` Jesusfreakhideout.com: Grace Graber, "The Breakthrough" Review
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JFH Indie Music Spotlight Review

Grace Graber, 'The Breakthrough'
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Grace Graber
The Breakthrough

Street Date: August 23, 2024
Style: Pop Punk / Rock
Buy It: gracegrabermerch.square.site



Grace Graber is adding to the growing ranks of up-and-coming artists unafraid to address their mental health publicly, with hopes that it will help others navigate their own. With a versatile sound, musically covering pop, pop rock, and pop/punk, Graber joins the blossoming independent Christian music scene with her debut, The Breakthrough. Featuring co-writes with members of Stars Go Dim, Hawk Nelson, Fireflight, and Disciple, you get a general idea of her influences and target audience.

While half of the tracklist has already been "waterfalled" before the album release date, it does not spoil all the fun, serving instead as a good sampling of sounds to whet the appetite of new listeners. For example, opener "In Between" roars out of the gate with punk-tinged energy, and pop/rock "The Sign" continues with album thesis-setting lines, "I'm still breathing/There's a reason I'm still here."

If "The Sign" is the setup, then the title track is the spike of Graber's purpose in life, that being to encourage others to see that, "He saved me like He'll save you" and, "If you need the proof, you're on His mind/Just look at my life/He will break through, breakthrough." The personal testimony is earnest and sweet and always needed.

From here, the meat of the album features three previously released singles, and my favorite songs, "As I Am," "Solo," and "No Regrets." The latter is an energetic pop-punk number with a guest spot from Peabod adding to the fun. "Solo" is a danceable take on pop rock akin to what you might hear from the newest Paramore album. Its darker-sounding verses give way to a more open and hooky chorus that is incredibly catchy. Additional standouts would be the two slower tunes on the record, the acoustic guitar-strummed "Saved" and the piano-led "If You’re Like Me."

All in all, while The Breakthrough doesn't necessarily break new ground musically, it does excel at varying the pop sounds, keeping it brief, and brimming with hope amidst pain in the messaging. This is a meticulously crafted debut, from the lyrics to the musicality, and down to the track sequencing. Add Grace Graber to the list of the new crop of Christian artists to keep an eye on, like Chris Renzema, Josiah Queen, David Kushner, Anne Wilson, and Riley Clemmons.

- Review date: 8/22/24, written by Josh Balogh of Jesusfreakhideout.com



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. Record Label: None
. Album length: 12 tracks: 39 minutes 3 seconds
. Street Date: August 23, 2024
. Buy It: gracegrabermerch.square.site

  1. In Between (2:21)
  2. The Signs (2:53)
  3. Breakthrough (3:34)
  4. As I Am (2:37)
  5. Superficiality (2:55)
  6. Grace Of God (3:34)
  7. Solo (3:01)
  8. Saved (4:17)
  9. If You're Like Me (3:09)
  10. No Regrets (feat. PEABOD) (3:30)
  11. More Than A Miracle (3:25)
  12. Greater (3:52)

 

 

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This Friday, March 28, 2025
ALBUMS
Anchor Hymns The Garden (Live) [Integrity]
Anike The Rap Pack - EP [Reach]
Mack Brock Beloved - EP [Centricity]
Eben Brusco Offering House - EP (independent)
Steve Camp Fire and Ice (Remastered Collector's Edition) [Girder]
CXMMXNS Chapter 2 - EP [Provident]
Lawrence Hancock Undefeated [LVP]
The Heritage HOME [Bowyer & Bow]
Memphis May Fire Shapeshifter [Rise]
Red Rocks Worship The King Is Coming [Provident]
Edwrin Sutton The Savior 1.0 (Volume 1) [Blacksmoke]

SINGLES
Big Daddy Weave I've Just Seen Too Much - Single [Curb]
Bongo Chico 1995 - Single (independent)
Kristin Chenoweth Live Like That (from "The King of Kings" Soundtrack) - Single [Angel Studios/Sony]
Disciple Resurrecting Reasons (feat. Decyfer Down) - Single [Tooth & Nail]
ELEVATION RHYTHM Sing Of Your Love (feat. Joe L Barnes) - Single [Elevation]
Good Weather Forecast Now I See It - Single [DREAM]
Lucy Grimble First Love - Single [Integrity]
JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise Lifted Up (ft. Tamela Hairston) - Single [Motown Gospel]
Jericko MANNA - Single [Syntax]
Kashh Kade RUNNING MAN - Single [Syntax]
Knaladeus Treasure (ft. C4 Crotona & Aciya Iona) - Single [Syntax]
Ronnie Martin Ever Sing For Joy - Single [Velvet Blue]
Miel San Marcos Digno De Adorar (Worthy Of It All) [feat. Waleska Morales] - Single [Integrity]
New Day Rhymes In Harmony - Single (independent)
Sam Purpose Turnaround - Single (independent)
Q-Flo & C4 Crotona The Plug Gotta Know God - Single [Syntax]
Smokey Robinson Three Little Birds / What A Wonderful World - Single [Gaither]
Sixpence None the Richer Julia (Live at Gruene Hall) - Single [Flatiron]
Sound Chapel Forever Amen - Single [Provident]
Sound Street I'm So Blessed - Single [Sonlite]
Switch Love Like This - Single (independent)
TKE3 LAHO 3MIX - Single (independent)
Madison Watkins You Won't - Single [Provident]
Wolves at the Gate Synthetic Sun - Single [Solid State]
The Young Escape Every Little Thing - Single [BEC]

Next Tuesday, April 1, 2025
SINGLES
Sleeping At Last Build - Single (independent)

Next Friday, April 4, 2025
ALBUMS
Faith Worship Arts Fill This House [DREAM Worship]
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SINGLES
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Jordan St. Cyr My Foundation (Acoustic) - Single [BEC]



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