Danny Gokey “Hope in Front of Me” Album Review

Prime Cuts: Hope in Front of Me, Better Than Gold, Tell Your Heart to Beat Again
It's more than just a fictitious sop story written for "Chicken Soup for the Soul." It's Danny Gokey's life story. In a time when Danny Gokey was relative unknown, his wife then Sophia was the one of the few human beings to believe in him. After her constant persistence and encouragement, Gokey finally mustered enough courage to audition for American Idol. However, fate has it that a month before Gokey actually took the stage at the popular TV singing contest, his wife underwent surgery for a congenital heart disease. Unfortunately, Sophia died a month before her husband bore his soul on the eighth season of American Idol. Though Gokey came in third, he has never been reticent about two matters: his love for Jesus and his love for country music. Often two loves would inter-mingle especially when Gokey gave a compelling reading of country music chanteuse Carrie Underwood's "Jesus, Take the Wheel."
Even before the season was over, Gokey was snapped away as RCA Nashville's latest signee. His love for country music came to fruition with his the release of "My Best Days." Unfortunately, the album only received a tepid response failing to chart Gokey with a significant hit. For his sophomore effort, Gokey has decided to give his other love greater exploration. Described as an album with redemptive compassion is "Hope in Front of Me." This is Gokey's first foray into faith-based music and thus far it has been greeted with greater arms. 'Hope in Front of Me" has just made it to the pinnacle of iTunes Christian and Gospel chart and Top 20 on the overall tally.
Helmed by Keith Thomas (Amy Grant, Chris Mann, Heather Headley), Josh Crosby (Cher, Owl City, Matt Kearney) and Bernie Herms (Natalia Grant, Barbra Streisand, Casting Crowns), "Hope in Front of Me" trawls a greater net in terms of themes and styles than its predecessor. There are songs here that Contemporary Christian Music radio would devour. This includes the lead single and title cut "Hope in Front of Me." Fueled by his unimaginable heartache over the passing of Sophia, Gokey chronicles how Jesus can lead us from despair to hope again. Listening in the context of Gokey's loss, the lyrics are a tug to the heart: "There's hope in front of me/There's a light I still see it/There's a hand still holding me/Even when I don't believe it." Continuing on the same lyrical trajectory of rebuilding one's life again after loss is the beautiful keyboard driven ballad co-written by Matthew West "Tell Your Heart to Beat Again."
"More Than What You Think I Am," on the other hand, eradicates the view that God is always angry and trying to find fault with us. Rather, giving us a sneak peek into God's heart, this propulsive pop-oriented rocker reminds us again of God's unconditional love. Not really abandoning his country roots, Gokey and producer Keith Thomas team up with country scribe Marcus Hummon (Tim McGraw, Dixie Chicks) in penning reflective "One Life." "Better than Gold" and "Because of You" harkened back to Gokey's Idol days where he was the master interpreter of love songs. With its use of Auto-voicing and a slick 70s-style R&B funk, "Better Than Gold" is indeed a charmer. At the end of the day, relative to "My Best Days," Gokey sounds more confident as he opens up his life through songs that obviously shaped his own calling and his own values.
Tags : danny gokey american idol danny gokey American Idol Country music danny gokey hope in front of me danny gokey 2014 danny gokey new album Danny Gokey Christian album Danny Gokey news danny gokey death of wife hope in front of me danny gokey album review danny gokey hope in front of me album review
Hot Trends
-
Steve Green Goes Retro with "Hymns"
-
Wanda Bell Launches LadyBellRadio.com 24/7 Gospel Music Platform
-
Greater Vision Charges into Summer Tour and Announces 2026 Bermuda Gospel Cruise
-
Here Are Lyrics to Chris Tomlin's "How Good It Is"
-
2013 Was a Great Year for Centricity Music
-
Phil Wickham Celebrates His 15th Wedding Anniversary with "Just Too Good"
-
Forrest Frank Turns Pain into Praise with New Single “Lemons Into Lemonade”
-
The Longest-Running Christian Songs in Billboard History Unveiled
-
Josh Wilson Releases “Who’s My Neighbor?” Inspired by the Good Samaritan
-
Cory Asbury “Cover to Cover” Album Review
-
Salt Of The Sound's New EP "In All Things" is a Meditative Soundscape for Prayer and Peace
-
Joy Holden On Coping with the Deaths of Her Loved Ones, New Music & the Greatest Story of Hope
-
Lauren Talley On How Her New Album is Influenced by a Blog Post, Her Son's Brain Tumor, Jesus' Self Sacrifice & More
-
Charity Gayle's "Seed of Faith" Sets Isaiah 41:10 to Music
-
Abbie Parker Leaves I AM THEY Band
Most Popular
-
Steve Green Goes Retro with "Hymns"
-
Wanda Bell Launches LadyBellRadio.com 24/7 Gospel Music Platform
-
Greater Vision Charges into Summer Tour and Announces 2026 Bermuda Gospel Cruise
-
Here Are Lyrics to Chris Tomlin's "How Good It Is"
-
2013 Was a Great Year for Centricity Music
-
Phil Wickham Celebrates His 15th Wedding Anniversary with "Just Too Good"
-
Forrest Frank Turns Pain into Praise with New Single “Lemons Into Lemonade”
-
The Longest-Running Christian Songs in Billboard History Unveiled
-
Josh Wilson Releases “Who’s My Neighbor?” Inspired by the Good Samaritan
-
Cory Asbury “Cover to Cover” Album Review
-
Salt Of The Sound's New EP "In All Things" is a Meditative Soundscape for Prayer and Peace
-
Joy Holden On Coping with the Deaths of Her Loved Ones, New Music & the Greatest Story of Hope
-
Lauren Talley On How Her New Album is Influenced by a Blog Post, Her Son's Brain Tumor, Jesus' Self Sacrifice & More
-
Charity Gayle's "Seed of Faith" Sets Isaiah 41:10 to Music
-
Abbie Parker Leaves I AM THEY Band