Kyle Sherman [Hear Me]
Posted October 06, 2012
By KevinDavis_NRT, Staff Reviewer
Owners of the Texas Rangers, Bob and Janice Simpson unleash their latest venture RayLynn Records, a new Christian music label for emerging performers. On October 9, 2012, the label will unveil its first project Hear Me, from flagship artist Kyle Sherman. Music listeners have been introduced to Sherman through his new radio single, "Come to Me," which is continuing to impact AC Radio stations across the country. Additionally, the debut album features captivating anthems including "The Greatest Tear" and "All Things New (Hallelujah).” Sherman draws inspiration from heavy-hitters like David Crowder Band, Needtobreathe, and Eric Clapton while still taking on a style that is uniquely his own.
Lead single "Come To Me" connects to the biblical Truth found in Matthew 11:28: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” God loves you so much. Lean on Him and He’ll give you strength. If you are a follower of Jesus, you can know for certain that God is singing these words over you: “Come to Me, Come to Me, Leave your troubles at the cross…” Amen! Many of us feel that we’re not worthy of being near God and that He’s using a checklist to determine our worthiness. That’s not the Gospel. The Good News of the Gospel which this song perfectly portrays it is that God accepts us no matter what we’ve done. As the song says, “No matter where you’ve been, Or what you’ve done, There is forgiveness if you’ll only come.” What a wonderful, encouraging truth.
The other standout songs are “Hear Me,” “All Things New (Hallelujah),” “Heaven” and the Easter-themed “The Greatest Tear." They all include more strong statements of faith. Within a culture where it’s easier to keep songs focused on the good and the joyful, Kyle discovered that recording his most honest songs – the Psalm-like “Hear Me,” for instance – was somewhat nerve-racking, but necessary. “It’s scary and vulnerable to say ‘I don’t understand You, God’ or ‘My life is messed up and nothing seems to be changing’ when expressing how we really feel about living out our faith. But it’s been proven over and over that the most relatable music is the most emotionally transparent. It’s been great to experience peoples’ walls breaking down through these songs.” The lyrics of “Heaven” come right from the best-selling book “Heaven Is For Real” by Todd Burpo. The messages of the songs really draw me in as Kyle proclaims in “Hear Me” that it’s okay to be honest with God. God wants us to be honest with Him and speak with our hearts to receive His daily mercies and grace. I like how these songs invite listeners into those Psalm-like questions and allow listeners to settle in for a worshipful journey, allowing the truth of the songs to soak in. I can really hear that Kyle is personally connected to the lyrics and he is consistently emoting the feelings and messages behind these songs with his warm singing style.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
All of these songs are unashamed of the Gospel and Kyle is the type of artist you’ll want to tell others about. The album could come with one of those “satisfaction guaranteed” recommendations as the themes appeal to anyone and musically their sound is extremely radio friendly, especially the standout songs, “Hear Me,” “Come To Me,” “All Things New (Hallelujah),” “Heaven” and “The Greatest Tear." After repeated listens, the songs get deeper into the recesses of your heart with the challenging messages. This is one of the most worshipful, challenging and introspective albums I’ve heard this year. Whether as an album to set the mood for reflection and worship or for personal times of devotion, I rate Hear Me by Kyle Sherman highly for fans of truth telling folk style singer-songwriters like Andrew Peterson, Bebo Norman and Jason Gray. View All Music And Book Reviews By KevinDavis_NRT | View KevinDavis_NRT's Profile
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