Music Review: Free to Fly by Point of Grace

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Eleven songs that will uplift you

Cons: Can be a little too sweet at times

The Bottom Line:

Uplifting music

Some will say it's on light side

I find that pleasant

Your Spirit Will Soar

When I think of Point of Grace, I think encouragement. True, this female quartet does have a few hard hitting songs. But for the most part, their music is designed to uplift their listener. And that is certainly the case with Free to Fly.

While the group tweaks their sound every record, at their base they are a pop quartet. And that has never been more on display than it is here. There is nothing too risky or strange, just well produced adult pop. We get great instrumental backing to their trademark tight harmonies.

Of course, having said that, I must start with one of the exceptions. "By Heart" opens the disc with pep. It's heavy on the drums with a catchy beat. And it throws in just a bit of distortion at times. Hardly enough to notice, but it is there if you listen. The lyrics are a good taste of what's in store as the ladies sing about their desire to know Jesus so well that they can love Him "By Heart."

The next couple of tracks slow things down and offer encouragement for those going through hard times. "You Will Never Walk Alone" is a reminder that Jesus is beside us every step of the journey. This song is very guitar heavy, but plenty of plucked strings through the piece. "He Sends His Love" reminds me of Romans 8 as it points out that the God who sent His Son for us won't abandon those who believe in Him. While there is guitar here, the keyboard is more pronounced.

Darlene Zschech is best known as the writer of the praise chorus "Shout to the Lord." She wrote "Praise Forevermore" for Point of Grace as well. For this song, they start out singing together, but do swap solos for the second verse. It's a great praise song that will lift your eyes to Heaven.

The two predominant themes so far come together with "Blue Skies." It's a song of praise to God in the midst of the trials of life. In fact, they see the sky as blue no matter what because God is there. And if you are looking for a case of music uplifting the soul without lyrics, this would be a great argument. As the ladies go into the chorus, the instruments swell and the strings come in for a full sound. The result is magnificent. Every time I hear it, I get a feeling of hope no matter what else is going on around me.

The most upbeat song on the disc is "Begin with Me." It's also the most challenging song on here. The song crosses into soft rock territory with a strong beat and heavy electric guitar. And the song is a good reminder that the only person we should be worried about changing is ourselves. Ouch!

And so goes the rest of the disc. They've got a mix of hooky pop with "Something So Good" and "Free Indeed" and slower anthems in "Yes, I Believe" and "All That I Need."

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that the last song on the disc is by far my favorite from the disc. "La La La." While those are the words to the chorus, the song does have a little more substance than that. This fast ballad is a prayer for those times you don't know what to pray. After reminding us that the Spirit intercedes for us when we pray, it says "So I'll sing a part/And let You read my heart." Okay, so it's a little cheesy. And I've seen several critics over the years (who aren't Point of Grace fans) rip this song to shreds for being so shallow. But this song has really encouraged my heart over the years. Often while listening to it, I find myself praying for whatever is on my mind. And for that alone, I will always love this song.

Admittedly, Point of Grace isn't everyone's cup of tea. There are no hard hitting lyrics. Heck, even I'll admit their outlook on life can be a little too sugar coated at times. They often stick with the safe pop tracks for their music. But for encouragement and praise, there are few better. If that's what you are looking for, get Free to Fly today.

CD Length: 45:58

Tracks:

1. By Heart

2. You Will Never Walk Alone

3. He Sends His Love

4. Praise Forevermore

5. Blue Skies

6. Begin with Me

7. Free Indeed

8. All That I Need

9. Something So Good

10. Yes, I Believe

11. La La La