Hearing the joyful sound
All Joy
Natalie Layne
Length: 13 songs, 42
minutes
Label: Centricity
Music
I like the company
that Natalie Layne keeps. Some recent Instagram videos show her with
Selah, the popular CCM gospel trio that has been around since 1997.
They know how to worship! Selah and Layne collaborate on “You Don’t
Leave Me,” the Selah song, which is worth a listen.
The opening “Amen”
establishes the cheerful optimism found throughout All Joy.
Amen, every day I say
Amen, to all the ways that
People are helping people
Making space at the table
And I’m finding a little bit of that kindness
There’s still good in the crazy world we’re living in
Hope spills over as
a gospel choir makes it believable. It’s an inviting blend of pop
and R&B. Layne’s voice fits the groove.
“Don’t Wanna
Know” has a similar feel that adds a little funk. Layne sings of a
great exchange:
Traded my ashes for a crown
Traded my sadness for a smile
Oh, and you turned it all around, I’m brand new
She never again
wants to be without Christ. The joyful music complements the changed
outlook.
On “Church Bells”
expect to hear the sound of small bells. Layne likens God’s love
“to a song that was playing.” “I hear music” was the
memorable line from a popular movie some years ago used to describe
an intimate relationship. Something similar is happening here: “I’ve
heard the church bells in the strangest of places.” When she was at
her lowest and felt the most estranged, she heard music. The words of
an old hymn say it like this, “In my heart there rings a melody
filled with heaven’s harmony.”
To sing and rejoice
is to respond to that music.
“Grateful For”
may be my favorite because of the lively R&B and the gospel
background vocals conveying reasons to be thankful. The key is when
she sings, “Couldn’t find it in me/But I found it in you.” God
enables us to find “something to be grateful for” that might not
be apparent apart from Him. As Tara-Leigh Cobble, the host of the
Bible Recap, reminds at the end of each segment, “He’s where the
joy is.” It’s found in Him and His Spirit reveals reasons to be
thankful when we “take time/slow down/take a moment to see it
now/the little things are what it’s all about.”
Layne looks back on
“Church Kids” to a time when “God showed up” in a little room
holding 37 kids. She boldly declares, “We were hearts on fire for
Jesus.” The take-away comes at the end of the chorus:
And I don’t know about you
But I could use a little going back to church kids
Even with the
energetic music it’s a wistful longing for first love zeal. The
chorus is underscored by a choir and solid backing from the band. It
takes a delightful interlude into the old Sunday school classic,
“This Little Light of Mine.”
“All Joy” with
its warm groove of R&B/funk and sunny optimism is about Christ
becoming everything. It reminds me of the book, “Christ the Sum of
All Spiritual Things” by Watchman Nee. From beginning to end it’s
all about Christ. He is the Alpha and Omega.
“I’m done …”
is the resignation heard on “Strong Enough to Surrender.” I would
rather have the weakness that is strength than the strength that is
akin to pride. As the late Rich Mullins sang:
Surrender don’t come natural to me
I’d rather fight You for something I don’t really want
That to take what You give that I need
The mid-tempo speed
with notes that float in the air are the perfect backdrop for a sober
assessment of the futility in going one’s own way.
I like the two
closing songs, which are stripped down and piano-driven, showcasing
Layne’s raw talent. It reminds me of the power of a strong voice
and thoughtful lyrics in a sparse setting. It’s enough to bring joy
to when I’m worn down by the noise of this world.
Gospel pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe sang, “Up above my head/I hear music in the air.” Artists like Natalie Layne continue to hear and share it with a new generation.
