Capitol Christian Music Group
Release Date: July 26th 2024
Reviewed by: Joshua Andre
Danny Gokey– Sound Of Heaven (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Sound Of Heaven
- Wannabe
- I Got You
- Still On The Throne
- Only For A Moment
- Todo El Mundo (feat. Limoblaze & Niko Eme)
- Open Up the Gates
- Can’t Help But Worship (feat. Naomi Raine)
- God’s Not
- Makeup
- Lean On Me (feat. Evan Craft)
Danny Gokey’s heartbreaking, heart-warming, comforting, and inspiring story… is one for the ages. If you don’t believe me, then you can read the introductions of our reviews of his albums Hope In Front Of Me, Rise, and Tell Your Heart To Beat Again EP (or even the conclusions, or the whole reviews!). Because the in-depth descriptions on what Danny went through and how he came through the other side; is covered much more in depth over there that it doesn’t need to be repeated here. Although if you’re the lazy type, I’ll just recap- Danny auditioned for American Idol way back in 2008 but a couple of weeks before he was supposed to go in to sing in front of the judges, his first wife Sophia passed away. Now Danny didn’t win the competition- he was placed third. But the story of loss, and subsequent determination to create uplifting, hopeful and impacting music to honour his wife, has resonated with people all over the globe. The story of his first wife, has given Danny a platform to share the good news of Jesus Christ to as many people as he can (similar to Jeremy Camp and the death of his first wife Melissa!). The hit single “Hope In Front Of Me” in 2014 started his meteoric rise to popularity in both Christian and mainstream circles; as his first album in 2010 was an unfortunate failed attempt at breaking into the country genre. Yet fast forward to now, and we see that Danny has released something new.
A few months ago, Danny recent dropped his latest album. Sound Of Heaven is his next studio album after 2021’s Jesus People, and while we reviewed the mediocre single “Brave” not too long ago; thankfully, this new worship album shows us all the Danny we’ve come to know, love, and respect. The 2022 single “Live Up To Your Name” is the powerful, moving, worshipful, and hopeful follow up to the 2021 album Jesus People. I personally felt that Jesus People wasn’t that cohesive or engaging in comparison to the rest of Danny’s discography; and that the 2019 project Haven’t Seen It Yet is one of Danny’s best. And from the lyrical content of the lead single (of “Haven’t Seen It Yet”) alone- about waiting for God’s promises and believing that everything will come together in His timing; the album of the same name is one of Danny’s most relevant and strongest musically and lyrically to date, although I’ll always have a soft spot for Danny’s debut CCM project. Don’t believe me? Take a read of Jon’s review of Haven’t Seen It Yet and let me know what you think of Danny’s 2019 project!
Still feel inspired and ready to take on the world, courtesy of Danny’s uplifting and grandiose message of hope and security in Jesus? Jesus People, from 2021, is where we’re introduced to a whole lot more hope, joy, love, peace, and happiness. Stylistically, lyrically, and thematically though, Jesus People shouldn’t be a project that I overly enjoy- simply because Danny doesn’t break the mould. But his earnestness, passion and enthusiasm have drawn me in greatly, as Danny provides to us an experience for the ages, and one that will certainly make you feel closer to God, as we admit to the whole world that we are indeed ‘Jesus people’. With audiences having connected with the raw, honest music, and Danny’s profile now exponentially rising due to his step of faith when he was at his lowest point in his life; many songs are in fact a testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness. Also, the fact that Jesus keeps his promises is reason enough for Danny to keep on singing and worshipping with intense passion, and this 3rd place finalist in the 8th season of American Idol holds nothing back. With “Stand In Faith” and “We All Need Jesus” being the lyrical anchors for this project, Jesus People is a must listen if you want to praise Jesus’ name, but also want a bit of musical variety than your usual hymns.
