Christian music lovers need a lot more like this. The bluesy Texas singer stepped up his game on his sophomore effort, the formidable yet intimately personal
Not Without Love. Here,
Needham takes a giant leap forward and steps out of his playful, leisurely comfort zone to assemble the whole package. His national debut,
Speak, turned some heads with its earthy
Jack Johnson pace and challenging Christian lyrics. With stronger production and his tantalizing vocals,
Needham took the few steps he needed to show that he could keep up with
John Mayer or
Jason Mraz without breaking a sweat. He gives life to lyrics that penetrate you to the core and simultaneously lift you up. He is a storyteller, one who can sound firm in his convictions and happy go lucky at the same time. It's a mix sorely needed in the CCM market.
Jimmy Needham may have remained under the radar up to this point, but this album shows a mature talent for taking his songs in new directions and pleasantly surprising even his biggest fans.