Rating:
Genre:
Gospel
Release Date: 04/20/2004
MercyMe returns from the platinum and Dove Award buzz of
Almost There and
Spoken For with
Undone. It's a melody-rich album that mixes soaring balladry with a little fizzy
rock pizzazz, tying everything together with
Bart Millard's easygoing vocal and faith-based lyrics.
"Where You Lead Me" kicks off the album, building from a spare acoustic guitar and vocal to an outsized crescendo of keening synthesizers and the cleansed racket of the band's two guitarists (
Barry Graul was added to the lineup in 2003). That formula also guides
"Everything Possible," though it opts for a more propulsive beat, and also features a cool instrumental breakdown full of chunky power chords. Lyrically, it's the usual devotion to the Big JC -- the lush
"Here With Me" might be a
Robbie Williams pop gem were it not for its devotional bent. At the same time,
Millard also spends time on
Undone dealing with the relationship between his faith and his earthly worries and responsibilities. "How can I further Your kingdom/When I'm so wrapped up in mine?" he asks in
"In the Blink of an Eye." "Though I'm living the good life/Can my life be something great?" The lines reference
Millard and
MercyMe's still-fresh ascendancy to
CCM's upper crust, where more pressure and bigger tours probably put a premium on
praise & worship time.
"Homesick" is a delicate
ballad about being apart, while the atmospheric title track is full of quiet resignation. With its slick production and
MercyMe's full lineup of guitars, percussion, and keys,
Undone suggests the tangent of
Nashville contemporary country that favors straightforward
pop melody over any sort of hard twang. Likewise, the album's more upbeat moments reflect the trend in secular
adult alternative toward earnest vocals over whitewashed
rock (à la
Vertical Horizon). Both sounds work well for
MercyMe on
Undone, doubtless giving fans of the band's music and devotion plenty more to believe in.
~Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
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