ReCollection 
Artist: Nichole Nordeman
Label: Sparrow Records
17 tracks / 74 minutes
  
There are plenty of female singer-songwriters vying for our attention and the subtle ones like Nordeman could easily get missed. Fortunately, she has produced enough good work over the last decade to ensure that she is not going to get overlooked. 
 
Nordeman apparently chose the set list for this collection herself, although several tracks were always going to be included, such as the title tracks of Brave and Legacy , along with Real To Me.
 
Some tracks sum up all  that she offers. As well as a tune that gets you singing,  To Know You is the sort of track that sets up the day, or should be used in church, as it is a prayer of commitment that acknowledges our weakness while wanting to love God through our failure. 
 
Based on the experiences of Nicodemus and Thomas, it also takes a biblical base and brings it into our lives:  “When he placed his fingers where the nails once broke your skin / Did his faith finally begin?  / I've lied if I've denied the ground I shared with him ... I really want to love you / Be patient with my doubt / I'm just trying to figure out your will”.
 
Is It Any Wonder sparks up the middle of the disc with its jazzy piano riff and 
I Am shows how her singing can draw you to the speakers in rapt attention when backed by little else than piano and strings.
 
While she has an intuitive grasp of the Christian heart, she is also well able to talk lyrically and sympathetically to those outside the faith: “What if you're right and he was just another nice guy?  / ... They say the cross will only make a fool of you and what if it's true? / But what if you're wrong? / What if there's more? / What if there's hope you never dreamed of hoping for? /  What if you jump and just close your eyes? / What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?”
 
Her lyrical twists, memorable tunes, thoughtful songs and Cyndi Lauper vocal style, as well as her honesty, make Nordeman a singer worth hearing. This set has the best of her work so far (plus the obligatory two new tracks) and traces her faith journey along the way. Few fireworks, but fine fare.
 
Derek Walker