Bold Sound. Bold Message. Posted May 17, 2022 By JasminPatterson_NRT, Staff Reviewer
What You Need to Know
Brandon Lake is a worship leader, artist, and songwriter who carries a message of faith, confidence, and freedom. He's fresh off his first GRAMMY award win alongside worship bands Maverick City Music and Elevation Worship for the collaborative album Old Church Basement. Brandon won GMA Dove Awards for "Songwriter of the Year" and "Worship Recorded Song of the Year" for Elevation's album, "Graves Into Gardens" in 2021.
Brandon has followed up his 2020 solo album, House of Miracles, with a bold full-length album, HELP! The record serves as both a personal testimony and a declaration of hope for others struggling with mental health.
What It Sounds Like
HELP! makes it clear that Brandon isn't afraid to experiment with musical styles and genres. We know from his work with Maverick City Music, Elevation Worship, and his previous solo project that he's an anointed writer and singer of congregational worship songs. On this album, we see that Brandon can boldly venture into new realms of creativity as an artist while still keeping that same ability to usher people into encounters with God and declaration of His Word.
HELP! has flavors of Pop/Electronic ("Meant For Good), R&B/Soul ("Hard Year"), acoustic ballads ("Don't You Give Up On Me"), and Alternative Rock vibes that could hold weight alongside mainstream bands like Imagine Dragons and One Republic ("HELP!," "Always Holding On," "SAVE ME"). Fellow artists JUDAH., Amanda Cook, and Chandler Moore are featured on "Meant For Good," "So Close," and "Fear Is Not My Future," respectively. Brandon's vocal performance is strong throughout the album, showcasing grit and power and tender falsettos at all the right moments.
Spiritual/Lyrical Highlights
The overarching theme of this album is mental health and looking to God for help during struggles. Even though the album is so bold and creative musically, Brandon doesn't compromise intimate connection with God or commitment to scripture as he adventures into new sounds.
Each song captures what it's like to be vulnerable with God as people face challenges and emotional struggles. Even more, the songs capture what it's like to experience God's comfort and healing and to sing songs of hope and victory over difficult situations. From "So Close:" "You're the end of all anxiety/The safest place for suffering/Remind me once again that You're enough/Speak into these empty lies/Revive my heart, renew my mind/Remind me once again that I am enough."
Best Song
This is one of the hardest choices for best song I've had to make because this project is so strong from top to bottom. But if I have to choose, I'd say it's a tie between "So Close" and "Fear Is Not My Future." "So Close" is one of the most intimate, prayerful songs on the album; you can sense God's closeness and comfort as you listen to it. "Fear Is Not My Future" is a faith-filled declaration of God's power in our lives, which is greater than our past or current circumstances.
HELP! is a daring, captivating record with a much-needed message of honesty and hope. It appeals to fans of Rock and Worship and everything in between. And God will use these songs to bring healing to your heart.