Although you didn’t come here to this page to re-read what I’ve written before, did you? The 2022 song “Live Up To Your Name” isn’t like anything Danny has done before, as it’s his first attempt at singing a full-on vertical worship song. Sure, he’s recorded a worship song with The Belonging Co.; but most, if not all of his songs post his first album (which was country), have been CCM, and so this melody may be surprising to some. However, I find a song like this, which still is repetitive in parts, somewhat refreshing and revitalising. There’s something special and magical about worship songs and singing inspiring melodies to Jesus; and Danny has delivered a powerful melody about all of the impacting adjectives we call Jesus- and declaring that Jesus does in fact live up to His name and every other name we call Him. We call Him Saviour, Abba Father, Jehovah Jireh, Emmanuel, our Counsellor, the Everlasting Father… Jesus is deserving of every one of these names, and Danny has indeed ushered us into the presence of Jesus, with a reflective, contemplative, and enthusiastic ballad. Similarly in theme to “Live Up To Your Name”, the entire landscape and sound of Sound Of Heaven is certainly more worship than CCM or pop- and this undoubtedly works in Danny’s favour.
The recognisable lead single “I Got You” celebrates the constant truth that we have Jesus every single day of our lives, and thus we can raise Him because ‘…I got You, in the joy, in the pain, in the waiting, in the flood, in the fire, in the breaking, I’m standing on You, so I won’t be moved, yeah, I’ll get through…’; while another single is the joyous, energetic and moving pop/Latin/salsa hybrid track “Todo El Mundo”- one of the most unique songs I’ve heard in recent memory. Danny and guest vocalists Limoblaze and Niko Eme praise Jesus for who He is, and the infusion of different music genres adds a creativity not heard for a long time in the genre of CCM or pop or even worship.
The rest of Sound Of Heaven is a joyous and celebratory 40 minute party, with Danny powerfully relaying the greatness and the goodness of God for the entire world to see and hear. The title track is a gospel/jazz/soul melody that speaks about listening to the sound of heaven and being thankful and grateful for the present moment; while “Wannabe”, at times cliché and cringey, dives deep into the sentiment that Danny longs to be more like Jesus, and wants to exhibit more of the qualities that Jesus Christ possesses. “Still On the Throne” is one of the high points on the album, with the earnest worship ballad praising Jesus because He is still on the throne, and that He is ‘…holy, Holy Strong and mighty, we believe You are God and You’re still in control, risen Savior, King forever, we believe You’re alive and You’re still on the throne, hallelujah…’; while the resounding and engaging worship melody “Open Up The Gates” is a full on vertical worship song, as Danny vibrantly and fervently praises Jesus because of who He is once again, declaring out ‘…shout His praise, open up the gates and let the people sing His name, the powerful and mighty name of Jesus, His presence is among us now, He is enthroned as we pour out our praise…’.
“Can’t Help But Worship”, a soothing and serene piano led ballad sung with Naomi Raine, is Danny at his finest vocally, lyrically and in every other way. One of the standouts on Sound Of Heaven, this melody invites us all into communion with God and inspires us to sing along and worship Jesus as well, despite our circumstances- simply because He is; while the reassuring and heartfelt melody “God’s Not” points out God’s faithful qualities and every lie that we believe from the enemy, with God promising that He’s always with us every step of the way. “Makeup” is one of the most ‘controversial’ songs of 2024, as Danny calls out the far left and the ‘woke’ culture that many people in the U.S. and all over the world have latched onto without thinking that actively for themselves about the real underlying issues- while Danny also calls out media and Satan and the devil, encouraging us all to wake up from the make believe world we’ve been living in. “Lean On Me”, the CCM/pop album closer with Evan Craft on guest vocals, is a hybrid Spanish/English pop song with the same theme of the hit song of the same name from Bill Withers, as Danny and Evan sing from the point of view of God (or a mate to another mate) and relay that people can generally ‘…lean on me, if you don’t feel strong, whenever you fall, I’ll be the one to help you up when you can’t carry on, a tu lado estaré, oh, nunca te abandonaré, no, I’ll be there by your side so you know you can lean on me…’. Yet it is the “Beauty Will Rise”-like piano ballad “Only For A Moment” that is Danny at his most encouraging and inspiring- I literally got tears hearing this song.
