Music Review: Life Love & Other Mysteries by Point of Grace

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: 9 tracks that are musically enjoyable and lyrically good

Cons: "Sing a Song"

The Bottom Line: 

Strongest Point of Grace

With many songs I still love

Sixteen years later

It's No Mystery to Me Why I Still Love Life Love & Other Mysteries

Sometimes, an artist releases a disc that remains your favorite years later.  It doesn’t matter how much you enjoy other releases, you still point to that disc as their best work.  When it comes to Point of Grace, my favorite is Life Love & Other Mysteries.  No questions asked, this disc is great.

Of course, not everyone shares this view about anything Point of Grace has done.  Many people look down on the quartet of ladies as producing music of soccer moms with no substance to them at all.  And I admit some of their songs are feel good fluff.  But I maintain that we need that every so often.  And I think that’s too dismissive of the group in general.  The other complaint is that they are just singer.  They don’t write their own music or play any instruments.  To that I offer a big, resounding who cares.  Not every group can or should be a band or write their own stuff.

Okay, enough of the soapbox.  Let’s discuss this disc.

Overall, the disc features lots of electric guitar and keyboard with a pop flavor.  For some reason, it feels light and sunny to me.  I can’t place why it would sound that was musically, but it does.  I start smiling and singing along as soon as I hear the first song.

It actually opens with their trademark tight four part harmonies as they sing the chorus to “Life Love & Other Mysteries.”  It’s a fun upbeat opener that reminds us that no matter what is happening in life, God is Lord of it all.

From there, we go to the mid-tempo “Keep the Candle Burning.”  This was the first single off the disc. (Scary how I remember that 16 years later, isn’t it?)   And just how are you supposed to keep that candle burning?  With the help of your brothers and sisters in Christ.  That’s the subject of the next track, “That’s the Way it’s Meant to be.”  I’ll admit that this track is one of the weaker ones on the disc for me, but I still do enjoy it.

“Jesus Doesn’t Care” is the first slower song here.  It has an amazing message of grace as the ladies remind us that Jesus will forgive anything in our past if we truly repeat.  And the slower tempo allows us to really enjoy their harmonies.

Rejoicing in God’s provision and love is the subject of “Gone are the Dark Days,” another fun, upbeat number.

The only song I don’t like on here is the sixth track – “Sing a Song.”  It’s a cover of an Earth, Wind, and Fire song, but I find it repetitive and really says nothing at all.  Ironically, this one seems to pop up the most on my iTunes shuffle, but maybe that’s just because I notice it more. 

The last four songs are a return to the good stuff.  In fact, they are my favorites here.  “Any Road, Any Cost” is a song of surrender reminding us of the commitment the Apostles made all those centuries ago and calling us to do the same.  It’s just at that slow/mid-tempo border.

“You are the Answer” is back in the upbeat pop mode.  It talks about how Jesus is the ultimate answer for everyone who is searching for something.

“God Forbid” is a rarity in the Point of Grace library.  It’s one of their slowest songs ever, and is almost all solo.  The other three ladies provide some background vocals, but you don’t get the usual harmonies on the chorus.  The keyboard is very quiet here, which makes the lyrics stand out.  The song talks about how casually we think of God in modernAmerica.  It’s a very good challenge to remember He deserves our reverence and awe because He is God.

Things close out on a fun note with the upbeat “Circle of Friends.”  In many ways a companion to “That’s the Way It’s Meant to be,” this song celebrates the close friendships that we have in the body of Christ.  In keeping with the theme, the song is almost completely sung by all four of the ladies.

When I’m in the mood for some Point of Grace, this tends to be the disc I pull out first.  It’s got some great songs and is just so much fun as they help us solve Life Love & Other Mysteries.

CD Length: 40:28

Tracks:

1. Life Love & Other Mysteries

2. Keep the Candle Burning

3. That’s the Way It’s Meant to be

4. Jesus Doesn’t Care

5. Gone are the Dark Days

6. Sing a Song

7. Any Road, Any Cost

8. You are the Answer

9. God Forbid

10. Circle of Friends