Ben Utecht Ben Utecht (Stylos) Released April 2009 Reviewed by Andrew Greer

Style: Powerful pop/rock with a worshipful punch; Jeremy Camp, Building 429, and Chris Tomlin

Top tracks: "Yours," "We All Bow Down" (w/ Sandi Patty), "Here I Am"

In a nutshell: A slew of professional athletes have made permanent marks (both beautiful and brutal) on the music industry over the years. But you know what we've yet to experience? A NFL player dueting with Sandi Patty. Consider it done. In fact, Cincinnati Bengals' tight end Ben Utecht's rookie release is a direct byproduct of Patty, a diehard NFL fan. Befriending the Super Bowl XLI Champ after asking him for a post-game autograph, the Gospel Music legend soon discovered Utecht's natural musical talent and signed him to her label, Stylos.

Combining killer vocals with hard-hitting pop tunes, Utecht proves this is no vanity project. Co-writing with Mark Harris and buddy Jeremy Camp and enlisting the expertise of pop/worship guru Nathan Nockels, Utecht utilizes a roster full of CCM A-listers to produce one heck of a record. A solid songwriter and exceptional singer, Utecht is a total pro. Consider this debut a touchdown.

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