“Only For A Moment” isn’t for the faint hearted. If you’re going through the hardship, if you’re in the valley of the shadow of death… this song may sound tone deaf or just a song not for that moment in time when you are so desperately at the end of your own rope. But Danny’s inspiration and encouragement does ring true here- and though this melody is cliché, the sentiment stands. Hard times only last for a moment. Something beautiful is on the way. Even if we can’t see it, Jesus is always working, and even though the results of something good are not in the time frame we would like; that doesn’t mean that God has abandoned us. quite the opposite. It means that God is still working and has a better time frame and a better outcome that what we have envisioned and what we could ever envision. Personally, both my brother and I are right now witnessing hardships from all around us- death looking at us in the face at every turn. And while we ourselves aren’t going through the storms, this song does provide comfort. Perhaps not right now to the people in the thick of it. But Danny does provide encouragement that everything has its place and that things aren’t permanent- that the hardships are here only for a season. I know, this song may sound tone deaf. And that may be so. But for someone- “Only For a Moment” will provide perspective, and that’s all that matters; Danny definitely would have done his job even if one person was changed from this song. Just take a read of the lyrics below and be inspired!
[Verse 1]
Even here there is hope
Buried in the hurt
Before the bloom of a rose
There’s a season in the dirt
[Pre-Chorus]
But something beautiful is on the way
Where you are is not where you were made to stay
[Chorus]
It’s only for a moment
So keep holdin’ on
It’s only for a moment
No it won’t be long
His plan for you is perfect
And this season has a purpose
It’s only for a moment
It’s only for a moment
[Verse 2]
You are not on your own
Planted where you are
So let the rain help you grow
The harvest isn’t far
[Pre-Chorus]
‘Cause something beautiful is on the way
Where you are is not where you were made to stay
[Chorus]
It’s only for a moment
So keep holdin’ on
It’s only for a moment
No it won’t be long
His plan for you is perfect
And this season has a purpose
It’s only for a moment
It’s only for a moment
[Verse 3]
God saw something beautiful
The day He sowed the seed
The winter bows to His command
It can’t deny the spring
[Verse 4]
So don’t dig up those roots just yet
He’s watering the ground
The promise of tomorrow
Stands on what He’s doing now
[Chorus]
It’s only for a moment
So keep holdin’ on
It’s only for a moment
No it won’t be long
His plan for you is perfect
And this season has a purpose
It’s only for a moment
It’s only for a moment
[Bridge]
It’s only for a moment
It’s only for a moment
It’s only for a moment
You can trust in Him
[Outro]
‘Cause even in this moment
He’s working it out
And when you feel hopeless
Just trust in the Lord
Something beautiful is on the way
Though at times Sound Of Heaven is cliched and quite CCM-esque; the worship album is still enjoyable and unique in its own right. A massive step up from “Brave” (it’s an EP not in my wheelhouse, but Danny has indeed still released a solid collection of melodies about his love of America and about his dedication to the country that he’s living in right now); these eleven new songs showcase Danny Gokey’s earnestness and zeal and passion for life which is infectious, and Danny nonetheless deserves congratulations- well done for such a poignant and powerful set of thought-provoking, reflective and contemplative melodies, and one of my favourite CCM male vocalists since Josh Wilson, Brandon Heath and Matthew West. Is this new alubm a must buy? Up to you, but definitely a must listen, that’s for sure!
3 Songs To Listen To: Only For A Moment, Can’t Help But Worship, Makeup
Score: 4.5/5
RIYL: Brandon Heath, Josh Wilson, MercyMe, Casting Crowns, Matthew West, Mark Schultz