Almost There (CD - 2001)

Additional personnel: Paltrow Performance Group (strings).

MercyMe: Scott Mallard (vocals); Mike Scheuchzer (guitar, background vocals); Jim Bryson (keyboards); Nathan Cochran (bass guitar, background vocals); Robby Shaffer (drums).

After six independent releases, MercyMe strikes gold with their first national disc, entitled Almost There. While praise & worship music seems to be the trend, MercyMe offers a disc that tends to be the exception and not the norm. While lyrically sending vertical kudos, each cut is geared toward sending praise to the heavens. "I Worship You" kicks off the disc with a grand entrance; falling somewhere between adult contemporary and rock, the cut utilizes a swirling synth and acoustic guitars to weave a potent melody. "How Great Is Your Love" is a cut with an emotionally impressive chorus. Here, vocalist Bart Millard's delivers a compelling performance via effect-laden delays and a poignant delivery. "I Can Only Imagine" is a passionate piano-driven ballad. The tune begs the question what it would be like to be in the presence of God. Delivered with conviction, the song is emotionally compelling. Throughout the release, the guitar nuances of Mike Scheuchzer are reminiscent of U2's Edge, while keyboardist Jim Bryson places intense but subtle keyboard traces within the context of each tune. Almost There is a disc that holds power. It builds framework for the kingdom of God while lifting the souls of listeners along the way. ~ Steven Douglas Losey

ALMOST THERE is state-of-the-art worship rock from the wittily named quintet whose major label debut this is. Mercyme have an almost '80s style, and unless you listen closely to their lyrics you could mistake ALMOST THERE for something by the Alarm or a late effort by Big Country. Their popularity attests to seven years of hard work (they have half a dozen independent albums to their credit) and the burgeoning US worship music scene.

Though some may find the worship genre disconcertingly one-dimensional, Mercyme have an original way with a lyric, rendering songs like "How Great Is Your Love" and "Bless Me Indeed (Jabez's Song)" fresh and inspirational, while the shining simplicity of a song like "Cannot Say Enough" speaks volumes. The album-closer, the soaring "In You," with its string accompaniment, is a fitting summation to this devotional set of rock tunes, recalling none other than the end of the Beatles' "Hey Jude." minimize