Let It Be Jesus

Personnel: James Duke, Daniel Carson (electric guitar); Jacob Arnold (drums); Heath Balltzglier, Molley Moody (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Ainslie Grosser .
Recording information: Passion City Church, Atlanta, GA.
Photographers: Mary Caroline Russell; Bobb Russell.
Let It Be Jesus marks Christy Nockels' 20th anniversary as a recording artist. Teaming, as always, with her producer/husband Nathan Nockels, they celebrate with a live offering of new material recorded during one night at Passion City Church in Atlanta. Unlike the relatively stripped-down Into the Glorious from 2012 (an album that, were it not for its subject matter, could have been a contemporary country radio staple), Let It Be Jesus is maximalist and anthemic, from the cut-time opener "Into the Glorious," which has country-gospel at its core, to the building drama of "Everything Is Mine in You," to the Celtic rock tinge in "If You Never." This is also true of the ballads, such as "Jesus, Rock of Ages," which commences as a folk song and ends up a rocker, and the two set closers, the vulnerable "Find Me at the Feet of Jesus" and the shimmering paean to affirmation that is "Wonderful Name." In this last track, co-written with Jonas Myrin and Matt Redman, Nockels offers not only conviction but the promise of solace to a wounded world. The live sound is kinetic. The performances, from the singer, her band, and chorus, are immediate -- raw yet flawless. Combining this material with live recording makes this Nockels' finest solo offering to date. ~ Thom Jurek