Without Condition
On her remarkable debut,Without Condition, Ginny Owens stands out from the crowd with some of the most pleasing originals in new Christian music. She manages this with a stable of tunes that are not only solid pop and rock arrangements of great little melodies, but by continuously taking the least predictable route to get there with minor chord change-ups, surprising harmonic turns, and twisty and courageous vocals. "Symbol of a Lost Cause" blends sultry lead vocals with a shattered drum beat, strings, piano, and electric-guitar fuzz.  The title track, addressing the question of God's presence, is daring and organic, spiritually uplifting, and musically challenging. Alternately freshly sweet and profoundly deep, Owens sings with conviction, not mincing words or devolving into the genre's most familiar tricks. Rather, one hears shades ofTori AmosandFiona Applebroadcast through an entirely new channel.--Paige La Grone