Woven & Spun
Nichole Nordeman acknowledges that her music isn't easy sing-along stuff. In fact, while her art demands an attentive ear, it promises a wonderful payoff. OnWoven & Spun, Nordeman's third release, the self-proclaimed "wrestling poet" has crafted her most profound work yet. It's a release that glitters with rich lyrical content and shimmers with Nordeman's atmospheric piano. While Nordeman still struggles with reconciling life in this world with her eternal hope and faith, she carries a greater sense of intimacy and grace in such vertically oriented tracks as "Holy," "Healed," and "Never Loved You More." Her version ofPeter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes"--a cover begging to be done for years by a Christian artist--fits well with the reflective mood of the release. The pinnacle ofWoven & Spunhas to be Nordeman's ode to God's watchful eye with "I Am," a beautiful, moving tale of how the Almighty has walked closely with a woman from little girl to blushing bride. It's the crowning moment for one of Christian music's brightest hopes.--Michael Lyttle