Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!

JFH Music Review




Shawn McDonald
Simply Nothing



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 12 tracks
Street Date: August 10, 2004


Shawn McDonald, one of the newer artists in the Christian music industry, wasn't always a laid-back Seattle-based singer-song writer. The Sparrow Recording artist is a living testimony of God's grace and wonder. Six years ago, as a lost kid on the streets of Eugene, Oregon, Shawn fell into a depth of sin involving nine felony charges for possessing, growing, manufacturing and dealing marijuana, LSD, and other controlled substances. After his second drug bust, McDonald made a total 180 turn in his life when falling to his knees and accepting Christ. Now, with his truthful pretensions, McDonald shares his testimony through his sophisticated, sensible, and yet simple album, Simply Nothing.

Simply Nothing, produced by Chris Stevens (TobyMac, Paul Wright, Cadet), is McDonald's first piece of art, which has the creativity yet simplicity of an album written by an artist who has been in the business for awhile. McDonald's unique acoustic-soul sound blends with hints of hip-hop, organic instrumentation, rich vocals and emotion filled lyrics to produce an amazing new album.

Starting off the album is "Take My Hands", an upbeat genre-bending song which begins the thinking process for the album. With themes ranging from a need for God to the desire for the hard truth over a lie, this album is full of eloquence and emotion. The string-like acoustic and folk blend in "Gravity" follows. As the project's first single, the song shows Shawn's yearning to have a deeper relationship with God. Later in the album is Shawn's expression of worship with "Here I Am". Drawing comparisons from a variety of artists and styles of music, you may find an appreciation for Shawn McDonald's music. With a few repetitive yet deeply intriguing lyrics throughout the songs on the record, we can see that McDonald is still a rising artist but that his progress will be interesting to watch in the near future.

- Review date: 7/26/04, written by Jessica Vander Loop



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

 


. Artist Info: Discography
. Record Label: Sparrow Records
. Album length: 12 tracks
. Street Date: August 10, 2004
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. Take My Hand
  2. Gravity
  3. Hold On
  4. Simply Nothing
  5. Beautiful
  6. Don't Walk Away
  7. All I Need
  8. Take This Life
  9. Have You Ever
  10. Here I Am
  11. Yahweh
  12. Open Me
spacer Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics
Click For Audio Sample   Click For Song Lyrics

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

Search JFH



This Friday, May 16, 2025
ALBUMS
Confessions of a Traitor This Pain Will Serve You [Facedown]
Free Worship Praise Before It Happens [BEC]
GVTH DVDDY GVTH DVDDY [Velvet Blue]
Karen Peck & New River Good Answers [Daywind]
Lecrae & Miles Minnick Get Well Soon! [Reach]
Seventh Day Slumber Fractured Paradise: Garden of Shadows [Rockfest]
Sons of Sunday Sons of Sunday [Elevation]

SINGLES
AyeTJ Outdated - Single [Syntax]
Elan Brio Perfect Timing - Single (independent)
Melissa D Will I Be Bored in Heaven? - Single (independent)
Will Kellum Ready or Not - Single [Syntax]
Britt Nicole FAITH - Single (independent)
Makara Walk By Faith - Single [DREAM/DBMIX]
MAYIA Where Do I Go? (ft. Cutright) - Single [Syntax]
Matt Sassano My Armor - Single (independent)
Seph Schlueter Won't Start Now - Single [Provident]

VINYL
Petra The Best For Last (Studio Edition) Vinyl [Girder]

Next Tuesday, May 20, 2025
BOOKS
Shai Linne Penelope Judd [B&H]
Tauren Wells Joy Bomb: Unleash Jesus’s Explosive Joy for an Extraordinary Life [Zondervan]

Next Friday, May 23, 2025
ALBUMS
Big Daddy Weave Let It Begin [Curb]
ELEVATION RHYTHM Victory Lap [Elevation]
Signum Regis The Eyes of Power (Remixed & Remastered 2025) [Beyond the Storm]

SINGLES
Roxanne Grace Road Trip - Single [DREAM]
V1 Worship Fool for You - Single [DREAM Worship]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Join honey and save on online purchases!
Get all of JFH's indie compilation now totally free!
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images