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


Audrey Assad, The House You're Building
CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE

Audrey Assad
The House You're Building



Artist Info: Discography
Album length: 11 tracks: 43 minutes, 26 seconds
Street Date: July 13, 2010


Though the name may sound new, Audrey Assad has been a part of the CCM world for a while. From working with Phillip Larue and Paul Moak on her independently-released EP Fireflies to a guest spot on Chris Tomlin's Christmas record performing her own "Winter Snow," the young singer/songwriter has collaborated with quite a number of industry notables over the past few years. Her lyrical piano pop caught the attention of Sparrow Records along the way, and now her time to really shine has come. Her major label debut, The House You're Building, is different from much worship and CCM of the day. Her poetic, vertically-oriented lyrics are honest and reflective, and her lovely voice and piano-centric style are understated and mature. It takes a few listens to fully appreciate this album, but like the slow opening of a flower, these eleven tracks take their time revealing their individual, unique beauty.

There are two things that immediately stand out on the first listen. First is her voice, not like powerhouse vocals that rule in female pop, but one that is sweet to listen to, both ethereal and grounded. Her voice evokes artists such as Sarah MacLachlan, Brooke Fraser, and Nichole Nordeman, and her music finds influence in both nineties female singers and the music of the seventies. The second highlight is the writing itself. Drawing inspiration from the writings of Gerard Manley Hopkins and St. Augustine, images from nature, and her own life experiences, Assad is a poet who works creative imagery into her songs to present familiar ideas in fresh ways.

The House You're Building opens with the lead single "For Love of You," a track that, for better or worse, kicks off the record firing on all radio-ready cylinders. The music feels like pretty standard Nashville pop fare -- big buildup, quiet bridge, hooky chorus -- but look beyond the music to her words and there's something remarkably different. Inspired by the poem "As Kingfishers Catch Fire" by Hopkins, the lyrics are a great introduction to Assad's literary tendencies. The expressive symbolism describes a way of looking at the world that sees Christ in everything -- "You live in a million places / Your fingerprints are seen on a million faces... You are my deepest longing / And so I see You everywhere."

The following tracks, "The House You're Building" and "Breaking Through," were two of my favorites. "The House You're Building" features some interesting twists in the biblical imagery of Christ as the cornerstone, describing herself as "a homeless stranger... a broken stone" that fits in "the house You're building." "Breaking Through" is simple and beautiful, and it continues to run with the theme: "I've got no voice to sing the songs written by the prophets on the subway walls / The kingdom is a golden table and we are beggars all." These songs beautifully capture a theme of misfits finding a place in the Kingdom.

There's a very worshipful feel to this music, yet with the exception of "Restless," these aren't corporate worship or church songs. Instead, they are prayer-like cries from a broken human heart to God. Human love isn't exempt from her writing though; the lilting love song "Ought to Be" is another standout track. Celebrating the joys of being in love, it introduces a bright acoustic guitar melody and a bit of playful whistling that make a cheerful counterpoint to the more somber tracks. It's only fitting that "Known" would follow, a song that celebrates how God knows us "as a lover knows his beloved's heart." Though I missed it the first few times, "Run Forward" turned out to be another favorite. It has a very Brooke Fraser feel with some of her best, most passionate singing and a strong piano melody accented by strings and a gently thumping drum beat. "Show Me" wraps everything on a hushed note, a lullaby-like tune and a prayer to "Bind up these broken bones / Mercy bend and breathe me back to life / But not before you show me how to die."

Since hearing "Winter Snow" on the radio last Christmas, I've been eagerly awaiting new music from Audrey Assad, but I'll admit I wasn't too taken by this album at first. I loved the raw acoustic charm of "Winter Snow," so when I heard the pop-heavy "For Love of You," it wasn't the Audrey I was expecting, and I almost let my more jaded CCM listener side write it off as an over-produced disappointment. But things change, and first impressions can be deceiving. The more time I spent listening to her piano melodies, her tender vocals, and her earthy, artistic lyrics, the more I found a record that brings something refreshing, honest, and beautiful to the sound of worship music.

This is a complex, rewarding pop debut that reveals something new after many listens. Fans of artists like Nichole Nordeman, Sara Groves, and Brooke Fraser or those looking for intelligent, artistic singer/songwriter pop will find plenty to love in The House You're Building. A beautiful start to a promising career, these songs are a worthy introduction to a talented artist.

- Review date: 7/11/10, written by Jen Rose of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Try Pop Culture Coffee!

