One Song at a Time

There’s a sunny sort of glow to Jamie Grace’s debut album that goes beyond its songs’ positive, God-centered content. Building on the success of her initial single, “Hold Me”, the 19-year-old Atlanta singer/songwriter communicates a hopeful message through the sheer exuberance of her singing and guitar playing. Grace’s lyrics are lighthearted hosannas of praise and gratitude—“With You”, “Show Jesus”, and the aforementioned “Hold Me” bounce along to acoustic-driven grooves with an infectious breeziness. In “God Girl”, she rekindles the joyous fervor that her mentor TobyMac displayed in dcTalk’s classic hit “Jesus Freak”. There are moodier tracks here, such as the piano-centered ballad “Not Alone” (offering reassurance to a suffering child) and “Holding On” (calling on God’s strength in rough times). By and large, though, playful tunes like “1945” (a glance back at the fun side of the ‘60s) are more typical of the prevailing spirit here. Jamie definitely puts her heart and soul into the job, and the results can’t help but make you smile.