Enough Already - Brandon Heath

 

One more thing? Enough already!

Enough Already
Brandon Heath
Label: Centricity Music
Length: 9 songs/32 minutes

Imagine being flawed but still worthy of love. Instead of needing one thing more, imagine being enough already. This is how Brandon Heath has me thinking on Enough Already, his admirable Centricity Music debut. It doesn’t flinch from humanity. It just serves to highlight the favor given when there is an open door.

The opening “Human Nature” sets the stage for what is to come. The first words heard are: “We’re not God’s problem/We are God’s children.” It sums up all that is to follow. We are not tolerated but loved. Not a burden to be borne; an object of desire.

The sounds too are a prelude of what’s to come. Synthesized and programmed elements mix with the more organic to produce a familiar hybrid of pop and R&B with a slight hip-hop undercurrent.

A short, lively piano riff opens “See Me Through It.” The opening lines remind me of the title of a song
that was popular some years ago:

Things are gettin’ real, Jesus, take the wheel
Only way I’m gettin’ to the other side

The playful, high energy sound coupled with being real lyrically captivate from the start. This could be described as gospel with some retro elements catching Heath at his most exuberant.

“He is Not Worried” is a keyboard-driven ballad that tells the story of a son’s relationship with his father. A sleepless night leads a young boy downstairs where he knows he can find his father: “Reading his bible at the kitchen counter like only a watchman would do at this hour.” What a picture of a noble dad!

He finds solace and safety in his dad’s steadiness: “If He’s not worried then I’m not worried. I lean on him like a rock. I know that nothing can hurt me.” It gets even better as he takes that as an example of how to act as a grown man toward his daughters. Ultimately, he applies his dad’s admirable qualities to Christ. If He is not worried than I am not worried. The storytelling and structure remind me of an epic country song without that style of music. The sober yet inviting musical accompaniment give it a quiet power.

Paul McCartney once observed in song that one might think the world has had enough of “silly love songs.” All these years later the protagonist in “Another Song About Love” has a similar cynical view towards “another song about love.” He’s asking, “haven’t we heard enough.” But this is a different song about love, one that proclaims “God is alive and our hope/and the reason I sat down and wrote.” God says, “You’re His and that you are loved, because He is love.”

The music relies on sophisticated technology that is mesmerizing. Heath speaks directly to listeners who may have doubts. He’s right in that it always seems to come around to this one thing.

“Enough Already” starts with just carefully plucked guitar chords. The gentle melody that develops fits well with lyrics that affirm God’s acceptance. This is a soothing balm for those who feel like they can never be or do enough to be right with God.

Those with a sensitive nature tending towards introspective may see themselves in these lines:

Nobody’s harder on me than myself
And I’m about as beat up as I’ve ever felt

If that is our experience we can take comfort in the chorus:

’Cause I’m loved already
I’m enough already
Totally yours, all in your hands
Couldn’t be more than I already am

Rich Mullins expressed it like this:

Everybody I know says they need just one thing
And what they really mean is that they need just one thing more

Enough already! Mullins went on to sing, “You’re my one thing.” He rightly praised the sufficiency of Christ. He is enough! That’s what much of this recording is about and for that reason alone is worth hearing.