Sounds like … easy-going pop with a slight southern slant; evoking shades of Steven Curtis Chapman, Randy Stonehill, Kenny Loggins, and John Denver
At a glance … a poignant and encouraging concept album that pays poetic tribute to the singer/songwriter's wife.
Concept albums are somewhat of a rarity in Christian music, so it's especially ambitious for an indie artist to embark on an interwoven, thirteen-track journey. The theme: one Christian couple's marital covenant. Though a record of love songs may summon visions of Michael Bolton, Everyday with You is surprisingly free of schmaltz.
Ironically, Ames co-wrote the album with one of Bolton's previous collaborators Bob Halligan Jr., known in Christian circles as the leader of Ceili Rain and as a Rebecca St. James' collaborator. Halligan and Ames' "Champion"—bearing some resemblance to early Randy Stonehill—is centered around the Christian understanding of marriage being built on the foundation of Christ. Ames also teamed up with pop star Jill Parr to pen the title track, a comforting acoustic rocker evoking Kenny Loggins.
Besides paying tribute to his wife, Ames also loads Everyday with You with encouragement for married couples—from those suffering everyday relational issues to those on the verge of collapse. This encouragement regarding communication and restoration gives broader appeal and takeaway to what was written as a collection of personal love songs.
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