Music Review: Beautiful by Ginny Owens

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Honest lyrics
Cons: The style at times
The Bottom Line:
Leans toward R&B
But still has plenty of pop
And honest lyrics




Struggling Through Life with Ginny

Ginny Owens released her first CD to critical acclaim and awards. She had a sharp pen and a fun mix of piano based pop with a hint of R&B thrown in. Her second release was pure progressive pop. So it was a bit of a surprise to me when Beautiful took a step in the other direction. Piano is still the predominate instrument. And most of the songs are pop. But there seems to be a conscious effort to include more R&B this time around.

That effort is obvious in the first track. "Won't That Be Fine" has a smooth groove to it. Its mid tempo is a good song to pull you into the disc. It's a very sunny song as it looks forward to the joys of Heaven.

No matter the style, Ginny is known for her strong pen and honest look at the struggles of life. That is once again the predominant theme. This time, Ginny is thinking about trusting God in the struggles of life. For example, the next song, "New Song," talks about reluctantly moving from the comfortable to the unknown. While the words discuss the struggle with change, the music itself is upbeat pop. It's an interesting mix as it honestly discusses the potential joys and sorrows of starting something new.

"Call Me Beautiful" is about what happens when we allow ourselves to be lead by God. In this song, Ginny goes from being on the sidelines wishing for more to life to smiling and feeling alive because she believe God when He called her beautiful. This is a slower song with a slightly upbeat tempo. Like most of the project, I wouldn't exactly call it mid tempo, but it's not exactly slow, either.

My favorite song on here is "To Trust You." Ginny has perfectly captured me with this song. The verses paint of picture of someone who prayers, asks God to take care of a situation, then immediately tries to handle things in their own strength again. Been there, done that. So it becomes a good reminder that complete surrender to God is where true peace comes from. It's one of the more upbeat songs, although the piano solo on the bridge is so absolutely pretty.

But when it comes to fun songs to listen to, you can't top "Bread." It's one of the more R&B songs with a very catchy beat. The lyrics aren't terribly original as it reminds us we need more than what the world can offer. "Always," which focuses on the stability of God, really has a groove to it that makes it fun as well.

But back on the pop side of the equation, there's "Who are You Listening to." This piano based ballad challenges us to evaluate if we are living for God or the approval of man.

"I Know Who You Are" closes the album with another ballad. In fact, this one has more prominently displayed acoustic guitar than we've heard elsewhere. It couples perfectly with Ginny's piano playing to make a beautiful background to her vocals. And it's a simple declaration that all that matter to Ginny is her firm faith in God.

If you are looking for a newest and loudest in music, this CD is not for you. It's quiet and reflective. But if you like honest lyrics that encourage and challenge, you'll love thinking your way through these thoughts.

Beautiful isn't for everyone. But if you want something a little different that will make you think, you'll enjoy it.

CD Length: 41:25

Tracks:

1. Won't That Be Fine

2. New Song

3. I Love the Way

4. Call Me Beautiful

5. Let Them Hear

6. Ordinary Day

7. Always

8. To Trust You

9. Who Are You Listening to

10. Bread

11. I Know Who You Are