Customer Rating:  
Summary: A Soulful Touch (4.5 Stars)
Comment: The follow-up to 2006's Speak for Texas-native Jimmy Needham is nothing less than passionate and soulful. Needham has a way of speaking the truth using personal introspection, along with a mix of jazz and blues harmonics, R&B vocal style, and straight-forward songwriting approach completing a diversified yet catchy sophomore release through Inpop Records.
Although Not Without Love may not surprise many, it does inspire. Needham is very passionate about writing songs that are not just "songs" with a verse, a chorus, another verse, and a bridge, but he wants to bring about worship. He makes it clear that he does not listen to any style of music that does not make him want to worship God, and it's very clear on Not Without Love that he doesn't write songs just to be listened to, but they're to be experienced in our everyday lives.
The album starts off with an apologetic number which is the basis of the release explaining Needham's normally unsuccessful attempts in converting souls, and with a revelation beyond logic, love. The song has a normal swing of pop influenced soul with lightly distorted and affectionate electric guitar with Jimmy's usual acoustic swagger.
"We pass our paper facts all week, but they won't come around...There's only way they'll come, and it's love."
Jimmy is quick to subject to humility, and slow to boast. He gives light of this on "Hurricane" his desperation to be saved from the flesh. Needham mixes up his usual truth-bearing/melancholic redeeming numbers with a couple tracks about his fiancée (Firefly, Unfailing Love) that are extremely heartfelt. "Firefly" is definitely a poppier track with it's jovial melody, while "Unfailing Love" gets more to the core of his love for this woman. He even repeats his purpose for the song three times
"Be my wife, be my wife, be my wife."
Two of the last three tracks of Not Without Love again express anguish and angst-ridden need for saving. Both tracks (Rend, The Great Love Story) are more piano-driven which makes it easier to feel his longing for redemption. "Author" could definitely be used in churches as a traditional contemporary worship song, and is probably my favorite track on Love.
Even though Love is not a shocking, it is moving and a recommended purchase. You won't find many artists like Jimmy Needham; he is honest, compassionate, and personal, and it comes through on both releases thus far.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Pretty Good
Comment: Although this style of music is not normally my favorite, this album has a couple of songs that I really like.
'Hurricane' and 'The Author' are very catchy. Another one that I really like is 'Not Without Love (The Benediction)'. It is kind of a rap. Most of the songs on this CD have a blues feel. They are ok, just not my preference.
Most of the songs have a good message with Christian lyrics. There are a couple that are love songs written to the artist's wife.
If you like blues, this would be a good pickup. Even if you don't, the songs that I mentioned above are worthwhile. I would recommend buying at least a digital version of those.
Customer Rating:
Summary: something very nice on the ears.
Comment: I was looking for something different to listen to and this came up on my recommendations thought i might give it a listen.
I was very pleasantly surprised by Jimmy Needham and his ability to be so smooth.
He reminded me of Jason Mraz, but with maybe a little more relevance as far as lyrics go, talking about how we view others, to our self worth and even a great love song in firefly.
This is truly a great album up there with some of my favorites.
Recommended if you like Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Shawn McDonald and Matthew West.
Customer Rating:
Summary: An honest attempt
Comment: Mr. needham has a great way of stringing words together. Sometimes he reminds me of Jason Mraz because he uses words better than most of the so called songwriters out there. This album is well produced. I think it is his best to date. Now I am just waiting for a live album because he is much better in person. I would love to hear him experiment with a little electic guitar.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Really strong release.
Comment: So I became a fan of JN about a year ago and immediately purchased his music. This album is just as good as the first two. This album moves to a slightly more mainstream sound but every track is still amazing. His music never really gets old and anyone fond of Christian Rock should definitely pick this up along with his older music. The music has a classic feel and that is something that really sets him apart from those in the Christian Rock world today. He is definitely an underrated artist and I expect him to rise on the charts steadily with this release. Support this amazing artist and his ministry!
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