OCTOBER 2010
WONDER
Let me open by saying that I have every album Michael has ever made. That's right..amost.everything from "through this current offering. I've seen him in concert and feel the Great sense of the Holy Spirit ,The Smitty/Wayne Kirkpatrick songwriting duo was incredible. The lyrics fit the music, and still carried a moving message. Since Michael has started writing with others, I think the songwriting has suffered. Musically this album is rich and powerful...which is Michael's work, no doubt. But the lyrics just don't fit anymore. It's like he is trying to get these deep messages across, then copying someone's words onto music that doesn't complement it. On Wonder (Not Far Away) Michael is talking the verses, "Everybody has enough to bear / and everyone feels the strain / there's a lot that really isn't fair / but it isn't more than you can take." Not a bad topic for a song, but you can't just take lyrics and say them over some music. Michael did a similar song a decade ago with Kirkpatrick lyrics called "Give Me Love" but the quirky lyrics fit the rapid-fire delivery style. Not so with Wonder.
There is just a lot of "talking" going on, and not singing. The message on "Leave" is lost because there is really no melody at all. It's like reading a poem with music behind it. The trick to pop songwriting is to take words and craft them into a soaring melody - the words and the melody should be inseparable. Think of Michael's earlier works: Place in This World, Give it Away (perfect lyrical fit with that song), Secret Ambition, I'll Lead You Home, Never Been Unloved. These songs soar because the lyrics are lifted up by the melodies.
I appreciate that Smitty is trying to stay relevant in the Christian music scene, and that he is working with a variety of artists (Leeland, Matthew West).But change is good for Michael , I will Confess when i stated to play the album it blew me away because its such a great album like his earlier stuff in the 90's
songs like Save me from myself , Run to you , take my breathe away , one more time is some of the highlights of the album i like ......I give Michael 5 stars for this album