 

JFH Staff's Second Opinion



There's a growing sea of worship albums in the industry today; most arguably sound the same with cookie-cutter lyrics and unimaginative songwriting, but thankfully, Sparrow Records newcomer Audrey Assad's The House You're Building does stay afloat. With an Amy Grant-esque voice and a soft pop approach, Assad could easily blend in with a league of contemporaries. However, she manages to stand out with a good amount of variety in her string of songs and lyrical honesty. The title track, "Restless" and "Come Clean" are by far the album highlights, exercising a good balance of effective melodies and poignant songwriting. The House You're Building sometimes inches a little too close to the "recyclable worship" line, but the distinctiveness factor is strong enough that the album still stands up regardless. But that aside, Assad brings forth one of the more charming worship records heard this year, and while there's plenty she could do to change things up in her approach for the better, The House You're Building is a fine start for the Tempe, Arizona singer/songwriter. - Roger Gelwicks, 7/11/10

 

. Record Label: Sparrow Records
. Album length: 11 tracks: 43 minutes, 26 seconds
. Street Date: July 13, 2010
. Buy It: iTunes
. Buy It: Amazon.com

  1. For Love of You (3:42)
  2. The House You're Building (3:27)
  3. Breaking Through (4:16)
  4. Everything is Yours (3:51)
  5. Restless (4:55)
  6. Carry Me (3:13)
  7. Ought to Be (2:58)
  8. Known (4:37)
  9. Come Clean (4:04)
  10. Run Forward (4:25)
  11. Show Me (4:05)
spacer     Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics
    Click For Song Lyrics

 

 

go to main Album review page
go to Album review archive

 

 

                 
Try Pop Culture Coffee!

Search JFH



This Tuesday, June 17, 2025
ALBUMS
Thee Alumni (Kaboose, m1L) God's Plan - EP [Polished Arrow]

This Friday, June 20, 2025
ALBUMS
Dan Bremnes The Hero - EP [Curb]
Dan Dean More [StowTown]
Will Kellum In My Secret Place - EP [Syntax]
Brandon Lake King Of Hearts (Full Deck Deluxe) [Provident]
Procyse, JusJames Brand New Mercies - EP [Polished Arrow]
The Swirling Eddies Let's Spin! (Collector's Edition CD) [Girder]
The Swirling Eddies Outdoor Elvis (Collector's Edition CD) [Girder]
The Swirling Eddies Zoom Daddy (Collector's Edition CD) [Girder]
Dr. Edward Daniel Taylor The Miracle Faith Telethon: 35th Anniversary Ed (Collector's Edition CD) [Girder]

SINGLES
Anike Watch Her Glow - Single [Reach]
Anathoth Elohim - Single [Charon Collective]
Sho Baraka Might Not Go - Single [Syntax]
bodie GOOD OLD DAYS - Single [Provident]
Boundless Before - Single [Integrity]
Peter Burton Jesus Over Everything - Single [Integrity]
Chris Caro So Long - Single [Syntax]
Aimee St. Croix Glory in the Waiting Room - Single [Xing]
CXMMXNS Praise Belongs: With All Of Heaven Edition - Single [Provident]
HIS Hypeman Stract Security - Single (independent)
Illustrate, Elan Brio Next To Him - Single (independent)
Influence Music Easy Surrender - Single (independent)
JusRzd Pull Up & Go ft. GB - Single [Syntax]
KDNS Room 42 - Single [Syntax]
Kelo Turf - Single [Syntax]
KingsPorch You Can Have it All - Single [BEC]
MotionPlus OMCL - Single [Polished Arrow]
Blessing Offor Real - Single [Capitol CMG]
Paul and Hannah McClure After Your Heart (Live) - Single [Bethel]
Rhymes in Harmony In His Presence - Single [Syntax]
Silent Reflection Everflame *[Tds Cam's band] - Single [Syntax]
Sanctus Real You Are I Am - Single [The Fuel]
Sound Street I Want to Know More About My Lord - Single [Sonlite]
Jordan St. Cyr Circles (feat. Riley Clemmons) - Single [BEC]

VINYL
IRONWRATH Master Storyteller (Double Vinyl Gatefold) Vinyl [Girder]

Next Friday, June 27, 2025
ALBUMS
7eventh Time Down We Praise You [BEC]
Matt Crocker interlude [Anotherland]
Jimmy Fortune The Seventh Seal [Gaither]
Roxanne Grace Road Trip - EP [DREAM]
Kutless The Seventh Seal - EP [BEC]
Rusty Shipp Cosmic Innuendo, Vol. II: Capsized Empire (independent)
SEU Worship A Forgiving God [Provident]

SINGLES
Blanca Right On Time - Single [Curb]
Landry Cantrell & Elenee sunshine & rainbows - Single [DREAM]
Tasha Layton Singing In the Dark - Single [BEC]
Patrick Mayberry Thank The Lord - Single [Provident]
Alexander Pappas A Great Awakening / Un Nuevo Despertar - Single [Integrity]
The Rocky Valentines Nat Song - Single [Velvet Blue]
Emilie Weiss Take Care (Studio Sessions) - Single [BEC]

DVD
Jimmy Fortune Songs Of An American Dreamer DVD [Gaither]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images