a Christian label must have a clause in it somewhere saying that they must consent to Toby crashing their studio whenever he feels like it, as many guest appearances as the man‘s done lately), softly speaking/whispering in a very prophetic manner, giving the song a bit of a spontaneous worship feel. At times it’s very interesting and soothing; at other times, it reminds me of the annoying spoken interludes on SonicFlood’s first CD. The myriad of voices breaking in at the end, saying “I am the light of the world” provide a nice crescendo, along with the strings that close out the song. Jennifer is humming along in the a background, content to not be the center of attention. It sounds rather out of place on the album, almost like this was her guest appearance on a worship compilation of some sort. Still, I can’t help but fall in love with this song.

No Regrets
Should I be rich or poor and scattered in my dreams?
While all the figures that surround me live unguarded…
I’m used to hearing Jennifer do something very simple and stripped down at the end of each album. This track more or less takes that approach, adding in a cello for emotional effect, and it would work quite well if not for the overly melancholy string sections that start and end the song. I don’t know; it’s a nice reflection in which Jennifer looks back on her pain, accepts the grace of God, and learns to let he pain go, but I feel like I’m hearing too much of the talents of other people and not enough of Jennifer. It’s sort of the same thing that bogged down the last track on Steven Curtis Chapman’s latest album. I much preferred the simple acoustic solo of “Peace” or the a capella “Faithful to Me”.

Though I’ve talked a lot about the first two albums Jennifer put out (both of which are five-star discs in my book), I’d probably have less respect for Jennifer if she had simply rehashed them. I certainly don’t think she’s sold out on any of these songs (even “Say Won’t You Say”, which is a bit cheesy, but definitely not trendy unless you go back in time ten years) - she just tried a few things that didn’t work for her as well. The publicity for this album has been saying that this album will break Jennifer out into audiences who might not have caught on to how great her music was before. Perhaps. She’s certainly taken a few risks, and hopefully there’s enough here to give old and new listeners a connecting point.

Interestingly, even though the overall theme of the album deals with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, I don’t see any songs being pulled from here for Sunday worship any time soon. Don’t get me wrong - these songs have a lot of meat to them, and people whose walks have been strengthened by Jennifer’s past albums will find a lot to love. There just isn’t the guarantee that liking either of her first two albums will make this one a sure-fire success. Even though I really like this album, that makes me slightly nervous. Whatever the case, I support the group of Jennifer as an artist, as long as she doesn’t abandoned her roots. And I don’t think she will. Jennifer’s one of those types who doesn’t seem to have the slightest interest in being fake, and I have full confidence that this album sounds exactly how she wanted it to. Sure, Knapp-ster 3.0 may have a few bugs, and at times I’m tempted to take the CD cover (with Jennifer’s face on the bottom and her feet on the top) and whack it a few times as if it were a TV set, to see if the picture aligns correctly. But for the most part, I’m content listening through a little static here and there in order to hear what’s on Jennifer’s heart to share.

My Rating: Five stars

TRACK REVIEW SUMMARY
Excellent: Fall Down, In Two (The Lament), By and By, Breathe on Me, Around Me, Light of the World
Good: The Way I Am
Decent: Say Won't You Say, Come to Me, Charity, No Regrets
Weak: Sing Mary Sing
Skippable: NONE

Website: http://www.jenniferknapp.com


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Reading or Studying