Style: Piano-driven worship/pop; compare to Vanessa Carlton, Kari Jobe, Bethany Dillon
Top tracks: “Restless,” “Ought to Be,” “Come Clean”
Assad’s debut album could be called a confession; her lyrics are both accessible and intimate, universal to the Christian walk, and unique to twentysomething struggles. Drawing inspiration from poets like Gerard Manley Hopkins and Francis Thompson, Assad’s modern-day Psalms speak of heartache and point to God’s mighty love. Musically, however, Assad’s songs lack originality. Though purer pop tunes (“Ought to Be” and “Show Me”) offer a nice change from her piano-driven worship, most of her songs suffer from too much repetition. Still, her lovely lyrics will encourage listeners to be forgiving of a still-developing sound.
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