Although the name might be new to some, Matt Maher has been releasing worship music since his indie debut The End and the Beginning in 2001. His song, "Your Grace is Enough" was rerecorded by Chris Tomlin in 2004, and has since become a popular worship song in many church services.

It should come as no surprise then that Matt Maher's music closely resembles Tomlin. In fact, musically, Empty and Beautiful is everything we've come to expect from recent modern worship albums: CCM radio-friendly pop with a hint of rock, piano ballads with lush string sections, and simple congregation-friendly lyrics. The only real weakness to this album is it stays a little too far inside that box to distinguish itself from the other artists in the genre.

Fans of the Passion records and artists like Chris Tomlin, Darrell Evans, and the Robbie Seay Band (particularly their debut) will find Empty and Beautiful to be an enjoyable and familiar – albeit too familiar – worship album.

- Review date: 3/29/08; written by David Taylor