DISCLAIMER: I love, love, love Brandon Heath. This extremely personable young man has won me over with his love for God and love for people - and isn't that all we as Christians are really called to do? So, that said, this review may be a bit prejudiced.

 

The surprise winner of the 2008 Gospel Music Association's New Artist of the Year, Brandon Heath has not only conquered the sophomore slump with his new release, What If We, he demolished it.

 

Produced by Dan Muckala (Backstreet Boys, Nick Lachey), What if We is infused with catchy pop hooks and folk/rock melodies that carry the down-to-earth writing of Heath, much of which is autobiographical.

 

The first single off the CD, the infectious "Give Me Your Eyes" (which claimed the #1 radio spot the week of September 24), was birthed as Heath watched people anonymously tramp past him at an airport. The song is a plea to God for His sight and compassion when viewing the world around us. From the ballad "When I'm Alone" to the pop/country-tinged "Wait and See", Heath addresses familiar feelings of loneliness and insecurity that rise up within all of us. "Love Never Fails" reminds us of God's promises found in I Corinthians 13.

 

Still, Heath is anything but a loner. He promotes community in just about everything he does and collaborated with Jason Ingram, Christy Nockels (Watermark, Passion) and Jars of Clay on several tracks.

 

Heath is currently headlining the Art, Music, Justice tour, which calls attention to the plight of human trafficking throughout the world. The tour tagline is "Hopeful, Inspired, Involved", which pretty much sums up the core of the album What if We, as well as the life of the man behind the music.

 

Can you give a CD 10 out of 5 stars? No, says my editor. Oh well, 5 stars then.