REVIEW: Ginny Owens, Without Condition (Word/Epic)
- Jon Steltenpohl
We'd all like to think it was Amy Grant who brought Christian rock to the mainstream, but in all honesty, it might have been Stryper. Still, Christian rock these days is much better than it used to be. Groups such as DC Talk and Jars of Clay are actually as good as some non-Christian artists, and the Christian rock community seems willing to accept artists who don't quote a Bible verse in every song.
Ginny Owens is one of this latest breed of Christian artists. Regardless of her lyrical content, her musical strength is just incredible. She falls somewhere between Sarah McLachlan, Tracy Bonham, and Tori Amos. Only, Owens is like the good girl of the bunch. In fact, had Tori Amos stayed the sweet church girl of her childhood, she probably would have sounded much like Ginny Owens.
Without Condition is full of singer/songwriter pop goodness. Granted, the number of artists making this sort of music can be overwhelming. But a good album is a good album, and Owens deserves credit. Without Condition is a collection of upbeat pop songs which are mainly light and easy on the ears. The title track is an Amos like song with piano and strings which is broken and segmented into a compelling mix. Like Amos' work, this method results in a song which seems fragmented on the surface, but is actually easy to fall into. The other focus track is called "I Wanna Be Moved," and it shares more with McLachlan's beat-driven sound. "Free," a nice, easy-going track, has already charted in some areas on the Adult Contemporary arena.
"Springs of Life" attempts to be a bit soulful, but is something of a letdown. The background vocals and organ don't really click together. Similarly, "Symbol of a Lost Cause" attempts to be a bit harsher than the rest of the album, but Owens gets a little lost when venturing beyond sweetness. Fortunately, she ends the album on the sweetest note with "Own Me." The song is only piano and soft voice, and is as good as anything by any of Owens' piano playing peers.
Without Condition is a nice debut for Ginny Owens. She has the unfortunate, yet common problem of being one of many talented female singer/songwriters out there. As a result, comparisons to other artists come quickly and easily, and there isn't a lot to distinguish Owens from the crowd except for her emphasis on her faith. Although Without Condition wouldn't be a bad choice for non-believers, Christian rock fans should definitely check this album out.
