Joy Whitlock

Remember Jennifer Knapp? She of that slightly edgy, acoustic rock sound and a passionate vocal? And the honest, vulnerable songwriting? And then she dropped off the face of the earth and CCM’s been hoping and praying for a return ever since. While that return, at least to my knowledge, is still a mystery, perhaps in the meantime fans can slide on over and check out the Knapp-like sounds of new artist, Joy Whitlock. Her debut album, God and a Girl, makes uses of many of the Knapp ingredients and tosses in some special spices all her own.

Whitlock’s story mirrors many who have grown up in the faith. A preacher’s daughter, the young Whitlock journeyed down some dark paths, turning her back on her faith for some time. Yet, a viewing of Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of the Christ shook the artist up and found her rededicating her life, returning to faith. Those struggles and the hope of life in Christ are the lyrical building blocks of this debut.

Whitlock enlisted no less than four producers for the expansive project and that diversity is evident throughout the record. With the help of Jeff Powell (Tonic, Bob Dylan, Bottle Rockets), Ian Eskelin (All Star United, Krystal Meyers) Curry Weber (Skillet, Todd Agnew) and James Joseph, the artist produces a sonic palette that should appeal to a broad demographic.

Album opener, “Cost of Being Free,” and “Faith Don’t Fail” play heavily into the Knapp comparison. Organic compositions laced with honest vocals and lyrics, the tracks fall nicely into that rocking singer-songwriter genre. “Testify” continues this trend as does “In This Hour” with it’s prayerful agreement to the teaching of the Apostle Paul.

However, Whitlock is no one-trick pony and when she turns up the amps, things get that much more interesting. “Holding On To Me” is a radio-friendly, rock-flavored track that offers up a heartfelt faith in God despite the obstacles in our way while “Beautiful” is a more pop-tempered number that brings a heart of worship to the cross, proclaiming the beauty of the Lord. Yet, of the rockier tracks, it’s “Don’t Look Down” that takes the cake, building to a crescendo as Whitlock sings in the part of God:

“Regret has pierced your heart
Gravity has left its mark
But I’m playing for keeps
Even death can’t do us part”

Interestingly enough, the longer you listen to the album, the more compelling it becomes. “Your Face” offers up a near-Amercana vibe, with shuffling soundscape that play out well against Whitlock’s solid vocals and creative lyric. Similarly, “Traces of You” utilizes some low-key instrumentation to lament the loss of a loved one, sharing, “I don’t believe in ghosts but it feels like you’re haunting me.”

But the coup de grace this time out is Whitlock’s near epic track, “Day of the Lord.” Inventive, creative, moody, and ethereal are all fair words to describe this haunting song that closes the album. A beautiful song that dares to imagine the glory of God in scriptural and artistic intelligence, it’s here that Whitlock makes her greatest stand. The song builds with pulsing percussion and growing strings to the chorus that God’s glory demands:

“Hallelujah, hallelujah
Can you hear the heavens roar?
Hallelujah, hallelujah
This is the day of the Lord.”

Joy Whitlock is one of the most interesting and exciting artists to come along in a long time. While at times reminiscent of Knapp, the artist steps things up yet another notch with her own signature style, blending sonic diversity together with poignant lyricism. This is definitely one girl to keep your eye on.

Tagged as: God And A Girl, Joy Whitlock

↓ One comment

#1 Joy on September 23rd, 2008 at 5:01 pm

Thank you for that awesome review. I truly appreciate it.

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